02/02/2026
With the recent allegations of grooming and abuse surfacing in the BJJ community, I debated saying anything.
This page is normally about education — positions, strategy, skill development. But when something like this keeps showing up on my feed, when people are hurt, when trust is shaken, I feel obligated to speak.
Power in BJJ isn’t neutral.
It’s loaded.
The coach isn’t just “someone who shows guard passes.”
He’s a gatekeeper.
He decides who moves up.
Who gets more contact in drills.
That kind of setup works — until someone leans on it wrong.
Grooming doesn’t show up wearing a mask.
It shows up smiling.
Asking how your day’s been.
Driving you home.
Texting “proud of you.”
One kid feels special — then special turns heavy.
I’m a parent too.
My son trains in Brazil, and even though I’m not there, his mom supervises every class.
When I chose his school, I didn’t just look at their technique — I studied their program, asked around, made sure the environment was built for safety first, skill second.
Over the years, I’ve coached in multiple gyms.
A lot of my work wasn’t just instruction — it was damage control.
Trying to protect kids in a system that let too much slide.
And the truth is, most people don’t act until it’s too late.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Safe systems aren’t “extra.”
• No adult music that swears
• Parents present and aware — not checked out
• Zero hero worship. “Black belt” doesn’t mean untouchable
• Every complaint gets a seat at the table, big or small
You don’t build safety by hope.
You build it by design.
🛡️
If you’re a parent, coach, or athlete — this isn’t “someone else’s problem.”
It’s on us to protect the mat.
