Head Professor, co-owner
Max Gimenis
Max Gimenis was born on April 14, 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gimenis’ interest in martial arts was sparked at the age of ten when he started learning judo. Jiu jitsu was also offered at the social club and it didn’t take long for Max to sign up for that as well. The jiu jitsu classes were led by Herman Santos, a black belt affiliated with GF Team (then UGF). It would be Santos who instilled in Gimenis the desire to pursue a grappling career from very early on. When Gimenis was fourteen years old, his family moved to Guarapari, a coastal town in the state of Espírito Santo (ES). Arriving to ES as a blue belt, Max continued his jiu jitsu training under the tutelage of Thiago Oliveira at the famous Strike Academy, home to the legendary female competitor, Fernanda Mazzelli. After two years in Guarapari, Max Gimenis decided to return to Rio de Janeiro to follow his dream of becoming a professional jiu-jitsu competitor. He rejoined GF Team and made the academy headquarters his home, literally living at the gym. Guided by Master Júlio César Pereira, Giemenis’ career truly blossomed. His rampant campaigns earned him many important medals and belt promotions by GFT’s leader, who advanced Max to his purple, then brown and black belts. The black belt was presented while on the podium of the IBJJF World Championship, on June 2, 2016.
Jiu Jitsu Professor, co-owner
Eric Philcox
A Blackbelt under Max Gimenis, Eric embarked on his journey in the world of jiu jitsu, and it was an instant love affair with the sport. Over the past eight-plus years of dedicated training, Eric has had the opportunity to practice at numerous jiu jitsu academies around the globe. This has granted him a unique vantage point to discern the key factors that contribute to the success of an academy.
Throughout his travels, Eric has come to deeply appreciate Max's distinctive training approach, recognizing it as highly effective and the ideal foundation for a prosperous academy. Eric's path in jiu jitsu has been a source of enduring life lessons, imparting values such as persistence, dedication, and discipline—qualities that prove invaluable not only on the mats but also in the realms of business and life beyond.
In his professional life, Eric serves as the founder and owner of a thriving digitization company. He has harnessed his wealth of business experience to establish the Culture of Jiu Jitsu Academy, leveraging his expertise to ensure its success.
Woman and kids Professor
Marcia ramos
Márcia Ramos is a Brazilian martial artist from Macapá, Brazil, with over 14 years of experience in grappling. She began her journey in martial arts through judo before discovering her passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Márcia holds a first-degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and is a certified IBJJF referee. Committed to safety and inclusivity, she is trained in first aid procedures and has completed a course on "Intellectual Disability and its Implications in Inclusive Education."
Jiu Jitsu Professor
Kristian Hernandez
Kristian Omar Hernandez was born on May 30, 1982, and is from Puerto Rico. He joined the U.S. Army in the year 2000 and served his country for ten years. During that time, he deployed to Iraq in 2003 and again in 2005, gaining invaluable experience under challenging conditions. In 2012, he moved to Germany to further support the U.S. Department of Defense.
While in Germany, Kristian began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2013 under Jan Basso black belt under Leandro Pereira do Nascimento Lo( Leandro Lo). His endurance and unwavering commitment to the art led him to achieve his black belt in 2020. His dedication to martial arts reflects his resilience and passion for personal growth.
Kids and Adults Instructor
Brandon Everhart
Brandon started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2019 after graduating with his Masters in Computer Science from Florida State University and moving across the country to begin his career. Quickly, Jiu-jitsu became a passion for Brandon as the martial art helped him lose over 70lbs! He finds the technical details of Jiu-jitsu fascinating and greatly enjoys teaching and sharing knowledge with others. He has been instructing kids and adult classes for several years. He is currently a purple belt and has received all of his belt promotions under Professor Max Gimenis.