Introduction
Head Instructor | 3rd Degree Black Belt
Our head instructor is one of the leaders of the new wave of martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction, incorporating scientific methods, pedagogy, and a proprietary conceptual system that is gaining recognition in the BJJ community for its ability to accelerate learning and skill immensely over standard teaching approaches. Rob was voted #1 in Canada and #3 in the world for the 2014 BJJ Instructor of the Year Award. He is the creator of the BJJ Formula and Modern Leglock Formula, both of which enjoy worldwide acclaim and popularity, and are available through Grapplearts.com. His recently launched Online Academy (bjjconcepts.net) has garnered rave reviews, with one declaring it “far supersedes any other online program on the market”.
In 2017 he coached Island Top Team to the Nogi Team Championship at every CBJJF event in BC (the BC Provincial Championships, the Western Canadian Championships, and the Vancouver International Open). At the Vancouver Open ITT took the Top Academy award, winning 15 gold medals, accounting for as many gold as the 2nd and 3rd place academies combined, from one third as many competitors.
In 2023 he led our team to #1 in the adult overall standings at the ADDC Canada Open in Vancouver with just 4 athletes (the 2nd place team had over 20 athletes). This was a historic event, with teams from all over Canada and the US participating, and was the first tournament in Canada ever to be broadcast on Flograppling, the main outlet for grappling events and news in the world.
Rob is frequently on the mainland teaching seminars at various martial arts academies and is sought after for private instruction by other BJJ instructors seeking cutting edge information. He has also coached high level US grappling competitors like BJJ legend Bill Cooper. In Aug of 2017, Rob was invited to help coach multiple time world champion Yuri Simoes to prepare for ADCC (the olympics of grappling). Yuri went on to win the ADCC title for the second time, becoming only the 3rd man ever to do so in multiple weight classes.
Always searching out the pinnacle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu evolution, Rob constantly trains with the elite of the martial arts, to bring the state of the art to Nanaimo. He often trains privately with the best instructors in the world to acquire vital details essential to success in a game not of inches, but millimeters. In 2015 alone Rob traveled to train with Marcelo Garcia, Caio Terra, Eddie Cummings, Paul Schreiner, and Henry Akins. He has also trained with Yuri Simoes, Keenan Cornelius, Ryan Hall, Dean Lister, Jake McKenzie and Ricardo Liborio, leader of American Top Team, where Rob was awarded his black belt by friend and mentor, Charles McCarthy, former mixed martial artist.
As a competitor, Rob has a record unrivaled on Vancouver Island. He is the only champion grappler at the black belt level, with a 100% submission rate in gi competition and a 80% finish rate in nogi. His martial arts championships include:
2024 Battle Grappling Black Belt Superfight Champion
2023 IBJJF World No Gi Championship Gold Medalist (Black Belt Master 4 Middleweight)
2023 ADCC Open Canada Champion (Masters Advanced 83kg Division)
2023 Grappling Industries Vancouver Double Gold Medalist (No Gi Masters Absolute Division & Black Belt No Gi Masters Middleweight)
2023 IBJJF Portland No Gi Open Champion (Black Belt Master 4 Middleweight)
2023 ADCC Open California Silver Medalist (Masters Advanced 83kg Division)
2023 Grappling Industries Vancouver Champion (Black Belt No Gi Masters Middleweight)
2022 CBJJF Vancouver Open Champion (Expert No Gi Masters Middleweight)
2022 IBJJF American Nationals No Gi Champion (Black Belt Master 4 Middleweight)
2021 IBJJF World NoGi Championship Double Bronze Medalist (Black Belt Master 3 Middleweight and Open Weight Absolute Divisions)
2019 IBJJF World NoGi Championship Bronze medalist (Black Belt Master 3)
2019 Pacific Northwest Open Champion NoGi Advanced (Masters Division)
2019 Revolution NoGi Expert Champion (Masters Division)
2019 NAGA Oregon NoGi Expert Champion (Executive Division)
2018 Last Warrior NoGi Black Belt Superfight Champion
2018 NAGA Washington NoGi Expert Champion (Executive Division)
2015 IBJJF Seattle Black Belt Masters Champion
2015 NAGA Seattle Black Belt Champion
2013 Washington State Grappling Championships Gi Black Belt and Nogi Expert Champion