Instructors

Heriberto Lopez, our Academy Owner and Head Instructor is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Professor Tony Passos.  He has over 16 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training experience. He is also a combat veteran with four combat tours and over 20 years of active duty in the US Army, as a US Army Paratrooper and Logistics Manager. While serving in the Army, he was also a Modern Army Combatives Instructor.

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His Jiu-Jitsu journey has provided him the opportunity to share the mats with some of the best instructors and practitioners all over the world. Due to the nature of the military lifestyle and military assignment requirements, he had to change Jiu-Jitsu schools and/or affiliation every couple of years, but he still kept training and creating his own path on his Jiu-Jitsu journey. Some of his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors throughout his journey are; Prof. Ted Stickle, Prof. Eric Burdo, Prof. Mike Crawford, Prof. Klint Radwani, Prof. Jeff Vigil, Prof. John Frankl, Prof. Kris Kim and now he is a member of “Team Passos”, under Prof. Tony Passos.

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Heriberto, was born and raised in Puerto Rico where he graduated from college with a BBA, majoring in Accounting from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico. He also completed his Masters in Aeronautical Science with dual specializations in Management and Safety Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

 

Some of his accomplishments in Jiu-Jitsu competition are:

 

2009 - Army Post-Combatives Champion / Team Coach   Gold

2011 – SouthWest Grapplefest                                               Bronze                                                     2012 – SouthWest Grapplefest                                              Silver (GI) / Bronze (NO GI)

2013 – UGF Arizona State Championships         Silver (GI) /Gold absolute (GI) / Silver (NOGI)    

2013 – SouthWest Grapplefest                                              Bronze (Gi)

2013 – Gracie Barra Inter-School Tournament                    Silver (Gi)    

2013 – Jiu-Jitsu Asso. of Korea (JJAK)                                Bronze (Gi)         

2013 – Seoul, Korea International Open                               Bronze (Gi) / Silver absolute (Gi)

2013 – De La Riva BJJ Cup, Seoul, South Korea                Bronze (GI) / Silver absolute (Gi)

2014 – IBJJF American Nationals                                         Bronze (Gi) / Silver (NO GI)

2015 – Arizona International Open                                        Gold (Gi)

2016 – Arizona International Open                                        Bronze (Gi)

2017 – IBJJF Washington DC Open                                      Silver (Gi)