Born in 1996, just a few years before Royce Gracie shocked the world at UFC 1, Coach Ajala grew up alongside the rise of modern Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu. He was introduced to the art at six years old, during a time when jiu‑jitsu was still understood primarily as a self‑defense science — a system built on leverage, timing, and technique that could neutralize raw strength.

 

From that early start, his life became a continuous study of one of the hardest martial arts to master. His journey blends eras: he learned jiu‑jitsu when it was still a secret, and he evolved with it as the art transformed decade after decade.

 

A standout wrestler for Burlington City, Ajala earned over 100 wins, was awarded “Most Pins,” and won the Grapevine Wrestling Championship in his youth. He qualified for the New Jersey State Championships and carried that momentum into college, wrestling at Washington & Jefferson College as an engineering major and finishing with a record of 13–5. By fifteen, he had already earned his blue belt in Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu, and he went on to win multiple medals in tournaments across the region.

 

After college, he returned to his passion for physical training, earning his personal training certification at Gore’s House and deepening his understanding of athletic development and conditioning.

 

Martial science runs through his family. His father is a third‑degree black belt, and his brother is a purple belt — a household shaped by grappling, discipline, and lineage. Grandmaster Relson Gracie refers to Ajala and his brother affectionately as his nephews, a reflection of the closeness and respect within their lineage.

 

With a wrestler’s work ethic and a submission artist’s technology, Coach Ajala brings a rare combination of systems to Draza. His coaching style is patient, precise, and grounded in empathy — he teaches from the memory of having stood exactly where his students stand.

 

A student at Draza benefits from more than instruction. They receive the culmination of a lifetime spent studying multiple grappling arts, shaped by someone who has grown with jiu‑jitsu from its early American roots to its modern evolution.

Coach Kitty brings more than 25 years of experience in early‑childhood education to the Draza Martial Arts children’s program. Her background in creating structured, supportive learning environments gives her a unique ability to connect with young students and guide them with clarity, patience, and consistency.

 

Her martial arts journey began under the Relson Gracie lineage through Coach Kei Sullivan, where she developed a strong foundation in practical self‑defense and Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu fundamentals. She currently holds the rank of blue belt and continues her progression with dedication and discipline.

 

What sets Coach Kitty apart is her ability to translate complex movements into simple, accessible steps that children can understand and apply. She recognizes when a student needs encouragement, when they need structure, and when they need a challenge — adjusting her approach to bring out their best.

 

As a mother of a competitive youth boxer, she understands the demands placed on young athletes and the importance of confidence, resilience, and emotional support. Her students feel that experience in every class.

 

Coach Kitty is committed to helping children build focus, discipline, and self‑belief both on and off the mats. Her presence, professionalism, and steady leadership make her an essential part of the Draza coaching team.

Coach MJ began his Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu journey in 2015 after years of athletic experience in basketball, soccer, self‑defense, boxing, and kickboxing. With a mother who was an educator and a father who was a professional volleyball player and coach, both academics and athletics have shaped him from an early age. Sports psychology has been part of his life long before he studied it formally.

 

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s in Social Work, is a Certified Mediator, and is a licensed therapist. This professional background gives him a unique advantage in understanding student motivation, confidence, and the mental barriers that often appear when learning something new. His ability to read where a student is mentally — and adjust his approach accordingly — is one of his defining strengths.

 

As a Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu practitioner, Coach MJ has spent more than a decade developing his skills in the Brazilian style of practice. His teaching style reflects both his technical understanding and his deep knowledge of human behavior. He is known for breaking down complex movements into simple, digestible steps, helping students move from confusion to clarity with confidence.

 

Students describe him as “the student’s coach and the teacher’s student” — someone who learns constantly, teaches with intention, and brings out the best in everyone he works with. His contributions to Draza’s teaching methods have helped many students overcome mental blocks, frustration, and the awkwardness that comes with learning something new.

 

His worldwide travels and exposure to diverse human experiences give him an additional layer of insight into the challenges students face. Because martial arts is as much mental as physical, his background in psychology has become an essential part of the identity and instructional approach of the Draza program.

 

Coach MJ is committed to helping students grow on and off the mats, guiding them with patience, clarity, and a deep understanding of the mental side of martial arts.

Coach K’s introduction to martial arts began at six years old under the guidance of his youngest maternal uncle, a Tae Kwon Do black belt competitor and instructor. As a teenager, he continued his development through Kempo, followed by a season of high‑school wrestling in North Carolina after football season. These early experiences built the foundation for a lifetime dedicated to discipline, movement, and self‑mastery.

 

Before becoming a coach, Kei served as a United States Marine in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The resilience, grit, and mental toughness forged during his service continue to shape his approach to training and teaching.

 

In 2000, Kei began his Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu journey after witnessing the Gracie family demonstrate solutions to challenges other martial arts systems could not answer. Training under the Relson Gracie lineage in South Carolina, he earned his purple belt and developed a deep understanding of practical self‑defense and submission grappling. His competitive success — including gold medals at State and National tournaments and a strong showing at the Pan Ams — affirmed his ability to perform at a high level. The dream of a world title still fuels him.

 

While working as a graphic journalist for the Myrtle Beach newspaper, Kei suffered a stroke in 2001–2002. Quitting was not an option. He rebuilt his balance, strength, and life — only to face a second stroke at age 33, followed by multiple surgeries and long recoveries. Each time, he returned. Each time, he started again.

 

This is the root of his coaching philosophy:  

he knows what it means to begin from nothing, to rebuild, and to rise when life demands more than you think you have.

 

Kei teaches students to take martial arts beyond the dojo — to apply its tools to real life, to lead with discipline, and to move with intention. He leads by example.

 

A U.S. Marine veteran, BJJ black belt, and stroke survivor, Kei channels his unbreakable resilience into every class he teaches. He is a unique instructor who blends patience with well‑timed intensity. In an era where many instructors teach far from the source, Kei’s lineage remains close to the roots. Learning directly from Grandmaster Relson Gracie and the Migliarese brothers, he carries an edge and comprehension that cannot be counterfeited — a true blend of old school and new blood.

 

Kei possesses the rare ability to know when to apply the gentle principles of the art and when to push a student beyond their perceived limits. By doing so, he helps students unlock their full potential and become the best versions of themselves.

Coach Nick began his martial arts journey on the wrestling mats. His first two years of high school wrestling were difficult — he struggled to find success and often felt behind his peers. Everything changed after attending a high‑level wrestling camp, where he fell in love with the intensity of the training and the discipline the sport demanded. That experience lit the fire that would shape the rest of his athletic life.

 

By his junior and senior years, he had grown significantly as a wrestler, but injuries and the restrictions of the COVID era limited his time on the mat. Despite the setbacks, he pushed forward and earned a JV tournament win, proving to himself that perseverance mattered more than early results.

 

After high school, he attended Bloomsburg University. Although he was unsuccessful in joining the wrestling team, he stayed active by joining the rugby team — even though he was only 145 pounds at the time and not naturally built for team sports. What he did find during that semester was an MMA gym. Nights spent training introduced him to Muay Thai and kickboxing, and he immediately connected with the grind, the conditioning, and the one‑on‑one accountability that reminded him of wrestling.

 

When college didn’t work out, he returned home and continued his Muay Thai training at a new gym where the coaching clicked. This was where he truly learned how to fight. The gym didn’t offer Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu, but he had already begun training at Draza and had built a strong relationship with Mr. K. Through that connection, Kru Derek at Strikezone MMA brought him in as the grappling coach — waiving his gym fees and eventually paying him to teach. Even while coaching, he remained a student, jumping into rounds to give teammates real grappling experience and to sharpen his own skills.

 

During this period, he competed at NAGA, earning two silver medals in Gi and Gi Absolute.

 

His early striking experience came through underground smoker events run by UFC Gym New Brunswick and Weapons 9 Muay Thai. These exhibitions — 16oz gloves, shin guards, no official winners — were designed for beginners, but he dominated every match. He then completed three fight camps at Strikezone. The first two bouts fell through, and an injury during the second camp forced him to take time off. Once healed, he secured a Muay Thai fight with CFFC in Philadelphia — bright lights, big crowd, real pressure. He trained as if he were preparing for a UFC champion and won by unanimous decision.

 

Shortly after, his time at Strikezone came to an end. His main training partner was removed from the gym, his coaching role was being cut, and he no longer had training partners who could push him. He made the difficult decision to leave and find a new home.

 

He found that home at Beacon. He kept his head down, trained hard, and earned his place on the fight team. There, he had the opportunity to train with ONE Championship fighter Luke “The Chef” Lessei and to be coached by Shane Fazen of FightTips — a martial artist he had admired for years.

 

With his new team, he entered the WKA World Muay Thai & Kickboxing Championships, a multi‑fight tournament held over a single weekend. In a bracket of fifteen athletes, he fought three times, winning his first two bouts and advancing to the finals. He earned second place after a hard clinch battle — and left with the determination to return and claim the national title at 155 or 145 pounds.

 

Today, Coach [Name] brings the grit of a wrestler, the discipline of a striker, and the humility of a lifelong student to every class he teaches. His journey is proof that growth doesn’t come from early success — it comes from refusing to quit.