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Renzo Gracie East Los Angeles

Meet
The
Coaches

Every instructor at Renzo Gracie East LA is a practitioner first. They've put in the hours on the mat, earned their ranks through real training, and now dedicate themselves to passing that knowledge — and those values — to the next generation of students.

World-class lineage. East LA community. Uncompromising standards.

4+
Lead Instructors
on staff full-time
60+
Combined Years
of training experience
3×
Black Belt Lineage
direct Gracie lineage

Owner · Head Instructor

Lead
Instructor

Professor Jaime Mendez
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA

Professor Jaime Mendez

2nd Degree Black Belt · Head Owner

⬛ Black Belt Renzo Gracie Lineage

Jaime Mendez III began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey in New York under Daniel Gracie, Neiman Gracie, and Gino Eunaidi in early 2011. Upon relocating back to LA he started training at 5 Star Martial Arts, now Renzo Gracie Los Angeles in late 2011 and received his black belt from Professor Shawn Williams in 2018. Jaime also has a black pra-jiad in Muay Thai under Kru John Spezzano. He is a 7 time IBJJF Masters World Champion and 2 time Silver medalist. Mendez also has experience in Aikido, Karate and Boxing.

Needless to say Jaime has fallen in love with martial arts and expressed to Professor Williams that he wanted to open his own school in the near future. As fortune would have it the opportunity came to fruition faster than Mendez anticipated. In July of 2019 Jaime was given the opportunity of a lifetime by Professor Williams to purchase 5 Star Martial Arts/Renzo Gracie Los Angeles from him. Jaime jumped at the opportunity and recruited Coach Steven Calderon to be his partner and as they say, “the rest is history”. Along with a few other minority partners they have successfully navigated RGLA through the Covid pandemic and have the academy in a much stronger position than ever imagined by moving to a much larger location with a great crew of coaches and students. Jaime and the rest of the team at RGLA are extremely excited about their future!

Jaime also briefly played in the NFL for Philadelphia and Baltimore. He played collegiate football under the legendary Bill Snyder at Kansas State University where he was a Consensus All American Free Safety in 1993, 2nd Team All-American in 1992, a 3 time All Big 8 Performer, and in 1990 Defensive Rookie of the Year. Mendez was inducted into the KSU Ring of Honor in 2002, Cardinal Mooney High School Hall of Fame in 2006, Kansas State University Hall of Fame in 2013 and The State of Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2016

Professor Jaime is driven to make RGLA the premier martial arts academy in LA. He and the team’s purpose is to have every individual that walks through the doors at Renzo Gracie Los Angeles believe they can achieve anything they set their minds to while creating a very family oriented atmosphere. #thisishowwefamily

When Jaime isn’t at RGLA, you can bet he’s with his son Varro and dog Max on some crazy adventure!

Teaches

BJJ MMA

The Coaching Staff

Meet
The Staff

Ilia Kondratsionov
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Ilia Kondratsionov

1st Degree Black Belt · Instructor

Ilia Kondratsionov, 32 years old, began practicing martial arts in 2007 as a boxer and Muay Thai fighter. In 2012, he transitioned to mma and jiu-jitsu. 4-time jiu-jitsu state champion. Black belt under Dmitry Selivakhin (Team Strela Russia) since 2022.
As a coach, has trained three members of the Russian national jiu-jitsu team, a uww grappling world champion, and a uaejjf world champion. He has also coached professional MMA fighters in Russia and served as the head coach of the amateur youth state team.

Coach Jon
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Coach Jon

Purple Belt · Coach

Coach Jon is an exceptional athlete and instructor, bringing expertise and passion to our no-gi classes and youth program as a head coach. Known for his competitive success, he has achieved medals in renowned tournaments, including IBJJF and JJWL, among many others. His commitment to excellence both on the mat and in coaching makes him a respected leader and role model in our community.

Coach Erick
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling

Coach Erick

Blue Belt · Coach

Coach Erick is one of the dedicated head coaches for the Tiny Lions and Teens jiu-jitsu classes. Known for his expertise and passion for developing young martial artists, he brings a wealth of experience from our HQ location, where he not only honed his skills as a competitor but also demonstrated strong leadership abilities. Now serving as our head manager, Coach Erick plays a key role in ensuring the quality and growth of our programs. His background and commitment make him an inspiring mentor for students, fostering a disciplined and positive training environment for all ages.

Coach Carlos
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Coach Carlos

Purple Belt · Coach

Hello I’m Coach Carlos, I was born and raised in Boyle Heights, California. My journey in martial arts began as a kid at the Oscar de la Hoya boxing center, where I grew up and trained for many years. My path led me to discover new disciplines, such Krav Maga, Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu.I’ve dedicated myself for the past seven years, training and competing consistently. Along this journey, I’ve learned invaluable lessons in confidence, discipline, and respect, embodying the spirit of hard work and pushing past your limits.

Coach Chris Leon
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Coach Chris Leon

Purple Belt · Coach

Coach Chris Leon started his Jiu Jitsu Journey at 19 years old training at Gracie Barra under ADCC Gold Medalist, Orlando Sanchez. As a professional video editor he brings the same attention to detail from the editing room to the mats both as a student and a coach, putting an emphasis on technique and efficiency. Growing up in Boyle Heights and graduating from Torres High School in East LA coach Chris is eager to spread the love of jiu jitsu to the community he calls home.

Coach Chris coaches the fundamentals class at Renzo Gracie East LA Monday and Wednesday from 8pm-9pm.

Instructors on the mat

Our Coaching Philosophy

How We
Teach

We believe technique beats athleticism — always. Every class is built on that principle.

"The goal isn't to create fighters. The goal is to create people who are harder to kill, harder to break, and harder to push around — in every sense."

Our instructors don't just teach moves — they teach the principles behind them. When a student understands why a technique works, they can adapt it under pressure, modify it for their body type, and eventually innovate on top of it. That's the difference between a memorized sequence and a genuine skill.

Every coach on staff is an active practitioner. We don't believe in coaches who stopped training. You learn best from people who are still learning themselves.

Standards & Credentials

Why Train
With Us

🎖️
Renzo Gracie Certified

All instructors operate under the Renzo Gracie system — one of the most respected and technically rigorous BJJ networks in the world.

👶
Youth Coaching Certified

Every instructor working with minors holds youth coaching certification and has passed comprehensive background checks — no exceptions.

🏥
CPR / First Aid

All full-time coaches are current on CPR and first aid certification. Safety protocols are embedded in every class structure we run.

📚
Continuous Development

Our coaches travel regularly to train with the Renzo Gracie network — bringing back updated curriculum, competition strategy, and new perspectives to the mat.

Train with the best in East LA

Your First Class Is Free.

Come meet the coaches, try a class in any program, and experience the Renzo Gracie East LA difference in person. No commitment required.

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