Grappling

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu Jitsu Brasileiro

The Gentle Art

Gi BJJ

(With the Kimono)

At The Fighting Arts Academy, our Gi Jiu-Jitsu programme blends solid old-school foundations with a contemporary, evolving approach to the art.

We respect the traditions of Jiu-Jitsu—structure, control, and technical precision—while embracing the tactical innovations of today’s competitive landscape. The fact that TFAA also pushes no-gi and wrestling curriculum means our coaches have a deep and multi-faceted approach to grappling training.

We are Rooted in the Fundamentals

Every class is grounded in the principles that define Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: posture, pressure, timing, and leverage. Whether you’re new to grappling or sharpening your black belt game, we build from the ground up—no shortcuts. We even have a dedicated fundamentals class.

A Modern & Adaptive Training Philosophy

While we honour the past, we don’t live in it. Our curriculum incorporates current competition strategies, positional systems, and transitional flow to keep your game effective and relevant in today’s gi scene. (Yes — even white belts learn leg locks.)

Inclusive, Technical, and Welcoming

You don’t need to be an athlete to start. Our coaches cater to all levels and body types, helping you develop a game that works for you and your learning style. We cultivate an environment that’s respectful, intelligent, and challenging.

High Levels Without Ego or Politics

Whilst we welcome encourage and nurture beginners, there is an incredible amount of high level grappling experience and knowledge on our mats (as many as 7 black-belts on the mat at a time!).

No martial arts politics here - just good people helping each other maximise their potential.

Live Rolling with Purpose

Sparring (or “rolling”) isn’t about going wild. We train with control, intention, and technical feedback. Sessions are structured to reinforce learning, not just burn energy. Expect positional sparring, scenario-based drills, and full rounds with detailed feedback.

Professor Darius & Professor Marco

Head coach Darius Kumana & Marco Nigliazzo founded The Fighting Arts Academy and have trained together for over 20 years.

TFAA is a recognised club within the International Brazilian jiu-jitsu Federation (IBJJF).

Darius & Marco are BJJ black-belt professors and are IBJJF certified.

An Inglorious Grapplers Academy

After many decades of friendship - in 2025, we made the decision for The Fighting Arts Academy and it’s coaching team to affiliate with Inglorious Grapplers, under the guidance of Professor Jude Samuel — the first homegrown British BJJ black belt and one of the most influential figures in European grappling. Jude is known for his technical depth, high standards, integrity and commitment to supporting coaches and athletes across the country.

We believe this affiliation marks an exciting new chapter in our journey — one that brings even more technical innovation, community, and support to our academy. Jude has a no-nonsense approach that perfectly aligns with our ethos blending old-school fundamentals with modern, progressive grappling. We are honored to be accepted as ambassadors for the Inglorious Grapplers banner and wider the Martial Arts Community as a whole.

The TFAA Coaching Team

The TFAA coaching team is an evolving tapestry of great people. Different skills, different approaches, different styles, different histories - yet all aligned through the common purpose of helping EVERYONE become the best version of themselves both on and off the mats. #ToughRoundsGreatVibes

“Real Recognises Real.”

It is no accident that TFAA has amassed a large number of incredibly talented coaches all of whom devote countless hours of time and enery into helping our student’s maximise their potential

Darius - Head Coach (Black Belt) : BJJ
Marco - Lead Coach (Black Belt) : BJJ
Andrew - Lead Coach (Black Belt): No-Gi Grappling
Gica - Lead Coach (Brown Belt): Wrestling
Vava - Lead Coach (Brown Belt) : Women’s BJJ & No-Gi Grappling
Affan - Lead Coach: Muay Thai
Dave - Coach (Black Belt): BJJ
Tom - Coach (Black Belt): BJJ
David - Coach (Black Belt): BJJ
James - Coach (Black Belt): BJJ
PeteA - Coach (Brown Belt): BJJ Fundamentals
PeteH - Coach (Brown Belt): Lunchtime BJJ
Teon - Coach: Muay Thai
Jerome - Coach: Muay Thai

The core coaching team above are grateful to be supported by an army of assistant coaches and senior students. Together we provide some of the highest level combat sports coaching available in East London.

History & Lineage

We have always believed that diverse perspectives are a source of strength and knowledge.

The TFAA coaching team is lucky to be able to draw upon wide ranging experience from a storied lineage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pioneers. We’re proud to stand on the shoulders of those who shaped the art — while continuing to evolve it, together.

Truth be known - we don’t actually think lineage is all that important. Acknowledging your history is valuable… (but your last hard roll is what tells you who you are and how good you are.)

Read about our grappling lineage and history here

Class Times

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling but especially ground fighting. It was derived from the Japanese martial art of Kodokan Judo in the early 20th century.

BJJ’s emphasis is the ground fighting techniques and submission holds such as chokes and joint locks. It promotes the principle that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger assailant using leverage and proper technique; most notably, by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat them.

After years of studying traditional Japanese martial arts including Judo the Brazilian Gracie family began to develop a martial art, taking the most effective techniques of what they had previously learnt.

BJJ can be trained for self defence, sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. Sparring (commonly referred to as 'rolling') and live drilling play a major role in training, and a premium is placed on performance, especially in competition. BJJ came to prominence with its success and dominance in the early years of the UFC and Mixed Martial Arts.

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Class Times

Special Classes

Fundamentals Class

You can never work on the basics enough. Our fundamentals class is a time to focus on the details hidden within the basics. A solid foundation is the key to success in combat sports and this session gives everyone a chance to give their fundamentals the care and attention they deserve.

Open Mat

If you’re new to Jiu Jitsu you’re probably not familiar with the term open mat. You may have seen it on the gym schedule, or you’ve overheard teammates ask each other if they’ll be there or not.

A BJJ open mat is a session where there is no structured class. By that, I mean literally no structure. Students get to warm up themselves and there's no demonstration of techniques.

Most of your teammates will be rolling, drilling moves, practicing new things they’ve been working on, generally being social, and likely talking about Jiu Jitsu. Sometimes during open mat, you might even have people drop in as visitors, and you can have some new people to roll with.

Open mat is a place for self-directed learning and improvement of your game. A big part of that is talking to your instructors. Whether it is asking questions, developing strategies, rolling (sparring) or finding the time to drill.

Lunchtime Classes

Our lunchtime sessions are designed to help people maximise their training opportunities.

So if you are someone who works from home in the local area - you should absolutely take advantage of these great sessions!

Do I need any experience to start BJJ?

Nope. Over 90% of our students started as complete beginners. All our classes are beginner-friendly — just let the coach know it’s your first time.

What should I wear to my first class?

Sportswear with no zips, buttons. A long-sleeve top and leggings (or rashguard and shorts) work great. We’ll adapt techniques or sort you out with a gi if needed. It won’t be long before you want to get your own gi and grappling gear. Our new starter checklist provides more information.

Is sparring (rolling) compulsory?

No — especially not for absolute beginners. You can watch, drill, or skip sparring until you feel ready. When you do spar, it’s always controlled and respectful. You will ultimately learn to love it! One of the things that guarantees the efficacy of BJJ as a martial art is that (once you know the basics) you will regularly stress test your skills against a fully resisting opponent.

What’s the difference between Gi and No-Gi?

In Gi classes, we wear the traditional kimono and can grip it during techniques. In No-Gi, we wear rashguards and shorts — the focus is more on speed, clinching, and body control.

Do I need to be super fit to start?

Not at all. BJJ will build your fitness. We work with people of all ages, shapes, and ability levels. Come as you are — we’ll help with the rest.

Can women train here?

Absolutely. We’re an overtly feminist, inclusive club. Women train in mixed classes and can also join our Women’s-Only sessions, taught by a female coach in a separate space.