Local Luiz Palhares Black Belt Representattives: Cliff, Luiz, Ashley, Jeremy
Brentwood Brazilian Jiu-Jitu Academy offers Middle Tennessee's Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts and Fitness experience. Our diverse group of expert instructors draw from hands-on experience and years of martial arts training to bring out the best in their students, whether in competition, self-defense or fitness. Proficient, personable and professional, our instructors are crucial to making training with us an unparalleled martial arts experience.
With a diverse group of in-house and visiting instructors, Brentwood BJJ's talent pool is always growing. Whether you want to compete in Jiu Jitsu, Grappling, or Mixed Martial Arts, Get in Shape, Learn Self-Defense or just have some fun, Brentwood Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors can help you achieve your goals.
Head Instuctor Jeremy Akin is an IBJJF Certified Black Belt in Gracie Brazillian Jiu Jitsu under Luiz Palhares.
Jeremy is the head instructor at Brentwood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He started his training in martial arts at the age of 16. Initially, Jeremy focused on stand up syles such as Muay Thai.
At 20 Jeremy began training in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Bujinkan training introduced him to Japanese Jujitsu and grappling. After receiving his black belt he traveled to Japan to train directly with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi and Sean Askew who also cross trained with PRIDE fighter Enson Inoue.
After returning from Japan he relocated to Albany New York to open a school with Sean Askew who had just returned from living and training in Japan for 10 years. It was Sean who introduced Jeremy to Kosen Judo and Shoot Fighting. Afer training with Sean in New York, Jeremy was determined to begin serious grappling training.
Jeremy moved back to Tennessee after hearing that Luiz Palhares (at that time a 5th degree black belt under Rickson Gracie) would be teaching in Nashville. He devoted most of his free time to learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with Luiz in group and private classes. Jeremy travelled with Luiz to conduct seminars for the Military, Police, and other Martial Art schools and regularly competed in both gi and no-gi submission grappling tournaments. Earning his Black Belt in five and a half years he became the first American to go from White Belt to Black Belt under Professor Palhares.
Jeremy's main focus since 2005 has been to learn and teach Jiu Jitsu at the highest technical level possible. He considers himself a student first and constantly works to refine his own technique and knowledgebase. While continuing to train with Luiz Palhares, he has also trained in group and private classes with other world class Jiu Jitsu teachers such as Rickson Gracie, Carlos Gracie Jr., Saulo Ribeiro, David Kama, as well as many others.
Brentwood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a strong competition team that has given Jeremy the opportunity to coach competitors at every level from local tournaments in Jiu Jitsu, Submission Grappling, Muay Thai, and MMA to the World Jiu Jitsu Championships in California.
Assitant Instuctor - Coach Andy Acuff is a Brazillian Jiu Jitsu Purple Belt under Jeremy Akin.
Andy is one of Jeremy's oldest students and is a great asset to the Brentwood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team.
Affiliate - Stillwater, Oklahoma Coach Hunter Harris is a Brazillian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt under Luiz Palhares.
Hunter is the coach at Team Palhares BJJ at Oklahoma State Universtiy in Stillwater. In just a few short months Hunter has built a competitive BJJ team in the Midwest.
Boxing Coach Pete Espil is a Brazillian Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt under Luiz Palhares.
---Pete has moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to be closer to his dad - but he will always be part of the Brentwood BJJ family---
J.P. "Pete" Espil has been involved in martial arts since he was 12 including 3 years of Amateur boxing (12 sanctioned bouts between 1995-1998). With experience in both traditional and non traditional arts, he is a strong asset to Brentwood BJJ. As our "Boxing Fundamentals" coach, Pete brings some of his own experience in the ring to our school by teaching our students the basics of boxing such as footwork, stance, punching combinations and basic strategy.
With 14 years of experience working with youth it is no surprise that he is a great teacher/coach who creates a positive environment with his teaching approach. When Pete isn't training at Brentwood BJJ (he is one of our blue belts), he works as a full time youth minister at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Murfreesboro, TN where he tries his best to keep track of over 200 kids and 50 volunteers.