Marcelo Mafra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Marcelo Mafra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the Premiere Jiu Jitsu Academy in the High Desert region of Southern California. “We teach Real Brazilian Jiu Jitsu!”

Marcelo Mafra, commonly known as ‘Lapela’, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Demian Maia, having worked extensively with other well-known instructors such as Everdan Olegário (Mestre Dan), Fernando Tererê, Lucas Leite and Leonardo Vieira. Mafra is well known for his achievements as a competitor on the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) circuit, with medals at the Brazilian, Pan, World NoGi and World Masters Championships.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rolls Gracie > Romero Cavalcanti (Cavalcante) > Fabio Gurgel > Demian Maia > Marcelo Mafra

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport based on ground fighting and submission holds. It focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, controlling one’s opponent, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks or chokeholds.

BJJ revolves around the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend him/herself against a bigger, stronger, heavier opponent by using leverage and weight distribution, taking the fight to the ground and using a number of holds and submissions to defeat them. BJJ training can be used for sport grappling and self-defense situations. Sparring, commonly referred to as “rolling” within the BJJ community, and live drilling plays a major role in training and the practitioner’s development. BJJ can also be used as a method of promoting physical fitness, building character, and as a way of life.