Underdog Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:  Professor Fabiano Teles

Professor Fabiano Teles began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1993 with the Pitbull Gracie Barra team,  founded by Adilison 'Bitta' Lima in Teresopolis, Brazil.  During this time, Fabiano also served 3 years as a marksman in the Brazilian Army,  all the while training Jiu-Jitsu.  Shortly after receiving his brown belt in 1999, in search for more opportunities for his new family, Fabiano moved to the United States.  In the years that followed, Fabiano has trained all over New England, developing a reputation for himself as a skilled grappler and teacher.  During this time, Fabiano founded Underdog Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to provide those students who trained with him an organization to rally behind.  While the opportunity to pursue his black belt from other camps may have been possible, Fabiano always wanted to remain loyal to his first and primary instructor.  After many years of dedication to the art of Jiu-Jitsu, Fabiano was awarded his black belt from Bitta in 2007 during his first visit to Connecticuit for a seminar with the Underdog Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team.

Fabiano was a 3 time State Champion in Brazil and also took first place in the 1999 BJJ World Championship Trials and the Pitbull Cup Championship.  Fabiano has a proven track record for producing both Gi and No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu champions.  In 2008, he coached his Pitbull of Ct. Competition Team to third place overall honors for the NAGA New England Adult Gi division.  With a teaching style that is warm and engaging, but a grappling style that is aggressive and uncompromising, Fabiano will push you to develop your skills to a whole new level.

Striking:  Sifu Russell Leak

Sifu Russell Leak began training Jeet Kune Do under Master Instructor Chris Smith in 2003.  In the years that followed Russell honed his striking, grappling and weapons technique earning his blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Fabiano in 2007 and the rank of Apprentice Instructor under Sifu Smith and Grand Master Richard Bustillo of the International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy (IMB) in Torrance, Ca.  Russell has helped coach and train many of the fighters on the IMB-CT fight team for both MMA and striking competition.  In addition, Russell also serves as manager for Underdog Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu LLC and as the head MMA coach for the fighters at the academy.

CrossFit:  Coach Kevin Doyle

Coach Doyle has had a lifelong passion for athletics and competition.  A Hartford native, Kevin played football, track and lacrosse in high school and prep school at Northwest Catholic High School and Suffield Academy.  He played football during his college years at Assumption College.  He was also a competitive power lifter until 2006.  In 2003, he became a strength and conditioning coach at Northwest Catholic High School.  During this time Kevin helped coach their football team to five consecutive conference titles and they were recognized as the best conditioned high school athletes by a study conducted by the UCONN Kinesiology department in association with Gatorade.  In 2005, Kevin became a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certified personal trainer.  In the summer while working at Northwest Catholic High School, Kevin ran his FASST (Functional Athletic Strength and Speed Training) speed and sport specific training camps for athletes from 5^th grade up through college level.  Kevin is also a certified level one crossfit instructor.  In 2009, Kevin earned his purple belt under Fabiano with a hard fought 1st place finish @ the 1st Ct BJJ Open tournament

Wrestling:  Coach Josh Kaplan

Josh began training at UBJJ in the August of 2009.  He brings a wealth of wrestling experience to our academy.  Josh has been involved in the sport of wrestling for over 12 years, wrestling all four years at Canton High School in Connecticut, and then at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.  Since graduating from college Josh has stayed involved in the sport of wrestling volunteering as an assistant coach at his former high school.  He enjoys coaching and helping the development of new students.  Josh’s folkstyle wrestling class is a great workout and it is educational at the same time; the perfect compliment to our striking and BJJ classes.

At the 2009 NAGA NAGC competition Josh took first place in his first ever BJJ tournament, placing first in both the white belt and beginner no-gi divisions, winning ten matches total for the day, four by submission.  Josh earned his blue belt for that performance, making him the fastest person to ever earn a blue belt under Professor Teles.

In 2011 Josh became a Level I CrossFit instructor.

Jeet Kune Do: Sifu Peter Nguyen

Sifu Peter Nguyen is a certified instructor in Jeet Kune Do (the art and philosophy of Bruce Lee) and Filipino Martial Arts under the legendary master Dan Inosanto.  He has also trained extensively in the arts of and Shoot Wrestling, with renowned Sensei Yori Nakamura, Muay Thai, Wing Chun, and Silat.  Since 2001, Sifu Peter has taught at respected institutions such as the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts, UCLA, and the Hollywood Boxing Gym.  He is now honored to serve as a JKD instructor at Underdog BJJ.

Sifu Peter also holds a Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law and a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of California, Davis.  He has taught as an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Cerritos College and guest lectured on numerous occasions in the California State University system.

Mixed Martial Arts: Sensi Les Richardson

Les Richardson has been involved in Martial Arts since his childhood. Les Richardson received his Black Belt in Traditional Japanese Juijitsu Jo-Ryu-Juijitsu from Doctor Joe Jones in high school. Les continued his training in college at UNLV fighting on a full time Muay Thai Kickboxing team for two years in 1992. Returning to Ct. Les was hooked on the world of Mixed Martial Arts and Submission Fighting and has never looked back.  Les has been working in law enforcement since 1998.  Currently he works full time as an officer with the Central Connecticut State University Police Department in New Britain. Les is highly involved with coaching and supporting our fight team and teaching the children’s classes at the academy. Les is a certified firearms instructor and professional mixed martial artist.  He has also cornered over 100 MMA and Kickboxing matches since 1989.  He is a certified L.O.C.K.U.P. instructor under Kevin Dillon.

Assistant Instructors

Mike Kehayias

Mike Kehayias has had a lifelong interest in the Martial Arts.  A Martial Artist for over 20 years, Mike boxed as an amateur and studied Kenpo and Kung-Fu in his youth.  After serving 4 years as a Marine stationed in Camp Lejune, NC and in Okinawa, Japan, Mike returned to the United States and began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.  In 1998, Mike met Professor Teles and has been training with him ever since.  In 2010, Mike earned his black belt under Professor Teles.  Mike is always experimenting and expanding his skills and techniques.  He currently lives and trains in Los Angeles, Ca.  Don't let his smile and easy going nature fool you, Mike is all business when it comes to Jiu-Jitsu.

Chris Smith

Chris Smith has been training with Fabiano since 2002 and is one of his most senior students.  With over 10 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experience, Chris has trained with many top level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors-Rickson, Rorian, Royler, Royce, Relson, Ricardo Almeida, Cicero Salustiano, to name a few.  Chris is also a Master Instructor of Jeet Kune Do under original Bruce Lee student and Grand Master Richard Bustillo of the IMB Academy in Torrance, California.  He has many years of both boxing and kickboxing experience and has trained many students for striking, grappling and MMA competions.  He is Fabiano's representative in the Waterbury, Ct. area.  Chris got his Black belt from Fabiano in 2011.

Matthew Bessette

Matt was introduced to MMA at the age of 21. He competed in his first MMA fight after less than 4 months of formal training.  After graduating from the University of Hartford in 2007, Matt has dedicated himself to pursuing a career as a mixed martial artist.  After training at various local academies Matt began training with Underdog BJJ in 2010.  Matt currently has a 6-2 professional MMA record.  He is currently ranked as the #4 ranked lightweight fighter in the Northeast according to NortheastMMA.com.  Matt is a brown belt in BJJ under Professor Teles.  Matt regularly teaches no gi BJJ classes at our academy.  In 2010, Matt won the Reality Fighting Lightweight title, and in 2011 he also won the Global Fighting League Lightweight title.  Matt has also competed and won many grappling tournaments.

John Durrett



Fabiano (bottom) as a blue belt in Brazil.

  Fabiano and Bitta during 2007 seminar.

Aaron Olk

Aaron began training Judo at age 17 and he began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Fabiano in the summer of 2007.  He is an EMT and Fire Fighter in Vernon, Ct.  

Aaron placed first in the March 2008 NAGA New England blue belt welterweight division, first in the June 2008 NAGA New England blue belt division and third in the intermediate no-gi division. In 2009, Aaron had a great year competitively with multiple first place finishes in the Naga Purple belt division and earned his brown belt placing first at the 1st Ct Open BJJ tournament purple belt division.

Rafael Quinones

Rafael has been training with Fabiano since 2007.  He wrestled in high school and has two years boxing experience.  He has a 1-1 pro MMA record.  He got his Purple belt from Fabiano in September 2008 and earned his brown belt about one year later in November of 2009.  In 2011, Rafael was promoted to the rank of black belt by Professor Teles.

Rafael took first place in the June 2008 NAGA New England intermediate division.  He also placed first in the 2009 NAGA NAGC brown belt division.  In 2009 Rafael won first place in the 2009 CT Open BJJ tournament in his division and the open weight division.

Parker Porter

Parker began training his striking and BJJ with Underdog BJJ in 2008.  He has a 6-2 professional MMA record.  Parker is a NASM certified personal trainer and a purple belt in BJJ under Professor Teles.  Parker has competed in various grappling tournaments:

- 5x NAGA Champion
- Grappler's Quest Champion
- ADCC Regionals Champion
- 3rd place Pan Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi 2009

In 2011, Parker captured the reality fighting mma heavyweight championship.  Parker has fought internationally and on national television.

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