Instructors

Jeff Merrett has over 26 years experience in the arts, with Tae Kwon Do, Boxing, Kickboxing, Aiki-jujitsu and Brazilian Jujitsu. He began taking Tae Kwon Do at the age of thirteen and received a ranking of 2nd Degree Black Belt with American Tae Kwon do Association (A.T.A.) under Master Y.S. Chung’s and David Feldman’s instruction. He went on to receive a 3rd degree Black Belt under another affiliation (A.T.F.) but remained under Master Y.S. Chung’s instruction. He received instructor certification with A.T.F. and was a member of Master Chung’s Olympic Full Contact TKD Team. Under Master Chung's instruction, Jeff was ranked in the top ten in the nation in the black belt division at the age of seventeen. Jeff started training Brazilian Jujitsu in Auburn under Randall Phillips in the early 90’s and won his first BJJ tournament under Mr. Phillip’s instruction. He is currently a purple belt under Samuel Puccio (black belt under Rodrigo Medeiros). Jeff has successfully competed over the years in numerous toughman, kickboxing and grapping tournaments.

Lee Stuckey is an Active Duty Marine Captain and brings over 12 years in real world self-defense and military hand to hand combat techniques.  Lee has served over two years in Combat, and has set up MMA schools in Iraq on numerous deployments.  Lee has trained in numerous Marine Corps Martial Arts programs throughout the years, is currently a Brown belt in Marine Corps Martial Arts (MCMAP), and is also a level 3 Army Combatives Instructor for the Army.  His earliest combat sport experience includes competing in “Toughman” boxing in Auburn, AL.  Lee started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Auburn under Randall Phillips in 98 and is currently a purple belt under Luiz Palhares.  He started training in Mixed Martial Arts in 2003 under Mike “Batman” Nelson and has since trained all over the United States in MMA, Kickboxing, Judo, BJJ, Wrestling, and Submission grappling. He began competing in MMA in March 2008 by winning his first Professional Mixed Martial Arts fight aboard Camp Lejeune, NC with a first round submission victory.  His Professional MMA record is 4 – 2, winning his last three in the first round by submission. Lee also has an extensive background in strength and conditioning and worked at numerous gyms in Auburn, AL and Swansboro, NC teaching kickboxing and doing personal training and nutrition.

Todd Wentzluff has over 17 years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experience.  He was promoted to black belt under Gustavo Machado in 2011.  Todd began his training at Lovato’s School of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts of Oklahoma City, OK in 1994, training there until moving to Virginia in 2007. Through the Lovato’s he was fortunate to learn from numerous world class and champion BJJ, Muay Thai, and Escrima instructors