Makhuwa Brazilian JiuJitsu founder Blessed Matai is an athlete and competitor at his core. Growing up surrounded by sports, he eventually played D2 basketball at Abilene Christian University, before moving on to a stint in the world of professional basketball. As he moved on and left basketball behind, he set his sights on Martial Arts and never looked back. Training under Bruno Bastos, Matai eventually earned his black belt and built up a strong list of accolades along the way. He has earned multiple IBJJF World Masters medals, including a gold in 2018. Beyond JiuJitsu, he became a 2017 West Texas Golden Gloves Champion. He also trained MMA under former Bellator/XFC/Legacy Fighting Championship veteran Brandon Farran and later under Bradley Barnes.

This impressive resume equipped Matai to be a prime candidate to open a BJJ school. And that’s exactly what he did. Makhuwa Brazilian JiuJitsu opened in 2020 in Stephenville, Texas, creating a space where Matai could share his athletic prowess through Martial Arts instruction. Serving as a peace officer in the State of Texas & a police officer with The Tarleton State University Police Department also allows Matai to provide a unique service to current or prospective law enforcement officers. As a certified instructor in both PPCT and SHARP, Matai offers valuable self-defense training at Makhuwa Brazilian JiuJitsu that you won’t find anywhere else.