About US
History
Auckland BJJ has a rich history that began in 2011 when it was founded by Stuart Mitchell and Serge Morel. The club started off in a small space, located within David Tua's Boxing gym in Onehunga. It quickly outgrew that location and in 2012, the club moved to Rick Littlewoods dojo in Epsom.
In 2018, the club expanded again, opening a new location in Sandringham. This allowed the club to reach more students and offer more classes. However, in August 2020, the club consolidated both locations to a new and larger Onehunga dojo, which features 160 square meters of mats, providing ample space for training.
Throughout the years, Auckland BJJ has been a hub for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in New Zealand, providing high-quality instruction and a positive training environment for students of all levels. The club has produced multiple champions in local and international events, which is a testament to the knowledge and coaching abilities of the founders and instructors. Today, Auckland BJJ continues to be a leader in the BJJ community, providing an excellent training experience for its members and constantly growing.
Instructors
Auckland BJJ is known for its high-quality instruction and dedication to the development of its students. The club is led by experienced and knowledgeable instructors, Stuart Mitchell and Serge Morel, both 3rd degree black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). We are joined by our students and now colleagues Luiz Machado and Laurance Pene. They are committed to providing a safe and effective learning environment for students of all levels.
The club's curriculum is well-structured and covers all aspects of BJJ, including self-defense, sport, and competition. The classes are well-organized and run on a consistent schedule, with a balance of drilling, sparring, and live training. The instructors are able to adapt their teaching style to suit the needs of different students, whether they are beginners or more advanced practitioners.
Auckland BJJ instructors also foster a positive and inclusive training environment where students feel comfortable to ask questions, make mistakes, and learn from them. They create an atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to push themselves, regardless of their skill level. Additionally, the instructors have a great track record in competition and have produced multiple champions in local and international events, which is a testament to their knowledge and coaching abilities.
In summary, Auckland BJJ is a club that offers high-quality instruction and a dedication to the development of its students. The experienced instructors, well-structured curriculum, and positive training environment create a solid foundation for students to grow and excel in the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Stuart Mitchell
3rd degree Black Belt
Stuart Mitchell, a martial artist with a diverse background and a passion for learning. Stuart began his journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) in 2003 under the instruction of Douglas Santos. Throughout the years, Stuart has competed in numerous competitions and has dedicated himself to mastering the art. On December 1st, 2011, Stuart achieved the rank of black belt in BJJ. In 2011, Stuart also started teaching at Auckland BJJ with Serge Morel, and is currently a 3rd degree black belt. Additionally, Stuart holds the rank of 3rd dan in Judo. You can find Stuart's Belt Checker profile here: https://www.beltchecker.com/profile.php?id=6249
Stuart was born in New Zealand, with a mother from Levuka, Fiji and a father from Glasgow, Scotland. He has a Ph.D. in Engineering and brings that level of dedication and focus to his martial arts training. Stuart is always looking for new things to learn and is dedicated to continuously improving his skills in the martial arts.
Serge Morel
3rd degree Black Belt
Serge Morel is a third degree IBJJF black belt. He has been a member of IBJJF since September 2013 and he is the Head Professor at Auckland BJJ which is IBJJF registered.
As an instructor and co-owner, he prioritises teaching the beginners classes to ensure that the fundamentals program is taught correctly as these are the future of the club.
His favourite topic is sweep.
On top of teaching, some of his responsibilities are to plan the training program per semester. He also takes the exams for stripes and belts.
When Serge is not at his full time logistic job and not teaching BJJ, you can hit him up for his other hobbies - fishing, surf skating, surfing, cooking, entertaining the family and video games.
You will normally find him at the dojo on Tuesdays and Thursdays, come down for a free trial and learn from the best.
Luiz Machado
Black Belt
Luiz Henrique Machado is a highly skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor with over a decade of experience in the sport. He has trained under some of the best in the business, including Serge Morel and Stuart Mitchell, and earned his black belt in 2020. With a deep understanding of the technical aspects of the sport, as well as the discipline and focus required to excel, Luiz is a dedicated and passionate teacher who is committed to helping his students reach their full potential. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced competitor, he has the knowledge and expertise to take your game to the next level.
Laurance Pene
Black Belt
Laurance Pene, a dedicated martial artist with a passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). He has been training in BJJ for 7-8 years under the guidance of Stuart Mitchell and Serge Morel. Laurance has been coaching adults at the club for 2-3 years, teaching both gi and no-gi techniques. He has won multiple New Zealand grappler events, and his career highlight so far has been serving as a training partner for Nicky Rod, an ADCC Silver Medalist, at the 2019 ADCC event in Los Angeles. Laurance is particularly passionate about the fundamentals of the sport and enjoys teaching the basics to set students up for a successful future in BJJ.
In the cage at TUAMAN's
Epsom
Sandringham
Onehunga
