Great Grappling Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Reviews

Hey all,

I ran into the Jeremy by complete accident, by rolling up to Gordo’s academy to train a few weeks and asking about places to stay. What I got was an amazingly warm welcome and a new family for a few weeks. Everyone at the Connection Rio house was friendly and fun, and they were serious about training BJJ. Awesome.

As for Jeremy himself, it is few and far between to find people who are as dedicated to teaching as this man. The classes are very well researched, based upon extensive experience, and set in a format to learn through muscle memory. All of the techniques build off of each other in a continuum, designed around building a game plan and prepping for competition. Jeremy keeps things moving and fast-paced, but you never feel exhausted until its all over and you realize you’ve been training hard and nonstop. I highly recommend his classes and I’ll definitely be back again.

Thanks, Jeremy!, will be seeing you at the Rio Open!

I have had the pleasure of training with Jeremy for the last 3 and half months here in Brazil and on top of that i have gotten to take several private lessons with him as well. Jeremy has a natural ability for teaching and a great mind for BJJ, his ability to help you understand concepts and help you develop new skills is on an elite level. On top of this Jeremy is one of the most genuine people I have ever met, and wont hesitate to give you advice or praise on whatever you are doing. Even after class when he is dead tired and sweating out small lakes on the mat he will still provide answers to your questions/ show you techniques. If you ever have the opportunity to train with Jeremy I highly recommend it, I know I am going to try and make it down to South Carolina at some point to train at his school when he gets it open.

I’ve been living in Rio and training at Gordo’s for 5 months, and I think my jiu jitsu game has made the most progress since Jeremy has been present for the last 2 months. Not only have I learned the most technique since I’ve been here from his classes, they have also been the techniques I can apply to my game immediately. His classes are laid out in a curriculum where one position is covered from all angles in a series of classes, one day building off the previous days lesson, making the information easier to absorb and apply, opposed to teaching random techniques. He teaches in a very detailed and precise way that makes things easy to remember, and in a logical order which build off each other or provides options if one move fails. His classes always have a positive atmosphere conducive to learning, and he always provides encouraging feedback. His comments and suggestion when watching you roll are always very helpful and on point. Whenever I’ve ever had any question, concerns or doubts about my game, he’d always be willing to answer questions and give me pointers or show me new techniques. One of the best teachers and positive influences in my time as a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu student. Thanks a lot Jeremy. I really appreciated it.

I’ve been lucky to know Jeremy for a few years now. We kinda came up the ranks together and I can say without any doubt that he is not only a great instructor that helps you retain details of techniques but also he is a good friend. I am a better jiu jitsu player just for training with him. Any of you who get the chance to train with him will benefit from top notch instruction. I HIGHLY recommend you take advantage of him if you go to Brazil or when he gets back home!

Hello, I trained for 3 weeks at Gordo’s and stayed at the Connection Rio house. As soon as I arrived, Jeremy made me feel welcome and he was very accomodating. From the very first class I did with him I knew I was going to get some top notch teaching. He has a systematic approach that is very helpful in building techniques and a holistic gameplan from the ground on up. Even as a white belt, I obtained very valuable skills day in day out. I was able to see my progression from the start to the very end and was very pleased with how far I had come in such a short space of time. Jeremy’s attention to detail and clear, concise instruction made it very easy to apply new techniques correctly. He also didn’t just talk the talk, but attended and rolled every session (Gordo’s classes) (I think he just beat me on a number of classes attended!!) If you want to up your game, I suggest in no uncertain terms to train under Jeremy. I will be returning for another stint again next year due to my fantastic experience.

I had the opportunity to train with Professor Arel at Joe Hurst’s gym in Concord, NC. He is an amazing teacher because he makes things look so easy when he shows you step by step things that make your jiu-jitsu game top of the line. I recently won tournaments by using his 1/2 guard sweep. I can not wait for his to return to NC to get another chance to roll with him and strengthen my jiu-jitsu game

PS- any school would be lucky to have him

Great Grappling is first class across the board.  The facilities are top notch.  Professor Jeremy Arel is the best.  All of the other instructors are awesome as well.  Great Grappling has a wonderful community of people that train there.  Everyone is friendly and helpful in learning.   I am very happy that Great Grappling has been part of my life for the past two and half years.  Look forward to continuing training there.  Highly recommended.

I have known the owner, Jeremy, for many years, and he tried to get me to come in and train for the longest time. I put it off for several years. However, I finally started training consistently about a year ago, and I certainly don't regret it. They have a friendly and knowledgeable staff, and they offer a 1-week free trial for anyone who wants to try Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu out before fully committing to it. I would highly recommend giving this place a fair chance.

I visited Great Grappling while traveling and this school is awesome in every way.  The instructors are phenomenal and it shows.  The students are beast.  Everyone made me feel like I was at home.  If you're in the area check them out you will not be dissatisfied. 

If you're looking for a place to train, look no further. It does not matter if you're looking for a new place to train, trying to get back into it, or you're brand new to BJJ. There is a lot of mat space and even a beginner's room. We have the best instructors on the planet and all students are friendly. Absolutely no bullying or anything like that

Facilities are top notch, there is a full pro shop with branded apparel, GI's, post-workout drinks and snacks.  The facilities include a large mat space with padded walls.  The school has both men and women's changing rooms, 2 restrooms and a shower.  The lobby has comfortable seating and a large screen TV.

Instruction at Great Grappling is the best I have experienced with clear and detailed instruction, structured repetition, and one-on-one assistance from Professor Arel.  During the sparring time, Professor Arel matches everyone up each round so there is none of the awkward who am I going to be sparring with.

I am a purple belt with over 8 years experience having trained at 3 different schools, attended many seminars in various locations, and trained in various cities when I travel for work.

By far Great Grappling is the best school I have trained at.  

If your thinking of a place to come learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu then check here first.  If your travel takes you to the Charlotte, NC area and you have the need to train then come here.

Fun and safe place to grapple. Lots of training partners available at all the evening classes that I attend. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Amazing instructors and the students are a blast to roll with. 

We started our son here 2 years ago and have never regretted it!! He was getting bullied by some older kids and his self-confidence was really low. The teachers at Great Grappling have worked with him and not only has his self-confidence grown by leaps & bounds, but so has his agility, dexterity, and stamina! :) He now plays football in the fall and does BJJ the rest of the year and he loves it. I love knowing that he is being trained to be in control of his body in a safe, well-supervised environment and against kids his size. :) I can't recommend them enough!!!

I visited the school while traveling and immediately felt welcomed. The instructor is awesome and so are the students. Definitely worth a visit! 

I only wish I had found this place sooner. I hesitated to start training BJJ due to all of my previous martial arts experience is striking (Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do‎, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, etc..) and I thought that I couldn't possibly enjoy something without strikes. Was I ever wrong...

Jeremy and crew here are phenomenal! I've learned so much from him, from the Murdock brothers, and from every single person I've rolled with. There has not been a single time that I've stepped foot into this building and left without learning something. I couldn't ask for a perfect place to train, or crew to train with!!