OUR JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTORS

Meet our team, then get in touch.

OUR INSTRUCTORS

Professor Nicolai "Geeza" Holt

Black Belt 3rd Degree

Professor Geeza is the Head Coach of Gracie Barra Bristol and is the reigning 2025 IBJJF European Open Weight Black Belt Masters Champion. He is proud to be the only Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor teaching in the Bristol area who was promoted and awarded to Black Belt by a member of the Gracie family (Roger Gracie) after training for years at their headquarters. Geeza is currently a Third Degree Black Belt with over 20 years of teaching experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He understands that each student has different goals, different abilities, and different needs. He is happiest when each student grows and develops in their own particular way. Geeza closely follows and teaches the new developments in the sport and he adheres to the legacy passed down through the Gracie Barra curriculum. Besides being an instructor, Geeza has earned many IBJJF titles as a competitor including American National Champion (Brown), multiple time Pan-American (Blue, Purple, Brown), European (2xPurple, 2x Brown, and 3xBlack). He is also a NAGA Champion and a 17-time Grappler’s Quest Champion. He has won well over 100 matches by submission (on YouTube - search for '101 Submissions by Geeza BJJ').

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Roger Gracie > Nicolai Holt

Professor John Bishop

Black Belt 1st Degree

Professor John 'Hippy' Bishop is a Gracie Barra Black Belt and an experienced competitor. He is an authentic and sincere instructor who cares about the progress of his students and is the Head of the Fundamentals Program at Gracie Barra Bristol. He has been training at Gracie Barra Bristol since the school opened and two of his children also came up through the school. Professor John has gone from White Belt to Black Belt at Gracie Barra Bristol.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Roger Gracie > Nicolai Geeza Holt > John Bishop

Professor Joanna Maple

Black Belt

Joanna is the Professor of Gracie Barra Staple Hill and teaches at Gracie Barra Bristol. She closely follows the Gracie Barra method and every year completes the Gracie Barra Instructor Certification Program. She shares her passion to Jiu Jitsu with her 3 children and they all train together and are active competitors. Joanna won the British Championship as a brown belt. She also received ‘ the most dedicated female student ‘ award two years in a row for her hard work and dedication to the academy and community. Joanna is also a qualified teacher and an OFSTED registered childminder. She has been teaching both Adults and Kids Classes for the past few years and her students achieve a lot of successes on the competition scene. Joanna has completed Paediatric First Aid Course and Safeguarding and Child Protection training. She is enhanced DBS checked.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Roger Gracie > Nicolai Geeza Holt > Joanna Maple

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Professor Mark Russell

Black Belt

Professor Mark is a Gracie Barra Black Belt, and he is the Head of the Morning Class Program at Gracie Barra Bristol (but also trains most evenings). Mark won the 2022 award for Most Dedicated Student at Gracie Barra Bristol. Mark is a kind and caring instructor who takes pride in sharing his knowledge with the students at the school. Coach Mark has gone from White Belt to Black Belt at Gracie Barra Bristol.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Roger Gracie > Nicolai Geeza Holt > Mark Russell

Professor Matt Hodge

Black Belt

Matt is a Gracie Barra Black Belt, and he teaches the GB1 program at the school. Matt is a determined and highly flexible grappler. He teaches in the GB1 program and also works as an art teacher in a high school. Matt uses his teaching skills and experience to convey difficult concepts to students in an easy-to-absorb format. He is a kind, attentive instructor and is a great communicator. Coach Matt has gone from White Belt to Black Belt at Gracie Barra Bristol.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Roger Gracie > Nicolai Geeza Holt > Matt Hodge

Professor Rainer Groh

Black Belt

Rainer is a Gracie Barra Black Belt, and he teaches the GB1 program at the school. Rainer was in the German Olympics Team as a long jumper and then his passion turned to Jiu Jitsu. Rainer is a highly technical and intelligent grappler. He works as a lecturer at Bristol University and applies his great intellect to Jiu JItsu while he is on the mats at Gracie Barra Bristol. Coach Rainer has gone from White Belt to Black Belt at Gracie Barra Bristol.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior > Roger Gracie > Nicolai Geeza Holt > Rainer Groh

Coach Elizabeth Maple

Brown Belt

Elizabeth Maple is a Gracie Barra Brown Belt under Professor Geeza. She has been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for over 10 years. Elizabeth is dedicated to the sport and loyal to Gracie Barra , Jiu Jitsu is her passion. Elizabeth teaches our Future Champions Classes. She loves competing and recently represented the school in the European Championships in Lisbon, Portugal and has also won her category at the British Championship. Elizabeth has completed the Paediatric First Aid Course and has had Safeguarding and Child Protection training. She is Enhanced DBS checked. She started training BJJ as a child at Gracie Barra Bristol and went through all the kids belts before becoming an adult Gracie Barra Brown Belt.

Coach Dr. Gregory Clarke

Brown Belt

Dr. Greg has been training martial arts for over 30 years. He started training in Karate and earned his black belt in the early 90s. He continued to be an active Karate club member and instructor until he joined Grace Barra Bristol in 2016. He enjoys the “hands-on” approach of BJJ. He teaches the Saturday morning MMA class in which he aims to help Gracie Barra students gain and develop the link between striking and grappling. Greg is a firm believer that training should be fun as there’s more to life than fighting! He has gone from White belt to Brown belt at Gracie Barra Bristol.

Coach Eugeniu Zadoinov

Brown Belt

Coach Eugeniu is the head of our no-gi training program. He has been training in martial arts since he was a child. He started training Sambo in the local police station as a child in Moldova, and as a result, his takedown skills are exemplary. He has been training BJJ for twelve years and is a Gracie Barra Brown Belt, earned at Gracie Barra Bristol. He has a great sense of humour which he brings into his classes and has a clear way of delivering insights into how techniques actually work.