INSTRUCTORS
Rob Magao:Owner
Rob Magao is the founder, owner and head coach of the Bushido Jiu-Jitsu Academy, with over 30 years experience in the martial arts. Rob is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu under legendary Jiu-jitsu Master Pedro Sauer. Rob owns and operates two Pedro Sauer BJJ Affiliate Academies in Connecticut (Hebron BJJ and Manchester BJJ). Rob is the co-founder of the New England Submission Challenge and is the host of The Code Podcast. Over the years, Rob and his team of instructors have competed and coached students to success in numerous local, regional and international grappling competitions as well as mixed martial arts events.
Rob also has over 25 years of law enforcement experience (18 years on SWAT). This experience is vital in being able to teach realistic self-defense based on real life experiences and not just theory. Rob is a founding member of the Connecticut SWAT Challenge and was the Event Coordinator for the Physical Fitness Challenge for 10 years. Rob is the founder of The Officer Survival Series: De-Escalation Through Confidence Program which is a POSTC Certified police defensive tactics program. Rob is a highly respected international law enforcement instructor. He has taught hundreds of personnel from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as well as the United States Military in the areas of arrest and control, defensive tactics, force on force, use of force, SWAT, Dignitary Protection and Physical Fitness.
OUR INSTRUCTORS
James Kodzis Senior Instructor
Gerry Navarra – Senior Instructor
Rich McKeegan – Instructor/ Academy Manager/ Owner
Rich began his jiu-jitsu journey in 2008 and earned his blue belt from Royce Gracie in 2009. In 2010 he transferred schools to Manchester BJJ and earned his black belt in 2019 from Rob Magao. Rich began teaching the Fundamentals Class in 2014 and took on teaching full time in 2017 at MBJJ. Rich is the President of Blackbelts for Butterflies which is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Autism non-profit created in the wake of the Sandy Hook School shooting in Newtown, CT. He has been the Academy Manager at Manchester BJJ since 2017 and is an owner at Hebron BJJ.
Andre Lyew – Assistant Youth Coach
Andre Lyew a member of Bushido since 2014. Andre has spent his time here at Bushido learning jiu jitsu, making friends and helping the young samurais at Bushido do the same. Andre also assists with our Officer Survival Series Program.
Jerry Lashway – Instructor/ Striking Coach
Mike Rossi – Senior Instructor
Jason Smyth – Fundamentals Instructor
Jason Smyth – Fundamentals Instructor Jason began his bjj career in the winter of 2011. He currently holds the rank of brown belt which he received in 2018 from Rob Magao. Jason has received all his promotions from our academy. He is one of the jiu jitsu fundamentals instructors at the academy and has taught fundamentals for over seven years now.
Dan Lalancette – Little Samurai Instructor
Dan began training at Bushido in 2016 and is a purple belt under Rob Magao. He enjoys teaching our youngest students, to include his three children. Dan also assists with the officer survival series. He is a veteran of the Marine Corps and currently on active duty in the CT Air Guard.
Buddy Delp - Junior Samurai Instructor Manchester
Lindell is a U.S Navy veteran and experienced LEO. He started training at MBJJ in August of 2017. Lindell received his purple belt under Rob in 2021. In 2021 Lindell also began teaching Junior Samurai class at MBJJ while becoming a certified Officer Survival Course instructor.
Emily Selbie- Kids Instructor
Emily began practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2014, and has worked her way up through the ranks from the Kid’s Program through to the Adult’s Program. She is currently a purple belt under Rob Magao. She now instructs the Kid’s Program, guiding children through the challenging martial arts journey.
Isaac Goncalves- Kids Instructor
Isaac is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt under Rob Magao. Isaac began training BJJ in 2014, starting in the kids class which he graduated from in 2017. Isaac has been instructing in the Youth program since 2019. Isaac is currently is a full time student at Uconn.