Our Story
Motivated by family and driven by community, the story of Gracie Jiu Jitsu Aurora is about providing a sanctuary for the practice of and transfer of the knowledge of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.
Before he was Professor Tony, he was a father who recently moved back to Denver, Colorado after completing his military career who wanted a safe space for his children to learn self defense. Denver, home to the Ultimate Fighting Championship 1 – 4, was known for its rough-and-tumble Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gyms. They were more like shark tanks, and not a space conducive for actually learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in a safe and effective manner.
Tony Debelak and Ryron Gracie demonstrate the back-mount position to a class in Torrence, California.
Growth and Evolution
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Aurora is Always Improving
We now offer six programs, each designed to efficiently and effectively teach its target demographic. The skill set and required knowledge of an active duty law enforcement officer is fundamentally different than what a recent college graduate who has always had an interest in learning Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. With that being a reality, we have grown and evolved our services. GJJA now offers Gracie Survival Tactics, Women Empowered, Bullyproof (which has two sections based on age), Gracie Combatives, Wrestling, and the Master Cycle.
