MEMBERS ONLY: Brazilian Jiujitsu @ Alliance Da Nang

Jacob Ketchens is a lifelong martial arts nerd and health enthusiast. Growing up, he participated in traditional martial arts, boxing and wrestling. Jacob earned his personal training certificate in 2005 with ISSA while managing Super Fitness in Louisville, Kentucky.  Also in Louisville, in 2008, he started training and competing in Muay Thai at world-class gym Real Fighters under Eric Haycraft. Jacob had the opportunity to not only train at this time, but also to help train and coach others. After a work move to Illinois in 2013, he began training in jiu-jitsu at LifeStyle Academy under Professor Mike Rethmeyer where he earned his blue belt. Work caused Jacob again to move, but didn't stop his jiu-jitsu training. In 2017, Jacob earned his purple belt under Professor  Bruno Alves with GFTeam in Brownsville, Texas. After another work move and continued training, Jacob received his brown belt in Tallahassee, Florida from Professor Felipe Neto under Alliance.  Again, during his own jiu-jitsu journey, he was constantly helping train and coach others. Jacob has competed and won many tournaments most recently IBJJF Tampa open. Currently he is the head coach for Alliance Da Nang. Jacob is also in a training mentor cohort with Phil Daru the number one MMA strength and conditioning coach in the world.   

HISTORY OF THE ALLIANCE ASSOCIATION IN THE 1980S MASTER ROMERO CAVALCANTI (JACARÉ) AND HIS TWO BLACK BELT STUDENTS, FABIO GURGEL (GENERAL) AND ALEXANDRE PAIVA (GIGI) FOLLOWED DIFFERENT PATHS IN SEARCH OF SUCCESS IN THEIR OWN ACADEMIES. HOWEVER, IN ALL THE CHAMPIONSHIPS THEY MET, THEY ENDED UP COMPETING AMONG THEMSELVES, CREATING AN UNFAIR RIVALRY BECAUSE OF THEIR ORIGINS. THAT IS WHY IN 1993 THE THREE MADE THE DECISION TO FORM AN ALLIANCE, ALLIANCE, SO THEY COULD GO HAND-IN-HAND IN ALL THE CHAMPIONSHIPS. IN 2014, SEEING THAT EACH OF THEIR ACADEMIES WAS EXPANDING AND FORMING THEIR OWN AFFILIATES, THEY DECIDED TO CREATE AN ASSOCIATION TO UNIFY THE TEACHING METHOD AND IMPLEMENT THE MANAGEMENT SKILLS THAT WERE MAKING GREAT STRIDES IN THE HANDS OF FABIO GURGEL. TODAY THE ALLIANCE TEAM HAS OVER 300 AFFILIATES WORLDWIDE, WITH A WELL-RENOWNED METHODOLOGY AND 14X WORLD CHAMPION TITLE WHICH SHOWS THE STRENGTH, DEDICATION, AND UNITY OF THIS TEAM. AMONG THE MAIN CHAMPIONS ARE SERGIO MORAES, BRUNO MALFACINE, COBRINHA, LEONARDO LEITE, LEO NOGUEIRA, TARSIS HUMPHREYS, BERNARDO FARIA, MICHAEL LANGHI, MARCELINHO GARCIA, LUCAS LEPRI, DANIELA GENOVESI, GABI GARCIA, MONIQUE ELIAS, FERNANDO TERERE AND ANDRESA CORREA