Head Instructor
Ricardo Castagna
Ricardo Castagna, originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, began his martial arts journey at a young age, starting with Judo and later Hapki Do. However, it was Brazilian Jiu Jitsu where he found his true passion. With over 30 years of dedication to martial arts, Ricardo Castagna achieved the rank of BJJ Black Belt 2nd Dan.
Ricardo relocated to New Zealand in 2005, arriving as a purple belt in BJJ. Under the mentorship of Pedro Fernandez from Tukaha BJJ, he continued to refine his skills and knowledge. This journey culminated in Ricardo Castagna earning his prestigious black belt in 2017, marking a significant milestone in his martial arts career.
Jake Skipper
Jake Skipper, a dedicated brown belt at Black Knights Jiu-jitsu, shapes confident individuals through coaching focused on discipline, respect, and resilience. With a decade of experience, he inspires young martial artists, fostering growth both on and off the mats since joining in 2019. Jake's commitment extends beyond technique, emphasizing life skills essential for personal development.
Jackie Tejwani
Jackie started his Jiu Jitsu journey 15 years ago and has recently received his brown belt under Ricardo Castanga. He believes in the power of discipline, hard work, and perseverance. He aims to instill these values in his students, helping them grow not only as martial artists but also as individuals. His classes are structured to cater to all skill levels, ensuring everyone can progress at their own pace.
Elis Souza
Élis is a Fitness Trainer and specializes in self-defense. He was a Police Officer for over 8 years, a Firearms and Shooting Instructor, and has over 15 years of experience in Martial Arts in general. His background includes knife combat training, black star with gold outline grade in Chinese Boxing (Sanda), purple belt grade in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, instructor grade in Krav Maga. His method consists of developing combat skills along with physical conditioning in a holistic way. Elis has trained several people to build a functional body and become more confident through technical and philosophical martial learning.
Shin Yi
Shin began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 2014 and earned his purple belt in 2022. He's particularly drawn to the nogi aspect of BJJ, which led him to explore the 10th Planet style and catch wrestling. His catch wrestling foundation came from an old friend, Kevin Hay, who sadly passed away. Open-minded when it comes to the art of grappling, Shin believes every style has valuable techniques worth learning. His philosophy on the mats is simple but effective: pain is your friend, ADD - always do damage, and pain makes your opponent move. 😄
Gi
Our Gi classes will teach you core jiu jitsu movements, concepts and techniques. These classes will have an additional focus of Gi specific techniques for controlling and submitting opponents.
No Gi
Our No Gi classes will teach you how to use jiu jitsu without the Gi, focusing on the different strategies. The absence of extensive grips results in a more dynamic and fast-paced modality.
Kids and Teens
This program is designed to introduce younger children to the sport of jiu jitsu and for the older children to transition into competition and adult level training. It is great to help children build confidence, body awareness and mental toughness.
Choose from our range of classes, including beginners, advanced BJJ, Kids & Teens BJJ or personal instruction.
Home away from home. These guys are like family. If you're interested in martial arts, self defence and fitness then I highly recommend Black Knights! You'll be hard pressed to find a more welcoming team. Oss!
Jake Skipper
May 2019
A great school and training experience. Ricardo and the other instructors are highly skilled and classes cater for all levels. The whole crew welcome new students into the Black nights family no matter what level you are at. Highly recommend this school.
Martial FitnessNZ
Mar 2020
I've been training with Ricardo in Silverdale for roughly two and a half years. He is the best teacher you could possibly hope for. I would and do recommend Ricardo and Black Knights to anyone wanting to start or continue their journey in BJJ.
Thomas Bloy
3 Jan 2021
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Birkenhead
Urban Sport Gym
60-62, Mokoia rd
Silverdale
Dynamic Martial Arts Centre
9 Wainui Rd (behind JA Russel)
