Where passion meets
possibility
Supporting Excellence in BJJ Instruction
Your donations
support BJJ practitioners
who bring
the highest levels of dedication
to their communities
We support BJJ instructors who pursue excellence through competition, continuous learning, and community building. From academy owners to online educators, from competitors to innovators—we back teachers dedicated to bringing quality, inclusive BJJ to their communities.
Bridge The Fight backs BJJ practitioners
pursuing mastery because
those who give everything to the mat
need support beyond it.
BRIDGE THE FIGHT
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
February 7th 2026
Sponsored by Masterskya NYC
Bridge The Fight presents
Super Fight Night at Masterskaya NYC
— a nonprofit event supporting Pro talent and built for practitioners who want to compete but don't have the time for full tournament schedules.
Join us live at Masterskya NYC on February 7th!
We have a few spots available if you’d like to see the action live, meet the fighters and nibble of a few snacks with us…grab your tickets, space is limited!
If you weren’t fast enough to grab a ticket or if you can’t make it to Chinatown on Saturday Feb 7th, watch the event online at https://www.youtube.com/@Bridgethefight
Being a ring announcer is Billy Nemec's lifelong dream, he's just been killing time for 25 years leading a jazz band (The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn), giving tours, and picking up BJJ
Now he's finally stepping onto the mats to announce Bridge The Fight matches, where he'll hype up every submission attempt, invent dramatic nicknames on the fly, and prove that jiu-jitsu deserves a little jazz hands.
Join us on February 7th at Masterskya NYC for the fights. Doors open at 5:30 PM, fight start at 6 PM.
wanna Fight??
You’re a serious hobbyist and you want to compete for a chance to win a private lesson with on of the Pro fighter?
Donate a minimum of $250 to secure your spot…you can either convince a friend to fight you or we’ll find you a match.
100% of your donations go to support Pros who bring the best of the modern game to their communities.
You’re a Pro and you’d like to compete? Let us know… (we’re fully booked for Feb 7th but the next tournament is June 13th)
Pro Fights
Line Up
On February 7th at Masterskaya NYC,
Hugh McKenna and Jarbem Pacheco collide in the headline super fight of
Bridge The Fight's inaugural Masters Tournament
A night where elite BJJ competition meets community purpose in the heart of Chinatown.
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Jiu Livre, Black Belt, Heavy
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Savage MMA, Black Belt, Heavy
Black belts Graciele Del Fava and Ansley Cox
meet in a women's super fight with world-class stakes
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Unity, Black, Middle
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Hart BJJ, Black, Middle
Daniel Maldonado brings Immortal Jiu Jitsu to Chinatown
when he faces Masterskya's Oliver Lopez in a neighborhood showdown.
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Immortals Jiu Jitsu, Brown, Feather
Donny Ice of Whetstone JJ faces Spencer Mokris of Marcelo Garcia in a showcase of NYC's finest talent you won't want to blink through.
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Masterskya, Brown, Feather
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Whetstone Jiu Jitsu, Purple, Feather
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UFC Riverdale BJJ, Purple, Feather
Sebastian Silva (CTA Brooklyn) and Matt Gioia (Unity) are bringing the heat to the mats—expect technical warfare and zero chill.
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CTA Brooklyn, Brown, Middle
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Unity, Purple, Middle
Master Fights
Line Up
Thank you to our donors, whether you decided to compete or not! This wouldn’t be possible without you…
Masterskya's Lerrod Smalls meets Checkmat's Mike Kalika
two of NYC's sharpest going head to head
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Masterskya, Brown, Heavy
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Checkmat, Black, Heavy
Arjun and Drew have wanted to fight each other for real forever, thank you both for supporting the people who got you to this moment!
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Masterskya, Purple, Middle
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Masterskya, Purple, Middle
Your judges for the evening: Diana Sai, Ina Alivio, and Jillian Peterson
good luck arguing that takedown landed out of bounds…
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Jillian Peterson is a black belt, US military veteran, Combat Sambo Pan Am Champion, IBJJF No Gi World Champion, and owner of Galaxy Grappling Academy in Pennsylvania.
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Diana Sai is a brown belt at Renzo Gracie NYC who balances competing, coaching and teaching classes.
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Ina Alivio is a purple belt, Royal Jiu Jitsu instructor, active competitor, and founder of Rubber Bones—the artist-run BJJ apparel brand you've probably seen on your feed.
What is bridge the fight tournament?
A Saturday night in Chinatown with
Five elite super fights
and
up to four Master practitioners fights at Masterskaya NYC
It's competition with purpose: a reason to train harder, a chance to test yourself locally, and a way to give back to the teachers who make us all better. Super fight champions and master hobbyists train together the day after, closing the loop between community support and high-level instruction.
How do I compete as a Practitioner?
Your $250 minimum donation secures your spot on the mat plus two guests — and every dollar goes directly to supporting professional athletes and instructors who dedicate their lives to this sport.
Win your match, earn a private lesson with a pro!
Three events this year: February 7th, June 13th, and October 10th.
Limited spots. Real stakes.
No profit — just progress.
Meet the Fighters and the teachers
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Super Dave
Black Belt under Kurt Pellegrino, IBJJF No Gi Pans Champion, IBJJF Worlds Silver Medalist, NY Open Champion, Men of War Champion, Former MMA Fighter
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Graciele Del Fava
Graciele Del Fava is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Marco Barbosa and one of the top middle weight competitors in women's BJJ.
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Jackson Barbee
Jackson Barbee brings a data scientist's mind to the mats. A former competitive climber. Jackson is a Blue belt under Roberto Gordoi.
Meet the competitive team
Bridge Squad
Team Bridge Squad is our collective of
BJJ instructors from around the world.
They pursue excellence through competition, study innovative methods, and bring quality instruction to their communities—whether in academies or through online platforms.
Contact Us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!