Alex is a Black Belt (First Degree) in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Professor Paul Nava. He has been training and competing across the country since the rank of white belt. Alex has won and been the runner up in many International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) tournaments as well as professional “Super Fights”. He has extensive experience as a kids coach, a fundamentals coach, and advanced techniques coach. He received his Black Belt from Paul Nava and the Ares Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association in September 2019. As the head instructor of Ares East Mesa Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy, his goal is to make a positive change in the lives of his students and the community.
Coaches
Meet the experienced instructors guiding our programs and leading by example on the mats.
Our coaching staff brings decades of combined experience across competitive Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and functional fitness. We don't just sit on the sidelines with a stopwatch—we are on the mats rolling, drilling, and sweating right alongside you. Whether your goal is to win world championships, learn practical self-defense, or just get in the best shape of your life, our team is here to help you get there safely.
Coach
Alex Martinez
Owner – Head Instructor
Coach
Steve Benton
Fundamentals & Mixed Levels Jiu Jitsu Instructor
BJJ black belt with 10 years on the mats, 6 years coaching jiu-jitsu, and 20 years in martial arts. A personal trainer for over a decade, holds personal training and kettlebell certifications and an MBA in leadership. Specializes in helping grapplers get stronger, faster, and less gassed on the mats, using kettlebells, sandbags, steel maces, and odd-object training. He is currently pursuing his Licensed Massage Therapy credential to help athletes recover as hard as they train.
Coach
Aderito “Dee” Cardoso
Mixed Levels Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Born in Lisbon, Portugal, to parents from Cape Verde, Dee Cardoso began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 2014 in New Jersey, then continued his development in San Jose, California. In 2022, he relocated to Arizona and joined Ares East Mesa under Alex Martinez, earning his Black Belt in October 2025.
Since November 2022, Dee has led the 6 AM Gi classes at Ares East Mesa, building a dedicated community of early-morning practitioners. He brings a thoughtful, fundamentals-driven approach focused on positional awareness, technical precision, and understanding why techniques work — not just memorizing them.
His coaching philosophy is rooted in a simple belief: “There are no black belt moves, only white belt moves performed at a black belt level.”
Coach
Justin Belcher
Kids Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Justin is the Ares East Mesa Kids Head Instructor. He started Jiu Jitsu in 2010 and is originally from Chino, California. He not only learned self defense but has gained a lot of self-confidence, and self control thanks to Jiu Jitsu. “I love Jiu Jitsu for the family aspect of things. I’ve met a lot of great people I would have never met thanks to Jiu Jitsu”. – Justin
Justin wants to be a kids coach because he was once in their shoes. He wants to help the next generation not only better themselves but become good people in the community. “Being a kids coach is one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life and I can’t see myself doing anything else”. – Justin
Justin is an active competitor, winning or finishing on the podium in several tournaments.
Coach
Tiffany Gaughan
Women's BJJ Instructor
Tiffany brings a dedicated, well-rounded approach to movement, martial arts, and overall wellness as the head of the Women’s BJJ Program at Ares East Mesa. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, her athletic background spans group fitness instruction, CrossFit, and Olympic lifting, equipping her with a deep understanding of functional movement and athletic performance. As an entrepreneur and owner of The NOW Massage boutique, Tiffany combines her passion for recovery, mindset, and physical conditioning to create an empowering space on the mats. She is committed to fostering a supportive, high-energy environment that helps women build confidence, technique, and lifelong strength through Jiu-Jitsu.
Coach
Kari Schroeder
Little Warriors Coach
Kari moved to Arizona in 2008 and discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2016 after a major life change — starting at 240 pounds and falling in love with the sport within her very first week of training.
What began as a fitness goal grew into a competitive career. She has had her hand raised in victory at the IBJJF Master World Championships and continues to challenge herself through training and competition each year.
Today, Kari coaches the Little Warriors class, where she loves watching kids build confidence, learn new skills, and realize what they’re capable of achieving — both on and off the mats.
Coach
Taylor Posewick
Operations & Assistant Coach
Taylor is originally from the farthest southwest suburb of the Chicagoland area, although she usually just says she’s from Chicago. She attended the University of Alabama to compete on the track and field team while studying Exercise Science, before transferring to Arizona State University. In fall 2021, she started working part-time at Ares East Mesa and transitioned to a full-time position after graduating in 2022. Taylor began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2023 and currently holds a blue belt. Since 2025, she has also been an assistant coach for the ALA Queen Creek girls wrestling team.
Coach
Colin Opper
Mixed Levels Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Colin started wrestling at age five in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, competing for 13 years before discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2006 in Milwaukee. He trained under Henry Matamoros and later Eric “Red” Schafer — both Pedro Sauer black belts — earning his purple belt along the way.
After relocating to Mesa, Arizona, Colin found his way back to the mats at Ares East Mesa BJJ, earning his brown belt in 2022 and his black belt in 2025 under Alex Martinez. He has competed nationally, with notable wins at Submission Hunter, Wanderlust Grappling, and Fight2Win.
As a coach, his goal is to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable learning, experimenting, and engaging on the mats — encouraging creativity and problem-solving alongside the discipline that makes the art so rewarding.
Coach
Mike Kotzbach
Kids Program & Fundamentals Coach
Mike has been training since August 2020, when he joined Ares East Mesa through the Warriors Challenge program, focused on losing weight and committing to training three times a week. He now holds the rank of brown belt.
He has competed regularly over the years and has landed on the podium in every tournament he’s entered.
Mike is an assistant coach for the kids program and head coach for the Saturday 10am fundamentals class.
Frequently Asked Questions
We run a full coaching staff across our Gi, No-Gi, Kids, and Women's programs, so you'll train under more than one coach as you move through the schedule rather than sticking with just one instructor.