Juan Canizares

Bio

Juan Canizares was born and raised in Ecuador and began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2008 under Alliance Ecuador. In 2012, he moved to the United States and continued his training at Fight Sports Miami under Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. Now 33 years old, Juan is an active competitor who has participated in major tournaments such as IBJJF, Grappling Industries, Tap Cancer Out, Gaman, and NAGA. In 2018, he relocated to Connecticut, where he has been training at Underdog Jiu-Jitsu under Diogo Moreno Araujo and Sergio Soares, both world-class competitors. He continues to develop his skills and share his passion for Jiu-Jitsu with his students. Juan has competed extensively in regional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, gaining deep practical knowledge in both gi and no-gi grappling. His competition background informs his coaching approach, with a strong emphasis on positional control, submission chains, pressure passing, and real-world application. He is particularly skilled at breaking down complex techniques into clear, repeatable steps that accelerate student progress. As a purple belt, Juan focuses on building strong fundamentals, intelligent movement, and conceptual understanding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. His classes emphasize safety, discipline, and consistency while fostering confidence and resilience on and off the mat. Students training under Juan benefit from a structured learning environment designed for long-term development, whether their goals are self-defense, fitness, or BJJ competition.