Rigan Machado, 1 of 5 brothers, was born on the 2nd of July 1966 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Today he is an 8th degree red and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr. Having notable accomplishments under his belt, such as the 1996 & 1997 Weight and Absolute Pan American Championship. He also holds a record for winning 19 matches in one day by submissions. It’s no wonder he is so highly admired in the sport alongside legends like B.J Penn who says about Machado, “He is one of the best grapplers on the planet.”
Professor Mikal Abdullah is a 2nd Degree BJJ Black Belt, veteran, father, philanthropist, and founder of Aces Jiu Jitsu Club. You can find her personal Instagram account with the handle @cerebralbjj or just stop by one of our locations and get a session in!