Jona Joyce, is a United States Marine Corps Veteran and Jiu Jitsu Black Belt with over 16 years of Jiu Jitsu experience.  A native son of Vicksburg, Mississippi, he grew up in Tampa, Florida and lived in Kailua, Hawaii before putting down roots in Santa Monica, California. 

In 2007, Jona began training Jiu Jitsu with Master Rickson Gracie and his son, Kron Gracie, at the prestigious Rickson Gracie Academy in Los Angeles, California. Over the following 13 years, Jona received all of his rank promotions to Brown Belt directly from Kron Gracie, until the closure of the Kron Gracie Academy in 2020. In February 2022, Jona was awarded his Black Belt from 6thº Black Belt Renato Magno and 3rdº Black Belt Dr. Charles Martone of Street Sports Jiu Jitsu in Santa Monica, California. In May 2022, Rickson Gracie and Jiu Jitsu Global Federation conferred his Black Belt.

Jona’s ‘keep it playful’ approach to Jiu Jitsu has been heavily influenced by his many private training sessions with Ryron Gracie. His NOGI philosophy is inspired by his time training in Santa Rosa, California with UFC legend David Terrell as well as multiple seminars with world renowned Jiu Jitsu Coach and Renzo Gracie Black Belt, John Danaher. 

Through his many years of teaching seminars, classes, and private lessons, Jona has developed a highly technical, yet easily accessible style of Jiu Jitsu that maintains the spirit of Vale Tudo and street ready self-defense, combining modern techniques and positions with respect to a solid foundation in the fundamentals.