The instructors.

Coming from a traditional Jiu-Jitsu background, Hakim made the decision to completely change his training environment and pursue a different approach to developing his skills. He began training under the guidance of Greg Souders at Standard Jiu-Jitsu while making Cochabamba MMA his home base, where he trains extensively alongside Brian Guevara.

The transition challenged Hakim to rebuild the way he understood grappling. Through consistent training, competition, and countless rounds spent testing his skills against high-level training partners, he has rapidly developed from a relatively inexperienced grappler into a recognized and increasingly successful competitor within the local grappling scene. His goal is much bigger than local success, however. Hakim made the move to Maryland with the intention of becoming a true professional grappler and establishing himself within the sport.

That same commitment eventually brought him to coaching. Under Brian Guevara’s mentorship, Hakim learned how to translate his understanding of grappling into an environment designed specifically for young athletes. Today, he serves as a Coach, Cochabamba’s Toddlers Coordinator, and Gym Manager.

Hakim has developed a particular strength working with Cochabamba’s youngest students, including children ages 3–5. His patience, personality, and ability to connect with little ones allow him to introduce grappling in a way that keeps them engaged while beginning to develop the problem-solving, movement, confidence, and independence they’ll carry into the older programs.

Outside of Jiu-Jitsu, Hakim has always been drawn to learning new skills. Whether it’s chess, card games, weightlifting, or grappling, he enjoys understanding how things work, improving at them, and eventually sharing what he’s learned with others.

What began as a move halfway across the country to chase his own potential has turned into something larger. Hakim is now developing as a professional grappler while simultaneously helping build the environment and young athletes around him at Cochabamba.

That transition significantly shaped the way Asher understands and teaches the sport. Through his time at Standard, he has immersed himself in the Constraints-Led Approach, moving away from traditional instruction and toward a more dynamic, problem-solving approach to developing grapplers.

At Cochabamba MMA, Asher serves as a Head Coach and leads the development of our Beginner and Intermediate programs. He plays a major role in shaping the training environment and building the games and learning experiences our athletes encounter on the mats.

Asher has been coaching children since 2021 and genuinely loves working with young athletes. His approach goes beyond simply teaching them how to grapple. He wants students to develop confidence, discipline, adaptability, and the ability to solve problems independently while building a real love for the sport.

As an athlete himself, Asher maintains an active competition schedule and continues to push his own development. He has long-term ambitions within grappling and remains committed to testing himself against increasingly high-level competition while continuing to learn and evolve as both an athlete and coach.

That combination of competitor, student, and educator is what Asher brings to Cochabamba. He is constantly studying the sport, testing new ideas through his own training, and bringing what he learns back into the room to help develop the next generation of grapplers.

After establishing himself as an experienced competitor and coach in Florida, Matt wanted to put himself in an environment that would continue challenging his understanding of the sport. In 2026, he relocated to Maryland and committed to training under Greg Souders at Standard Jiu-Jitsu while joining Cochabamba MMA as a coach.

Matt brings years of competitive experience to the room, having competed across numerous high-level events, including multiple appearances at ADCC Trials, alongside championship performances across professional and regional competition. His experience has given him a particularly strong understanding of guarded entanglements and submissions, back takes, and controlling positions. These are areas he continues to develop through his own training.

But Matt’s experience isn’t limited to competing. He has been involved in coaching Jiu-Jitsu since 2018 and has worked with students across different ages, experience levels, and training environments. At Cochabamba, he brings that experience into our coaching team while continuing to learn and evolve within our approach to athlete development.

Matt is also becoming an important addition to Cochabamba’s youngest programs, working alongside our coaching staff with the Toddler Program and helping introduce children to grappling in a positive, engaging environment.

Off the mats, Matt is easygoing, funny, and the kind of person who’s always willing to lend a hand, although there’s a good chance he’ll jokingly ask what you’re paying him first.

His move from Florida to Maryland represents the next chapter of a much longer pursuit. Matt came here to surround himself with people who would challenge him, continue developing as a grappler, and contribute his own experience to the athletes growing at Cochabamba.

Training under Greg Souders and Brian Guevara, Justin has built his foundation through Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling and currently holds a blue belt under Brian Guevara. He has tested his skills at high-level grappling tournaments, earning podium finishes and notable wins against athletes representing some of the most recognized programs in the sport.

His development has carried over into wrestling as well. After trying out for varsity for the first time, Justin earned his place on the team and went on to compete at the national level, all while continuing to develop his grappling at Cochabamba.

Justin first stepped into coaching as an assistant, learning how to work with athletes and gaining experience on the other side of the room. As his knowledge, confidence, and ability to teach continued to grow, so did his responsibilities. Today, Justin serves as a coach at Cochabamba and has become a valuable part of the team responsible for developing the next generation of athletes.

Naturally quiet and observant, Justin doesn’t need to be the loudest person in the room. He has an enormous passion for grappling, pays close attention to the details of the sport, and brings that knowledge into the way he works with students.

Outside of coaching, Justin continues to train and compete with ambitions that extend far beyond the local competition scene. His long-term goal is to become an ADCC World Champion, and he approaches both his development as an athlete and his role as a coach with the same commitment to continual improvement.

For Justin, coaching brings his journey full circle: from one of Cochabamba’s early students, to competitor, to now helping develop the athletes coming up behind him.