Max Casa – Muay Thai  Guest Coach

• Blackbelt 2nd Degree Defensive Edge RMA/SCJ under Shihan Rick Alford
• Blackbelt 1st Degree Joe Lewis Fighting Systems
• Brown Belt iCAT RMA Under Walt Lysak & Richard Ryan & Rick Alford
• Level I iCAT Instructor Certified
• Muay Thai Level V Certified Kru Under Kru Ciano Delucia
• Blue Belt BJJ Under Josh Johnson

Calvin Dalton – Wrestling Coach (summer)

• MMA Fighter
• #10th ranked Cage Titans Amateur Pound-for-Pound Fighter (August 2025)
• 2-Time MIAA Wrestling State Champion
• Former Division 1 Wrestler at Bucknell

Ciano DeLucia – Muay Thai Head Coach

• Over 30 Years Muay Thai Experience, 33 in Martial Arts
• Trained at Fairtex, Revere MA
• Trained under Jongsanan Fairtex
• Trained Under Master Toddy
• Trained Under Ajarn Apidae (Fairtex)
• Professional Record of 6-2
• 4th Degree Blackbelt in Shotokan Karate

George Demers – Youth Instructor

• Kickboxer
• Professional MMA Fighter
• Trained in Kenpo Karate and Kickboxing since age 10
• 5-time NAGA Champion
• 5-time Hybrid Fighting Alliance Champion
• Fastest knockout in Ammo Fight League history (30 seconds/ Welterweight)

Elias Diaz – Youth Instructor

• Level III Muay Thai
• 3-Time Grappling Industries Champion
• Blue Belt BJJ Under Josh Johnson
• MMA Fighter

Jake Stats – Head Youth Instructor & General Manager

• 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan) in Kempo Karate
• Purple Belt BJJ Under Josh Johnson
• Multiple tournament wins and medals in Karate and BJJ
• MMA Fighter

Mikey Titus – Head Youth Instructor

• Black Belt Defensive Edge RMA/SCJ under Josh Johnson
• Purple Belt BJJ Under Josh Johnson
• Jiu Jitsu World League Champion
• Two-Time NEC/Cal Wrestling Champion

Dana Sharpton – NO-GI Jiu Jitsu Instructor

• Training Jiu Jitsu for over 5 years, making the jump from white belt to brown belt in four and a half years
• Focus on training, teaching, and understanding Jiu Jitsu  from a conceptual approach. Dana’s goal is to teach techniques that will work in a competitive setting
• Active Regional and National competitor
• Actively studies newest systems to keep the program updated with the evolving world of Jiu Jitsu

Sensei Larry Ruisi – Head Instructor Small Circle Jujitsu

• 7th Degree Blackbelt Castoldi’s Street Jujitsu under Professor Dave Castoldi
• 4th Degree Blackbelt Small Circle Jujitsu under Soke Ed Melaugh
• Studied White Crane & Long Fist  Kung Fu Under Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (5 Years)
• 1st Degree Blackbelt in Chung Moo Quan
• Tribal Leader Level II under Guru Michael Williams

Michelle Marques –  Women’s BJJ Classes

• Black belt BJJ (2x Gi World Champion, No-Gi World Champion, Pan-Am Gi Champion, Pan-Am No-Gi Champion, Brazilian National Champion, South America Champion)
• Black Belt Judo/ Pro Athlete
• Bachelor Degree in Physical Education
• 22 years Grappling Experience
• MMA Fighter

Fernanda Araujo –  Women’s Classes/ MMA Fight Camps

• Black Belt 2nd Degree Judo and Pro Athlete (4x Regional National Champion, 7x Brazilian National Medalist, Quebec Open Champion)
• Black Belt Defensive Edge Under Shihan Rick Alford
• Black Belt Shotokan Karate (3rd at World Championships, 4x National Champion)
• Brown Belt BJJ (2x Pan-Am Gi Champion, 2nd place No-Gi Pan-Am, 3x 2nd place Gi World Championship, 2x 2nd place No-Gi World Championship, 3rd place open class No-Gi World Championship)
• Pro MMA Fighter (12 Amateur Fights and U.S. National Champion, 7 Professional Fights)
• Pro Boxer (7 Amateur Fights, 2 Professional Fights)

Brandon Montella – Boxing Head Coach

• Served in the U.S. Marine Corps until 2003
• Worked in various fields post-military before pursuing a career focused on serving others
• Became an ACE certified trainer in 2010 after leaving the construction industry
• Began boxing at age 31 to gain real-life experience for teaching fitness boxing
• Won three New England boxing tournaments within nine months of training
• Won the New England Golden Gloves in his first year of competition
• Turned professional at age 34 after 21 amateur fights
• Retired undefeated in 2017 with a 9-0 professional boxing record
• Over 10 years of experience as a certified boxing coach
• Developed Golden Glove Champions and trained fighters for charity events like Haymakers for Hope and Punch for Parkinson’s
• Currently coaches two professional fighters—one undefeated, and one holding two professional titles
• Founder of 501(c)(3) nonprofit Mission Ready, supporting at-risk youth and veterans through fitness
• Completed a 100-mile ultramarathon in 2022 to raise funds for Mission Ready
• Inducted into the Marquis Who’s Who in 2021 for community dedication
• Advocates for building “confidence in self” through boxing and self-defense
• Committed father, husband, and coach striving for personal growth and helping others reach their potential through boxing

Dave Lyons – Muay Thai Head Coach

• Blackbelt 3rd Degree Defensive Edge RMA/SCJ under Shihan Rick Alford
• Muay Thai Level V under Kru Ciano Delucia
• Amateur Muay Thai Fighter
• 2024 US MTO Champion

Sensei Josh Johnson – Owner and Head Instructor

• Coaches BJJ, MMA, and Muay Thai
• 4th Degree Blackbelt Under Rick Alford
• 1st Degree Black Belt BJJ Under Andre “Dedeco” Almeida
• 2nd Degree Blackbelt Small Circle Jujitsu Under Rick Alford
• Muay Thai Level V Certified (Kru) under Ciano Delucia
• Former Pro MMA Fighter

Master Rick Alford – Founder of Defensive Edge

• Founded Defensive Edge Martial Arts 1999
• Black Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Andre “Dedeco” Almeida
• 5th Degree Black Belt Lysak’s Sento Method under Walt Lysak Jr.
• 6th Degree Black Belt Castoldi’s Street Jujitsu under Professor David Castoldi
• 4th Degree iCAT Reality Martial Arts Under Richard Ryan and Walt Lysak Jr.
• 3rd Degree Black Belt Small Circle Jujitsu under Soke Ed Melaugh
• 2nd Degree Black Belt Joe Lewis Fighting Systems under Grand Master Joe Lewis
• Muay Thai Level III under Ciano Delucia
• Tribal Leader Level II under Guru Michael Williams
• Studied White Crane & Long Fist  Kung Fu under Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (1990-1994)
• 1st Degree Black Belt Chung Moo Quan
• Training Judo Privately with Olympian Rick Hawn
• iCAT RMA National Director
• iCAT RMA Certified Level V Pro-Coach
• iCAT Team Elite & Masters Alliance Member
• Certified in F.I.G.H.T. (Fierce Israeli Guerrilla Hand-to-Hand Tactics)
• NRA Certified Basic Pistol Instructor
• NRA Certified Home Safety Instructor
• NRA Refuse to Be a Victim Instructor
• Mass State Police Licensed LTC Firearm Safety Course Instructor
• NRA Certified Chief Range Safety Officer
• Team Captain Wrestling CRLS (1986)
• MVP Wrestling CRLS (1986)
• Licensed MMA Trainer – Massachusetts, RI, NH, ME, CT, AL, FL,
• Former E.M.T. (15 Years)
• Former Emergency Communications Operator City of Cambridge, MA  (Police, Fire, EMS)
• Featured Martial Arts Instructor on Lifetime TV’s “Teen Trouble” Hosted by Josh Shipp (January, 2013)
• Featured on Radio Disney (November, 2012)