FIGHT TO WIN LEAD INSTRUCTOR – PROFESSOR STEVE HALL

Beginning his journey in the martial arts at the age of 11, by 17 years old Steve had earned his first black belt in Tae Kwon Do under the Western Masters System in Salisbury, Maryland. He moved to Florida in 1998 and started training Judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) with Bill Murphy and Marcio Simas and received the blue and purple belts under the Gracie Barra system. Bill stepped down in 2002 and (now 4th Degree Black Belt) Charles dos Anjos, took over as head instructor of the Sarasota school. Under his tutelage, Steve received the brown and black belts from the UFC legend himself, Master Royce Gracie. All of Steve’s belts (including the black belt) have also been endorsed by the Florida Federation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Since 1998, Steve has focused most of his training in BJJ, Judo, and American Wrestling. In October of 2006, he was awarded the rank of black belt by Master Royce, the son of the founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (GJJ), Grand Master Helio Gracie (1913-2009). In January of 2010 Steve was promoted to the rank of Instructor, and August of 2011 to First Degree Black Belt by Professor Charles dos Anjos. In April of 2013 Professor dos Anjos awarded Steve with the Second Degree on his Black Belt, making him one of the highest ranked American BJJ Black Belts in the country. With the Second Degree also comes to the Title of Professor (literally translated as the teacher), which is a huge honor under the Gracie System. December of 2015 he was awarded the blue bar by Master Royce Gracie. The blue bar signifies Steve’s complete understanding of the five elements of Gracie Jiu Jitsu; Striking, Takedowns, Grappling, Self Defense and Philosophy. December of 2017 Professor Steve was awarded the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt by Master Royce. October of 2020 Professor Steve was awarded the rank of 4th Degree Black Belt by Master Royce. Steve still keeps in close contact with Master Royce and Professor dos Anjos returning to Florida to train and teach several times a year.

BJJ Lineage

Mitsuyo Maeda > Helio Gracie > Royce Gracie/Charles dos Anjos > Steve Hall

At the time Steve was only the 9th Royce Gracie black belt given in the world, as well as his fastest black belt at just eight years of training. Steve was very competitive in the jiu-jitsu community at every belt rank, and has placed in many regional and international tournaments and competed in invitation-only super fights. He supports the growth of the sport as the Senior Most Referee for the North American Grappling Association. He has traveled internationally with NAGA and has worked with the company for over 16 years, including teaching seminars to the competitors for many of the tournaments. Steve also regularly teaches seminars to many Royce Gracie network schools, several local and Fight To Win Affiliate schools and Military / Law Enforcement in North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Florida. Steve personally retired from competition a few years ago to focus on the FTW Team and his two boys. In 1998 Steve also began competing in mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions. With an amateur record of 4-1 and pro record of 3-2. He also holds the current record for one of the longest MMA fights in Florida history of 48 minutes with no breaks. Then going on to fight two more times that same night in an eight man tournament with no time limits and a weight class of 180lbs and under (a record that will stand forever being that style of tournament is now illegal in the U.S.). Since moving to North Carolina in 2007 Steve now runs one of the largest and most successful GJJ teams in the Charlotte area and has led his team to win several MMA fights, and countless World, National, State and regional medals in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is known for being one of the most technical instructors in the Carolinas, and Fight To Win was named “The Best School In the South East” by the North American Grappling Association. With the school nearly at its sixth-year mark in Charlotte at the time, this was a huge accomplishment for everyone on the team.

Awards and Accomplishments

2019 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2018 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2017 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2016 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2015 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2015 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place Gi Black Belt Light Heavy 2014 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2014 U.S. Grappling 1h 20min Submission Only runner up 2014 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place No-Gi Expert Middle 2014 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place Gi Black Belt Cruiser 2014 U.S. Grappling runner up (81 min. Sub only match) 2013 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place OVER ALL TEAM 2013 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place No-Gi Expert Middle 2013 NAGA Charlotte 2nd Place Gi Black Belt Cruiser 2012 NAGA Charlotte 2nd Place Over All Team 2012 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place, Black Belt Cruiser 2012 NAGA Charlotte 2nd Place, No-Gi Expert Middle 2012 NAGA Charlotte 1st Place, No-Gi Expert Middle 2011 Nominated for the United States Martial Arts Hall Of Fame 2011 NAGA Charlotte 3rd place Over All Team 2011 NAGA Charlotte 1st place, No-Gi Advanced Middle 2011 NAGA Charlotte 1st place, Gi Brown/Black Cruiser 2011 NAGA Charlotte 1st place, Gi Masters Advanced Cruiser 2010 NAGA Charlotte 2nd place Over All Team 2010 Nominated for the United States Martial Arts Hall Of Fame 2010 NAGA Charlotte 1st place, Gi Brown/Black Cruiser 2010 NAGA Charlotte 2nd place, No-Gi Expert Light Heavy 2010 Promoted to Instructor under Charles dos Anjos 2009 U.S. Grappling 1st place, Gi Black Belt Absolute 2009 NAGA D.C. 1st place, Gi Masters Black Belt Cruiser 2009 NAGA Atlanta 1st place, Gi Masters Black Belt Cruiser 2009 Superfight runner-up to Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros 2009 NAGA Midwest 2nd place, Gi Black Belt Cruiser 2009 NAGA U.S. Open 1st place, No-gi Expert Light Heavy 2008 NAGA Midwest 2nd place Black Belt Absolute 2007 NAGA Midwest 1st place Black Belt Absolute 2007 NAGA Florida, 2nd place Gi Black Belt Light Heavy 2007 NAGA U.S. Nationals, 1st Place, Expert division 2007 NAGA Las Vegas, 2nd place 2006 Received the Black Belt in GJJ from Royce Gracie 2006 NAGA Georgia, 2nd place 2006 NAGA Florida, 1st place 2006 NAGA Ohio, superfight champion 2004 Golden Sidekick Open, grand champion 2004 American Cup, 1st place 2004 Pro Am, 1st place 2003 Received the Brown Belt in GJJ from Royce Gracie 2003 International Grappling Challenge, 2nd place 2002 Extreme Sports Combat Champion 2001 Awarded Best of the Best Purple Belt AMA 2001 NAGA Nationals, 1st place 2001 NAGA Nationals, 3rd place 2000 Florida State Championships, 3rd place 1999 Florida State Championships, 1st place 1998 SEFFC, 2nd place

FTW CLT ASSISTANT INSTRUCTORS

NICK SPIRITO

Black Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming soon

DAN BAILEYS

Black Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall FTW KID’S Instructor Bio Coming Soon

MARK KERKHOFF

Black Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Mark Kerkhoff grew up in the Midwest and began his training in traditional folkstyle wrestling, where he wrestled all four years in high school and served as team captain.  In early 2013, he began training at Fight to Win under Professor Steve Hall. He received his blue, purple, and most recently in 2019 his brown belt under Professor Hall. Mark is a certified firearms instructor and active competitive shooter.  He currently works as a licensed attorney with his own practice.

FTW KID’S INSTRUCTORS

JAMIE GRIGGS

Brown Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming Soon

LANCE “LARRY” PASSARELLI

Brown Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming Soon

WILLIAM AKINS

Brown Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming Soon

DEREK BUCKLEY

Purple Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming Soon

SAVANNAH BOURGEOIS

Purple Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming Soon

VINCENT TRAN

Purple Belt Under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Bio Coming Soon

FTW Head Instructor of BJJ, INC. Denver, NC Academy

JON PLYLER

2nd Degree BLACK BELT under Royce Gracie/Steve Hall Professor Jon Plyler began his martial arts training at the age of 12. After 15 years of training & teaching traditional martial arts, he began to get involved in the world of grappling. Jon began to train in no-gi submission grappling in 2000 and formally began training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in 2004 under Professor Paulo “Mushu” Elsimaani and later started training with Alliance Jiu-jitsu of Charlotte under Professor Luis “Sucuri” Togno. In November 2005, he received his blue belt from Master Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti (founder of Alliance Jiu-Jitsu). In June 2008, Jon received his purple belt and in August 2010 was awarded his brown belt, both under Professor Togno. After Professor Togno tragically passed away in February of 2011, Jon continued his training under Professor Steve Hall, 3rd degree black belt under Master Royce Gracie, & head instructor at Fight to Win Brazilian Jiu-jitsu in Charlotte. On December 9, 2013, after being personally tested by Royce Gracie and a panel of his other black belts, Jon received his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu directly from UFC legend Royce Gracie, the son of Gracie Jiu-jitsu Founder, Helio Gracie. Jon has a vast amount of experience in sport Jiu-jitsu, having traveling around the world both as a competitor and as a certified referee for US Grappling and NAGA (North American Grappling Association).  Jon also has an extensive background teaching self-defense. With over 15 years of service as a full-time sworn law enforcement officer and instructor, certified by the NC Justice Academy as a specialized defensive tactics and ground defense instructor, Jon has taught defensive tactics and ground defense courses for law enforcement agencies throughout the region. Jon served as the lead defensive tactics instructor for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for over 5 years.