Our Best - Trainers
Nick Newell
Professional MMA Fighter & BJJ Black Belt
Nick Newell is a Professional Mixed Martial Arts Fighter, with a record of 13 wins & 1 defeat. Nick is Connecticut's only ever Mixed Martial Arts World Champion & one of the most successful martial arts competitors to ever come out of CT. Nick accomplished all these things despite being born with only one hand. Nick is no stranger to overcoming adversity & gives back by traveling the country to speak to children with similar challenges. Nick is currently signed with one of the largest fight leagues in the world: World Series Of Fighting. All of his fights air live on NBC or NBC Sports Network.
- •XFC Lightweight World Champion
- •WSOF #1 contender
- •NAFL 155lb Champion
- •Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
- •2x ESPN Sportscenter Top Ten
- •#1 ranked lightweight fighter in the Northeast
Roger Denton
3rd Degree BJJ Black Belt & Head Coach
Roger Denton has 25+ years of martial arts experience. He teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, and coaches/manages professional and amateur MMA fighters. Roger began studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1991 and was promoted to Black Belt in 2007. He was Fabio Araujo's first BJJ Black Belt in the United States. In addition to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do, Roger also studies and teaches Western boxing, Muay Thai, Panantukan (Filipino boxing), Filipino Weapons and Stickfighting, and Savate (French kickboxing).
- •25+ years of martial arts experience
- •Black Belt under Fabio Araujo
- •Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do Certified
- •Filipino Martial Arts Expert
- •Professional MMA Coach
Ryan Roddy
Head Wrestling Coach
Ryan Roddy was the 2017-2018 SCC coach of the year and lead Amity Regional High School to a 2018 duel meet championship. He is currently Head Coach of St. Thomas More Prep School and is Head Wrestling Coach at Fighting Arts Academy CT. As a wrestler, Ryan Roddy was a CT State Open Champion for Amity Regional High School, Prep High School All-American for Northfield Mount Hermon and part of the 2009 Rutgers wrestling team (#3 recruit class in the country).
- •2017-2018 SCC Coach of the Year
- •CT State Open Champion
- •Prep High School All-American
- •Certified USA Wrestling Coach
- •Head Coach at St. Thomas More Prep School