Half guard and butterfly guard in jiu jitsu go hand in hand, and there’s a lot to be said for transitioning between these two positions. For the month of December, all of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover half guard, butterfly guard, or both.

Check out the newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance.

TORO CUP 35 – Oct. 25, 2025

Winners: Billy Spott, Daniel Frank, Dylan MartinNEW BREED RVA – Nov. 8, 20251st place Adult Academy, 1st place Overall Academy

Kids

Ollie Bruno – silver in gi weight

Layton LeCompte – gold in gi weight, gold in nogi weight

Brooklyn Buchanan – bronze in gi weight

Adults

Hannah Bonyak – gold in white belt gi weight, gold in no-gi intermediate weight

Dex Schult – gold in gi blue belt weight, silver in nogi intermediate weight

Tony Caramucci, Jr. – bronze in white belt gi weight, bronze in no-gi beginner weight

Kemp Harper – gold in white belt gi weight

Stephen Brown – silver in purple belt gi weight, bronze in no-gi advanced weight, silver in no-gi advanced middleweight division

Mike Peabody – silver in white belt gi weight

Luke Warner – gold in white belt gi weight, silver in no-gi beginner weight

Jamal Awad – silver in white belt gi weight, bronze in no-gi intermediate weight

Noah Eddy – silver in white belt gi weight

Tim Beverly – gold in white belt gi weight, gold in no-gi beginner weight

Alex Pelausa – gold in gi blue belt weight

Dustin Owen – silver in blue belt gi weight, silver in no-gi intermediate weight

Reade Deffenbaugh – gold in blue belt gi weight, gold in no-gi intermediate weight

Joe Chaudari – silver in gi blue belt weight

Shawn Miller – silver in no-gi beginner weight

Zakk Meroth – gold in purple belt gi weight, gold in no-gi advanced weight, silver in no-gi advanced absolute

Walter Wiley – silver in purple belt gi weight

Josiah Neff – gold in brown belt gi weight, silver in no-gi advanced weight

Zach Bruno – gold in brown belt gi weight, gold in no-gi advanced weight

Daniel Frank – silver in black belt gi heavyweight division, silver in black belt absolute

JOAN OF D’ARCE RICHMOND – Nov. 15, 2025

2nd place Adult Academy, 3rd place Overall Academy

Kids

Adriana Ihara – silver in gi weight, silver in no-gi weight

Flora Scheer – bronze in gi weight, bronze in no-gi weight

Adults

Hannah Bonyak – gold in white belt gi weight, gold in no-gi white belt weight

Emily Wolver – silver in white belt gi weight, bronze in no-gi white belt weight, bronze in white belt gi absolute

Cara Peacock – silver in blue belt gi weight, silver in no-gi blue belt weight, bronze in no-gi advanced absolute

Dex Schult – bronze in blue belt gi weight, silver in no-gi blue belt weight

Bronwyn Cotten – silver in blue belt gi weight

Caroline O’Hara – gold in purple gi weight

Emily Pross – gold in no-gi advanced absolute, silver in no-gi purple belt weight

Donia Spott – silver in seniors advanced no-gi weight

Side control, the back, the mount, and knee-on-stomach are incredibly dominant positions in jiu jitsu. If you can maintain the position, you can get the submission.

Check out our newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance. All of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover dominant positions as a central theme for the month of November. 

New month, new focus: triangles and omoplatas!

Omoplatas and triangles share something in common: both are positions as well as submissions. We’ll take a deep look at the connection between the two positions, how to finish each submission, and how to use the position itself to your advantage. We’ll consider defenses and counters as well.

Check out our newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance. All of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover omoplatas and triangles as a central theme for the month of October. 

September 2025 at Revolution BJJ means putting the gis back on for all regularly scheduled classes, and it means a deep focus on a new monthly theme: armbars.

The armbar (or armlock) in BJJ is among the highest percentage submissions, and for good reason. Learn armbars from the bottom, top, and back positions while discovering the hidden connections between the submission and position aspects.

Come learn everything you need to know about armbars with us this month.

Check out our newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance. All of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover armbars as a central theme for the month of September. 

August means leaving the gi at home, and showing up to train with a focus on leglocks.

Leglocks are an important part of the modern sport jiu jitsu game, and they open a new set of doors for your imagination. Combinations and counters that were never-before-imagined are invented on a daily basis.

Come learn how to apply straight ankle locks, kneebars, calf slicers, heel hooks, and more in a safe and friendly environment focused on the technical and innovative aspects of the art.

Check out our newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance. All of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover leglocks as a central theme for the month of August. And, most importantly: they’ll be no-gi!

Congrats to the IBJJF Virginia Open competitors (July 19 and 20th)! Revolution BJJ brought home some hardware:

Daniel Frank, Master 4 Black – 1 gold at gi weight, 1 silver in gi absolute

Zakk Meroth, Master 1 Purple – 1 gold at gi weight, 1 silver in gi absolute, 1 gold at nogi weight, 1 gold at nogi absolute

Jesse Wastler, Master 3 Blue  – 1 gold at gi weight

Nathan Crawford, Master 3 Blue -1 gold at gi weight

Lissa Miller, Master 3 Blue – 1 silver at gi weight, 1 gold at nogi weight

Aaron Bish, Master 1 Blue – 1 silver at gi weight

Hannah Bonyak, Adult White – 1 silver at weight

Liv Vaccari, Adult White – 1 gold at weight

Total – 8 golds, 5 silvers
Congratulations, everyone! Win or lose, we all learned a ton and had a blast.

July 2025 brings us to new monthly theme of the closed guard.

While the study of open guard has exploded in recent years, the closed guard continues to fly under the radar. Being in the closed guard of someone who knows how to use it can be among the most uncomfortable spots in all of jiu jitsu, and this month is all about sharing how to do that to people.

Chokes, joint locks, back takes, and sweeps are all on the menu for this month, and we’ll take a look at how to survive and open the closed guard as well.

Check out our newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance. All of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover closed guard in July. 

With great power comes great responsibility. Come learn how to apply chokes safely from our team of black belt instructors, who will cover both gi and no-gi strangulation techniques all month. 

Check out our newly updated classes on our schedule when you get a chance. All of our regularly scheduled adult BJJ classes (all level 1, 2, and 4) will cover chokes in June.