Earl Butler

Head MMA/Jiu-Jitsu Trainer

Earl grew up on the south side of Richmond, CA where his passion for athletics and competition was apparent from an early age.  He participated in AAU track & field, basketball, and baseball.  Earl attended Salesian High School, in Richmond excelling in Track & Field and Football.  After competing at the collegiate level in both sports, Earl still had a strong desire to be involved in athletics.

Earl’s excitement for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began in 1993 when he saw UFC 1.  There, a man named Royce Gracie competed in a No-Holds-Barred tournament against opponents with diverse Martial Arts backgrounds.

In 1998 Earl was introduced to Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and had the opportunity to train with many great competitors and current MMA fighters such as: Jake Shields, Nick and Nathan Diaz, David Terrell, Nathan Ducharme, Gil Castillo, Gil Melendez, etc.

After a fellow training partner named Ben Cochrane ventured out to train with UFC veteran Val Ignatov, the idea of cross-training in more than one art with more than one instructor became a controversial, but necessary, endeavor. Since this time he has had the opportunity to train with artists from various backgrounds such as:  Casey Strand, Tim Lajcik, Mike Regnier, Joao Perini, Adilson Lima, Marcos Nasciemiento, Val Ignatov,etc.

Earl continues to cross train and currently holds a blue belt in the art of BJJ.