# AOJ Mission Viejo > Mission Viejo, United States ## Overview **Name:** AOJ Mission Viejo **Description:** Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ) Academy is one of the world's most recognized Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training centers, founded in July 2012 as a collaborative effort between the legendary Mendes Brothers (Rafael & Guilherme) and RVCA founder PM Tenore. AOJ has set the standard for how a Jiu Jitsu academy should operate, known both locally and around the world for its success in competition and for transforming lives through the art of Jiu Jitsu. The Mission Viejo location features two large mat areas, premium locker rooms for both men and women, more than 100 parking spots, an indoor cafe with guest lounge, and a private outdoor patio. The academy is conveniently located near the 73 and 405 freeways in the heart of South Orange County. Members have unlimited access to both the Mission Viejo and Costa Mesa locations, providing flexibility and world-class training at two state-of-the-art facilities. AOJ Academy classes are led by world-renowned instructors including Rafael Mendes (6x World Champion, 2x ADCC Champion, IBJJF & ADCC Hall of Fame), Gui Mendes (4x World Champion, IBJJF Hall of Fame, Head Professor), Tainan Dalpra (3x World Champion), Jessa Khan (World Champion), Cole Abate (multiple-time World Champion, youngest ADCC Trials winner), Zach Kaina (2024 NoGi World Champion), and Pablo Lavaselli (2x World Pro Champion). The academy's method consists of three interconnected components: Martial Arts Philosophy, Technical Study, and Application & Competition, creating an environment where world champions come together to maximize each student's potential. **Status:** Active ## Contact Information **Address:** 26971 Crown Valley Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92691, United States **Phone:** (949) 662-5438 **Email:** missionviejo@artofjiujitsu.com **Website:** https://artofjiujitsu.com **Social Media:** - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofjiujitsu/ ## Hours of Operation - Monday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM - Tuesday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM - Wednesday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM - Thursday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM - Friday: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM - Saturday: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Sunday: Closed ## Pricing ## Instructors ### Guilherme Mendes - Black **Role:** Head Instructor **Lineage:** Ramon Lemos ### Rafael Mendes - Black **Role:** Head Instructor **Bio:** Rafael was born on the 20th of June, 1989 in Rio Claro, a city in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Rafael and Guilherme Mendes , his brother, started their jiu-jitsu training through an older cousin named Thiago Mendes, who was a purple belt under Leonardo Santos . After only a few months of training, cousin Thiago recognized the potential both Mendes had and took them to train at the academy headquarters with his coach, Santos. The team was led by both Leonardo and Ramon Lemos – the man who would later become Atos’ team leader. Being just 13 years old, but already incredibly gifted Rafael and his brother picked up all the techniques with amazing ease and started dedicating themselves to BJJ almost full time, training at least two times per day. It was also around this time that the Mendes’s parents split, leaving both brothers without a fatherly figure on a daily basis. Guilherme and Rafael have reported to the media on several occasions of how their coach Ramon Lemos filled most of that void, teaching them not only grappling but the moral values with which they built their characters. At the age of 17, having never competed in a no-gi (no-kimono) competition before, Ramon Lemos enrolled the purple belt Rafael in the ADCC Brazilian Trials, one of the hardest submission-wrestling events in the country. Rafael made it to the final of the trials losing in a hard match against Bruno Frazatto (who would later become his friend and teammate at Atos). Rafael was an amazing BJJ student winning all World Championships from blue belt all the way to brown in consecutive years, achieving the bronze medal in his first year as a black belt (2009) and winning his first world gold medal as a black belt in 2010. Ramon Lemos awarded Rafael his black belt in late 2008, the young Mendes did not shy away from the task at hand, and almost immediately started paving his road with success. Rafael won the Jiu-Jitsu World Pro Abu Dhabi Cup, one of the top competitions in the world, winning a gold medal also at the ADCC finals. After a truly remarkable career where he broke records and became widely recognized as the best grappler of his generation, Rafael Mendes chose to retire to focus on his family and his work as a coach at the Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa, California. Mendes was still in his mid-20s when he made that decision, having not reached his full physical maturity. The banner picture was taken by Ross Finlayson. Rafael Mendes vs Cobrinha Rafael Mendes vs Justin Rader Rafael Mendes vs Gustavo Falciroli Rafael Mendes Berimbolo Highlight by the Jiu Jitsu Lab Rafael Mendes Highlight **Achievements:** - 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016) - 1st Place ADCC World Championship (2009 / 2011) - 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2012 / 2011) - 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2014 / 2010 / 2009) - 1st Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2010 / 2009) - 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2010) - 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2013) - 2nd Place ADCC World Championship (2013) - 2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2011) - 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2006*** blue, 2007*** purple, 2008*** brown) - 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2006*** blue, 2007*** purple) **Lineage:** Ramon Lemos ### Tainan Dalpra - Black **Role:** Head Instructor ### Cole Abate - Black **Role:** Instructor **Bio:** Cole Abate was born on November 16, 2004, in Beaumont, Texas, USA, and grew up in San Antonio, TX. Drawn to athletic endeavors from a very young age, Abate started playing basketball and baseball at the age of 4. Already showing premature signs of competitiveness as a young child, Cole gradually became disheartened with team sports as his teammates did not share the same levels of focus and ambition for competition, displaying a more ludic approach towards these activities. At the age of 5, while exercising with his father, Jeremy, at a local fitness gym, the Abates were approached by another gymgoer who, after some small talk, spoke about jiu-jitsu. The gentleman was a purple belt at the time who trained at a local gym, and his enthusiasm for the sport drew Cole’s attention. After an invitation from this newfound friend, the young Texan decided to take a trial class. After his first jiu-jitsu class, Cole Abate was immediately drawn to the sport/martial art as was his father. The fact that it was challenging and he was not dependent on teammates to draw success from this activity was one of many favorable factors that led to his decision to leave basketball and baseball behind to focus on grappling. Under the guidance of coach Rodrigo Pinheiro , Cole quickly climbed through the belt ranks while competing regularly and winning some of the most important medals in the Teen, Junior, and Juvenile Divisions. Cole’s talent shone through to eventually calling for the attention of promoter Jeferson Maycá of the Copa Podio jiu-jitsu show. Maycá was developing an event (Orange League) destined to find the top junior talent in the world, gathering athletes from across the globe. At the time (2019), Abate revealed himself to a wider audience, particularly in Brazil, where the event took place (Manaus). These travels abroad also propelled Abate to learn Portuguese, a language he speaks fluently. At the age of 14, already seen by many as one of the hottest prospects in the junior jiu-jitsu world, Cole’s father asked him, “ If you could train anywhere in the world, where would it be? “* The young athlete replied “ with coaches Guilherme and Rafael Mendes “* at the Art Of Jiu-Jitsu academy. After the reply, Jeremy (father) and Chimele (mother) took Cole to AOJ in California as a present; the two loved the environment there and believed it to be a perfect fit for Cole to develop. By a stroke of luck, Abate senior had a work opportunity around this time that supported a move to Costa Mesa, so Cole’s dream came true in 2019. After years of repeated success in the colored belt divisions, on July 10, 2023, Cole Abate was promoted to the black belt rank by his instructor, Guilherme Mendes . * Taken from an interview with Jeremy Abate in August 2022. Cole Abate arrived at AOJ as a green belt, receiving his following promotions from Gui Mendes . COLE ABATE’S BJJ RANK PROMOTIONS: – November 11, 2019 (BLUE, 15YO) – December 2, 2021 (PURPLE, 17YO) – January 25, 2023 (BROWN, 18YO) – July 10, 2023 (BLACK, 18YO) **Achievements:** - 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2024 / 2025) - 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2025) - 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2024) - 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2025) - 1st Place IBJJF The Crown (2025) - 1st Place ADCC EC US Trials (2021) - 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2025) - 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2022 purple) - 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2022 purple) - 3rd Place IBJJF Pan American Championship (2022 purple) - 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2020) - 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2021) - 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2021**) - 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (2021) - 1st Place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2016 / 2018 / 2019) - 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals Kids (2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019) - 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2014) - 3rd Place IBJJF Pan Kids Championship (2015 / 2017) **Lineage:** Ramon Lemos → Guilherme Mendes ### Jessa Khan - Black **Role:** Instructor ### Pablo Lavaselli - Black **Role:** Instructor ### Zach Kaina - Black **Role:** Instructor ## Programs ### Basics **Skill Level:** Beginner **Age Group:** adults **Gi Requirement:** Gi required **Description:** Entry-level program focusing on fundamental techniques and positions. Perfect for white belts and beginners. **Classes:** - Monday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Tuesday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Wednesday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Thursday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Friday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Saturday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ### Fundamentals **Skill Level:** All Levels **Age Group:** adults **Gi Requirement:** Gi required **Description:** Core program for building strong BJJ foundations with systematic curriculum covering all essential positions and techniques. **Classes:** - Monday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Tuesday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Wednesday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Thursday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Friday: 06:00 AM - 07:00 AM, 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM, 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM - Saturday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ### Competition Training **Skill Level:** Advanced **Age Group:** adults **Gi Requirement:** Gi required **Description:** Advanced training focused on competition preparation, sparring, and high-level technique refinement. Includes Q&A sessions with world champion instructors. **Classes:** - Monday: 07:30 AM - 08:30 AM, 08:30 AM - 09:30 AM - Wednesday: 07:30 AM - 08:30 AM, 08:30 AM - 09:30 AM - Friday: 07:30 AM - 08:30 AM, 08:30 AM - 09:30 AM ### NoGi **Skill Level:** All Levels **Age Group:** adults **Gi Requirement:** No-Gi **Description:** Grappling without the gi, focusing on wrestling-based techniques and positions commonly found in no-gi and MMA competition. **Classes:** - Monday: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - Tuesday: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - Wednesday: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - Thursday: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - Friday: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM ### NoGi Basics **Skill Level:** Beginner **Age Group:** adults **Gi Requirement:** No-Gi **Description:** Introduction to no-gi grappling for beginners, covering fundamental positions and techniques without the gi. **Classes:** - Monday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Tuesday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Wednesday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Thursday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Friday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM ### Kids 3-5 **Skill Level:** All Levels **Age Group:** kids **Gi Requirement:** Gi required **Description:** Fun and educational BJJ program for young children aged 3-5, building confidence, self-discipline, and respect through martial arts. **Classes:** - Monday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Tuesday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Wednesday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Thursday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Friday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Saturday: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM ### Kids 6-8 **Skill Level:** All Levels **Age Group:** kids **Gi Requirement:** Gi required **Description:** BJJ program for children aged 6-8, instilling core values like confidence, self-discipline, and respect while learning fundamental techniques. **Classes:** - Monday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Tuesday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Wednesday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Thursday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Friday: 03:10 PM - 04:00 PM, 04:00 PM - 04:50 PM - Saturday: 09:00 AM - 10:00 AM ### Kids 9-13 **Skill Level:** All Levels **Age Group:** kids **Gi Requirement:** Gi required **Description:** Advanced kids program for ages 9-13, developing technical skills and competitive mindset while building the next generation of champions. **Classes:** - Monday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Tuesday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Wednesday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Thursday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Friday: 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM --- **Last Updated:** September 29, 2026 **Data Source:** bjj.space (https://bjj.space/gyms/united-states/california/mission-viejo/aoj-mission-viejo)