# Simple Man Martial Arts > Austin, United States ## Overview **Name:** Simple Man Martial Arts **Description:** ###**A NEW NAME. THE SAME STANDARD. A WIDER REACH.** Simple Man Martial Arts is the evolution of B-Team Jiu Jitsu, one of the most respected grappling academies in the world. Built by a group of world-class competitors and coaches, the academy has become known for producing elite athletes, refining modern grappling systems, and setting a global standard for innovation and performance. The name may have changed, but the foundation remains the same. The same coaches. The same methods. The same relentless pursuit of excellence. What has evolved is the mission. Simple Man Martial Arts exists to make world-class martial arts training accessible to everyone, from absolute beginners to experienced professionals, through a clear, structured, and supportive approach. ###**OUR PURPOSE** Martial arts should be powerful, not complicated. At Simple Man Martial Arts, we believe the path to mastery starts with simplicity: clear instruction, consistent training, and honest effort. Our goal is to help every student, regardless of background or experience, reach their highest potential through the art of Jiu Jitsu. We take the same principles that have led our coaches and athletes to success on the world stage and make them teachable, understandable, and repeatable for everyday people who want to challenge themselves and grow. ###**THE SIMPLE MAN PHILOSOPHY** The philosophy behind the name is straightforward: Focus on what matters most. Remove what doesn’t. Every class, every drill, and every technique follows that idea. We emphasize efficiency, clarity, and intention in everything we teach. The goal is not to memorize endless techniques, but to understand how and why the art works, and to develop confidence through application. Simplicity is the path to depth. By mastering the fundamentals, students build a foundation strong enough to explore every level of the art, from self-defense to competition. ###**WHO TRAINS HERE** Simple Man Martial Arts is for anyone who wants to improve through Jiu Jitsu. You will find professional athletes and complete beginners training side by side, each pushing to improve through the same structured system. Some students come to compete. Some come to build strength, discipline, and focus. All come to learn. No matter your starting point, our coaches will meet you where you are and help you progress at your own pace. The only requirement is consistency and effort. **Status:** Active ## Contact Information **Address:** 1701 W Ben White Blvd Austin, TX 78704, United States **Phone:** 737-310-3838 **Email:** Info@simplemanmartialarts.com **Website:** https://www.simplemanmartialarts.com/ ## Instructors ### Nick Rodriguez - Black **Role:** Head Instructor **Bio:** Nick Rodriguez was born in August 1996, in Clayton, New Jersey, United States. Raised in NJ, a strong wrestling state led Rodriguez to the mats at the age of 12. Competing for Clayton High School’s team Nicky qualified for the NJSIAA championships as a senior. After HS Rod caught the attention of Ferrum College, who brought Rodriguez to their wrestling program in the state of Virginia. Rodrigues spent 1-year training at Ferrum and competing for the Division III college wrestling team where he went 34-7 and placed fourth at the East Regionals, albeit, failing to qualify for the NCAA tournament. After his experience with collegiate wrestling, Nick opted to pursue a modeling career while adding jiu-jitsu classes to his daily activities, a discipline he initiated in June 2018 with instructor Jay Regalbuto, at South Jersey BJJ. Regalbuto immediately realized Rodriguez’s potential for submission-grappling, launching Nicky into the competitive side of the sport after a mere 3 weeks of training. Jay’s intuition proved right as the former wrestler conquered two pro-level tournaments in two months while holding on to an undefeated record. After such a promising start, making a run for the upcoming ADCC USA East Coast Trials became a chance worth taking. To improve and test the talented jiu-jitsu rookie, Rodriguez, and coach Regalbuto started attending different workgroups, which ultimately led them to Gordon Ryan , arguably the best no-gi competitor in the world. Rodriguez’s first private lesson with Ryan took place in October 2018. Coach Regalbuto’s initial plan relied on Gordon also recognizing Nicky Rod’s potential and inviting him to Danaher Death Squad’s training room. The idea proved successful as Nick started visiting DDS in New York twice per week in the build-up to the ADCC Trials, taking bronze in the tournament 1 month later, with about 6 months of training. Coach Jay promoted the Jersey native to blue belt while he stood on the podium. Rodriguez made another run at the trials a few months later in California, this time earning his ticket to the main event. In September 2019, Nick Rodriguez competed at the ADCC World Championships, one of the toughest competitions in the no-gi jiu-jitsu world, where he beat several world-class black belts on his way to a silver medal and subsequent purple belt promotion, (also while standing on the podium,) from coach Jay Regalbuto. After his ADCC experience, Rodriguez started training full-time with coach John Danaher , both in New York and later in Puerto Rico, when the team relocated to the US-owned Caribbean island. Once the team split, in 2021, Rodriguez helped form B-Team (check more on that below). In December 2023, Nick Rodriguez was promoted to black belt by his teammate and co-founder of B-Team, Craig Jones. SPLIT FROM DANAHER DEATH SQUAD In July 2021, coach John Danaher announced the end of the Danaher Death Squad as a unified training and competition team, alluding to “ the physical location of a future school, personality conflicts, conflicting values and an inevitable tension between the team brand and the growing individual brands of members ” as the main factors for the split ( original statement here ). Later that year, in August 2021, Nicky announced his new team, one formed alongside a few of his DDS training partners, namely Nicky Ryan, Craig Jones, and Ethan Crelinsten. This new group was labeled the “B-Team” with its training base being set in Austin, Texas. NOTE REGARDING NICKY ROD’S RECORD Traditionally BJJ Heroes has only accounted for adult black belt records as they signify an athlete’s entry into our sport’s elite ranks. Nick Rodriguez, however, is a special case as he’s been competing in the pro-grappling circuit since he was a white belt. This has left BJJ Heroes with a delicate predicament of defining when to start accounting for his match records. Considering the level of opposition and the extensive list of professional athletes Nicky Rod overcame from early on in his career, we believed it would be beneficial to have his matches in the pro-circuit included on his profile, prior to his black belt promotion. ### Nicky Ryan - Black **Role:** Head Instructor **Bio:** Nicky Ryan, born June 27, 2001, in New Jersey, United States, is a highly acclaimed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a prominent figure in the no-gi grappling scene. Influenced by his older brother, Gordon Ryan, Nicky began his jiu-jitsu journey at age eight. After an initial period of sporadic training, he fully committed to the sport in 2015, quickly emerging as a prodigy under the guidance of coach John Danaher. His early adoption of advanced techniques, including heel hooks, allowed him to dominate adult tournaments at just 13 years old, rapidly building a reputation for his exceptional talent. Ryan's competitive career saw a significant leap forward when he placed 3rd at the 2016 ADCC East Coast Trials at only 15 years old, a feat he repeated the following year. These performances earned him an invitation to the 2017 ADCC World Championships, where, at 16, he made history as the youngest athlete to ever compete in the prestigious event. He received his purple belt on June 21, 2017, brown belt on October 9, 2019, and was promoted to black belt on November 3, 2020, marking his official entry into the elite ranks of professional grappling. ### Chris Wojcik **Role:** Instructor **Bio:** Team: B-Team ### Damien Anderson - Black **Role:** Instructor **Bio:** Damien Anderson is a world-class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, competitor, and coach whose teaching combines elite technical understanding with clear, structured communication. A respected instructor at Simple Man Martial Arts, Damien’s methods emphasize discipline, precision, and the steady development of practical, effective Jiu Jitsu for adults of all levels. Known for his ability to make complex concepts simple, Damien has competed internationally on major platforms including Who’s Number One, Polaris, and Fight To Win, earning recognition for both his performance and professionalism. His approach to instruction focuses on efficiency, control, and problem-solving, helping students learn how to think, adapt, and apply techniques intelligently under pressure. In 2025, Damien served in a key coaching role at Craig Jones Invitational 2 (CJI 2) in Las Vegas, where the team that would become Simple Man Martial Arts earned the million-dollar team title. His preparation, strategy, and mentorship were instrumental in guiding the team to victory, showcasing his deep understanding of competition strategy and team dynamics. Beyond grappling, Damien is also pursuing a professional career in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He currently holds an undefeated professional record of 4–0, with wins achieved through both submissions and striking finishes under the Fury Fighting Championship banner. His success in MMA reflects his ability to apply high-level grappling fundamentals in a complete combat setting. At Simple Man Martial Arts, Damien continues to balance his professional competition career with a passion for teaching. His classes integrate lessons learned from both Jiu Jitsu and MMA, offering students insight into how grappling principles translate into all forms of combat and self-defense. Damien embodies the core of the Simple Man philosophy: focus on what matters, train with clarity, and pursue excellence through consistent effort. His presence on the mats helps every student, from beginner to professional, grow with structure and purpose. ### Declan Moody **Role:** Instructor ### Ethan Crelinsten - Black **Role:** Instructor **Bio:** Ethan Crelinsten was born on May 14, 1994, in Montreal, Canada, where he spent his formative years. A late bloomer to sports, Crelinsten was not a sporty child growing up, with his first contact with a competitive activity coming at the age of 19, through mixed martial arts (MMA), a decision taken by the influence of the growing popularity cage fighting experienced in Canada at the time. During his first experience at a small, local gym, Ethan’s training was solely focused on striking and wrestling, and it was only when he made the move to the larger TriStar gym, that Crelinsten added jiu-jitsu to his weekly activities, under the gym’s leader – Firas Zahabi. With time, Ethan started enjoying jiu-jitsu more than he did MMA, a sentiment that led him to switch gears and focus all his efforts solely on submission grappling. The link with the Renzo Gracie Academy and John Danaher’s workgroup came from Tom Breese, a TriStar fighter who brought in one of Danaher’s star pupils, Gordon Ryan, to TriStar for a fight camp. The superior technical ability of Ryan led Ethan to the source, in New York. With Crelinsten’s continuous success on the mats, the Canadian quickly became part of the Danaher Death Squad elite group of grapplers, although all belts – from white to brown, were awarded by Zahabi, who continued to tutor Ethan in partnership with Danaher. In November 2020, Ethan was awarded his black belt by coach John Danaher, the same day as teammate Nicky Ryan. THE END OF DDS AND START OF B-TEAM In July 2021, coach John Danaher announced the end of the Danaher Death Squad as a unified training and competition team, alluding to “ the physical location of a future school, personality conflicts, conflicting values and an inevitable tension between the team brand and the growing individual brands of members ” as the main factors for the split ( original statement here ). Later that year, during the Summer months, Ethan, Craig Jones, and Nicky Rodriguez announced their new team. This new group was labeled the “B-Team” with its training base being set in Austin, Texas. Ethan Crelinsten vs Keith Krikorian ### Liam Crelinsten **Role:** Instructor **Bio:** Liam Crelinsten is a competitive grappler and coach recognized for his disciplined approach to training, strong fundamentals, and commitment to consistent improvement. As a two-time Canadian ADCC Open Champion, Liam brings proven competitive experience and a practical understanding of what it takes to perform under pressure. Originally developing through the Canadian grappling scene, Liam established himself as a focused and driven athlete with a game built on efficiency, control, and repeatable decision-making. His success at the ADCC Open level reflects not only physical preparation but a clear grasp of positional awareness and competition strategy. As a coach, Liam emphasizes structure, fundamentals, and intelligent progression. His instruction focuses on helping students understand why techniques work, how to apply them against resistance, and how to build confidence in live situations. Whether working with newer students or competitive athletes, Liam prioritizes clarity, consistency, and long-term development. Liam represents a modern approach to grappling—disciplined training, thoughtful preparation, and steady growth. His coaching is designed to give students the tools to improve efficiently, compete with confidence, and develop a strong technical foundation that holds up at every level. --- **Last Updated:** March 30, 2026 **Data Source:** BJJ.Space (https://bjj.space/gyms/united-states/texas/austin/simple-man-martial-arts-121831)