BJJ in Scottsdale

10th Planet Scottsdale, AZ

Steeyle Levine is a certified 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Black Belt. Native to Arizona, Steeyle had an interest in martial arts early on starting his journey in Tae Kwon Do. Steeyle participated from ages 7-13 receiving his black belt in 2002. Though he was hungry for more and eager to continue his growth in martial arts, school was his priority. After graduating high school, Steeyle longed to return to martial arts. He began to watch a lot of UFC as it became more mainstream. Steeyle would then train with friends in his backyard until one day he decided to try a local tournament. After taking second place he knew he was very interested in continuing the Jiu Jitsu journey. Another tournament later with a first round loss Steeyle knew he needed to find an academy. After listening to Joe Rogan commentate and talk about his friend Eddie Bravo and his unique Jiu Jitsu system Steeyle did some research and found that 10th Planet Phoenix was in his area. After attending one class he was absolutely hooked. Steeyle started officially training in December of 2009 under John Botello at 10th Planet Phoenix. Not long after taking the next step into martial arts with Jiu Jitsu, he knew immediately that this was his calling. Recently having earned his Black Belt back in December of 2018 becoming John Botello’s first black belt, Steeyle has made the leap to chasing his dream of being an owner/head instructor at his own academy. Steeyle has been an active competitor in the community participating and winning in tournaments such as Grapplers Quest, NAGA, 10PQ, Fight 2 Win, Bull Pen Submission Series, and Last Warrior Standing to name a few.

10th Planet Tucson, AZ

Anthony Birchak is an American mixed martial artist. He competed in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Birchak was a highly decorated amateur wrestler at Sahuarita High School. Birchak attended Pima Community College and Grand Canyon University where he majored in Visual Communications. Birchak has an MMA record of 13-3, He is currently a Bantamweight fighter for the UFC, before getting the call to the UFC Birchak was the MFC bantam weight champion. Casey Halstead is a professional Mixed Martial Arts trainer with over eight years of coaching experience.  Originally a mixed martial artist with a boxing foundation, Casey took his Eddie Bravo Jiu Jitsu Black Belt, striking, and wrestling, skills onto the teaching platform.  He is the owner and head coach of 10th Planet Las Vegas, 10th Planet Costa Mesa, 10th Planet Buena Park, and 10th Planet Orange, 10th Planet Irvine, and the newest location 10th Planet Tucson, while still training under 7th Degree Red and Black Belt Jean Jacques Machado and 10th Planet’s founder Eddie Bravo.  In addition to the series of the 6,10th Planets, he was the head Jiu Jitsu instructor at Mark Munoz’s Reign Training Center. Casey actively works with some of the most experienced and well respected MMA fighters in the world.  He is seen coaching and working alongside Ultimate Fighter season 13 Winner Tony Ferguson, UFC veteran Mark Munoz, Cain Carrizosa, Diego Rivas, Ashlee Evans-Smith, Carla Esparza, Ian McCall, Marlon “Chito” Vera and Anthony Birchak.

Alliance Scottsdale

Alliance Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Scottsdale is home to the 14x World Championship Alliance Team, one of the most successful Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teams in the world. Founded in 1993 by Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti, Fabio Gurgel, and Alexandre Paiva, Alliance BJJ is recognized globally for technical excellence and professionalism. Alliance has produced hundreds of World Champions, over 25 of them at the black belt level. At Alliance Scottsdale, martial arts training is about more than self-defense. The academy focuses on building self-confidence, improved focus, physical strength, and positive social interaction for both children and adults. The training philosophy emphasizes setting goals, working hard, and following through, all while having fun and making friends in a safe, professional environment. The academy is led by Professor Thiago Ximenes, a 3rd-degree black belt under Professor Fabio Gurgel with over 35 years of martial arts experience. Professor Ximenes began training in Judo at age 4 and competed as a world-class elite athlete, medaling at multiple international events including world championships. He transitioned to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and trained at Alliance São Paulo under Professor Fabio Gurgel. His competitive BJJ record includes 3-time World Medalist, 8-time Pan-American Medalist, over 10-time National Medalist, and 4-time European Medalist. Professor Ximenes is dedicated to sharing his knowledge, focusing on details with students and mentoring both children and adults to develop confidence, fitness, focus, and producing the next generation of elite athletes.

Art of Submission

Art of Submission is a faith-centered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy in Scottsdale, Arizona, founded by Paris Stanford. The gym exists as more than just a training space—it's a reflection of Paris's personal journey and commitment to serve others through martial arts. Paris started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2010, initially pursuing a career as a professional fighter. After a transformative spiritual experience, he founded Art of Submission to help students grow both on and off the mats. The academy's philosophy centers on the concept of submission—both in the physical sense practiced in Jiu-Jitsu and the spiritual sense of surrendering to faith. At AOS, students learn that true strength comes through humility, wisdom, and growth rather than from dominance. The training environment emphasizes discipline, faith, and community, where everyone is challenged, supported, and sharpened together. As the gym's guiding scripture states: "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17). Art of Submission offers comprehensive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training for all ages and experience levels. The adult program includes beginner gi classes for newcomers, advanced gi classes for experienced practitioners, and no-gi classes focused on fast-paced grappling without the traditional uniform. Kids programs are available for children ages 4 and up, teaching discipline and confidence through martial arts. The academy maintains high standards with spacious training areas, top-quality mats and equipment, and a welcoming community atmosphere built on faith-centered values. Paris Stanford serves as the head instructor, bringing over 14 years of experience to every class and competition training session.