Head Coach
C. Ryan Quinn is widely acclaimed as the preeminent Submission Grappler in Queens. With a career marked by excellence and a passion for the art of Jiu-Jitsu, Professor Quinn has made his mark on both the national and international stages.
Professor Quinn earned his black belt while training at the Renzo Gracie Academy headquarters in Manhattan under world-renowned Ivy-League professor turned Jiu-Jitsu coach, John Danaher. He trained alongside standout practitioners Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, Eddie Cummings, and Nicky Ryan, eventually receiving his black belt directly from Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts legend Renzo Gracie. In addition to his Jiu-Jitsu expertise, Professor Quinn is a well-rounded martial artist, holding a brown belt in Judo, and remains devoted to his study of Freestyle and Folkstyle wrestling under the guidance of Olympian Brandon Escobar.
Professor Quinn’s competitive journey has seen him represent the United States on the international stage, competing in the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships at the purple belt level. As a brown belt, he went on to secure victories at prestigious events such as the IBJJF New York International Open, both in Gi & No-Gi. He also won four Championship belts in the NAGA Expert division. As a black belt, he became the Rise Invitational 185lb Champion, winning the belt in a tournament that saw him defeat all comers by submission, with each match ending in under a minute.
It’s not just his competitive achievements that set Professor Quinn apart; his coaching philosophy is equally distinctive. He presents Jiu-Jitsu as a cerebral endeavor, making it accessible to practitioners of all levels. His teaching approach combines clear and concise instruction with overarching, universal concepts. Professor Quinn places a strong emphasis on fun and effective games that help build essential skills, ensuring that his students not only understand the techniques but also cultivate a deep appreciation for the art of Jiu-Jitsu.
José was born in Venezuela and began training Jiu-Jitsu 15 years ago in Miami, Fl. Currently, he is graduate student at NYU Center for Neuroscience. When he’s not solving consciousness or berimbolo dilemmas, Jose enjoys freestyle rapping and theoretical physics.
Lizz was born in Texas but moved to NYC in 2013 to teach high school mathematics. With no previous experience in sports besides a run at the Texas state championship in peewee bowling, she started jiu-jitsu in 2015 at Queens Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Quinn. Lizz is currently a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, in anthropology, and has spent considerable time researching and training in Brazil over the last decade. When not teaching or training jiu jitsu, or trudging along on writing her dissertation, Lizz enjoys reading up on politics, history, and bizarre subreddits wormholes.
Matteo fell in love with Jiu Jitsu in 2003 and has been practicing ever since. He also holds a Second San Shotokan Karate black belt, and loves Judo, which he’d like to learn more of.
Matteo shares dungeon master responsibilities for two kids and a tuxedo cat with his awesome wife, who is mandated by law to tolerates his antics. He loves a physical challenge, cooking, learning about math, and has the ultimate Stoic goal of becoming a better human being.
Joel is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has been training since 2012. His coaching style is grounded in the belief that BJJ is as much a mental and emotional practice as it is a physical one. As a trauma specialist and advocate for mental health, he integrates mindfulness, nervous-system awareness, and supportive communication into his teaching. Joel’s goal is to create training environments where students build skill, confidence, and inner calm—both on the mats and in everyday life
Uhh let’s see born and raised in south ozone park in queens, started training jitz in 2017 as I was finishing up law school, torrerio was head of renzo grqcie wrestling at the time so he got me connected with renzos in Williamsburg it was an outlet to and kept me on the mats which I still had a desire to train after high school and college wrestling
Was city champ in high school and then captain of college team my senior year
I teach because I understand what it’s like to have a busy life off the mats so when people come to class I want tk make sure they actually get technique they can use and I also try to create an environment where we all can joke and laugh, having the ability to come to class and you know you’re gonna leave in a better mood is something I take pride in not everyone’s trying tk be a world champ but we can all show up enjoy each others company and get better together
Unique ability as a coach, purple belt under Jon and an understanding that just having the wrestling background is not sufficient tk make sure the grapplers are getting better, having been exposed to the new positions and potential dangers of submission for a decent period of time I am able to cater what I teach tk work on both wrestlers and grapplers
Training since June 2018, Long holds the rank of brown belt. Prior to jiu-jitsu, he was a powerlifter and StrongFirst instructor, notably earning the Beast Tamer title. He integrates this background in body mechanics and structural tension for a resilient, efficient approach to the sport.
Raised during the turbulent 1990s Balkan war and later trained under multiple black belts, he now draws on that experience to teach jiu-jitsu that builds confidence, discipline, and resilience in your children here at Queens Jiu-Jitsu.
Josue is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt with over a decade of experience across BJJ, wrestling, and MMA. He has competed in major tournaments including Grapplers Quest, Grappling Industries, and NAGA, where he has been serving as a certified referee since 2020.
Josue brings a calm, detail-oriented approach to coaching, focusing on strong fundamentals, practical technique, and helping students build confidence at every stage of their journey.
