Makana Fight Academy

At the mere age of 24, Coach Naikoa possesses almost a decade of experience in wrestling. A native Hawaiian, he was recruited by Schreiner University in Texas to wrestle for them throughout his academic journey. His accolades throughout his wrestling career are nothing short of exceptional. A natural competitor, he is an NCAA Division 3 All-American, NCWA Southwest Conference Champion, Hawaii state placer, Hawaii National Tram member, 2X IronMan award recipient, and 2X Outstanding Team Leader recipient. He brings his outstanding skills and exemplary work ethic to help our team become complete, well-rounded grapplers. In addition to his athletic endeavors, he decided to complement it with his formal education, also receiving a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with specialization in Fitness and Wellness, making him an expert in overall body mechanics and human performance.

Undoubtedly, Coach Naikoa is a natural leader that looks to bring the best in others by helping them reach their full potential. His skills and abilities are a culmination of years of never shying away from hard work, and his willingness and eagerness to always keep learning and helping others are what make him a perfect coach for our wrestling program.

Elsa Cardenas is a brown belt with 12 years of dedicated experience in Jiu-Jitsu. Throughout her martial arts journey, she has achieved remarkable success, earning medals at prestigious competitions such as IBJJF Pan-American, World No-Gi, and ADCC Opens, along with multiple professional superfight titles. She also founded RGV JiuJiteiras, an organization that hosts free women-only open mats in the Rio Grande Valley, providing a supportive space for women to train, learn, and grow together. Her mission is to expand the women’s Jiu-Jitsu community by inspiring and empowering girls through the sport, sharing the confidence, discipline, and sense of community that Jiu-Jitsu has given her.

Coach Jesse brings a lifetime of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu knowledge to both our Kids and Adults classes. With 13 years of hard work and experience to his resume, plus continuous growth-seeking and education, he offers a traditional approach to the Jiu-Jitsu experience, while embracing the never-ending evolution of the art. His trajectory in the sport has taken him to heights not seen before in the Rei Grande Valley and South Texas area, making it to the quarterfinals of prestigious tournaments such as the IBJJF Pan-American and World Championships, as well as being a multiple-time IBJJF Gold medalist and superflight winner. His resume as an instructor does not fall far behind, also creating and coaching an adult Pan-American and World medalist, and multiple professional superfight winners. The philosophy of ARETE Jiu-Jitsu is to seek excellence in our daily habits and not just in occasional circumstances. Coach Jesse embodies this and views jiu-jitsu as a virtue that requires time, dedication, effort, and development of good habits in order to unlock your full potential. Whether you are a beginner looking to learn a new skill, want to improve your health, learn how to defend yourself, or are interested in competing, his multi-functional approach to fundamental jiu-jitsu offers opportunities for everyone to benefit from each class, and help seek ARETE in every aspect of life.