ABOUT US
Mission Statement: “To prepare better Citizens to accomplish greater things, one Black belt at a time.”
National Martial Arts, LLC was founded in 2013 and offers Black Belt Instruction in Jiu Jitsu and Krav Maga. NMA OKC is the headquarters of the National Jiu Jitsu Association. The NJJA is an organization dedicated to bringing higher standards to Jiu Jitsu in America. All instructors at our Academy are fully certified to teach kids and adults. NJJA Certified Instructors go through rigorous teacher training; which includes background checks, classroom management, curriculum development, and CPR/Emergency First Aid training designed specifically for Martial Arts instructors.
NMA OKC is also a fully accredited We Defy Foundation Academy- which is an organization that offers tuition scholarships to combat veterans of the United States Armed Forces. If you are a veteran interested in We Defy, see their website for more information and to apply for a scholarship: https://www.wedefyfoundation.org
MEET OUR TEAM
MICHAEL SOUTH
Owner/HEAD INSTRUCTOR
Professor South is the Owner and Founder of National Martial Arts. He has been training in various Martial Arts since 2004 and has earned Black Belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Krav Maga, Hapkido, and Taekwondo. He was promoted to 2nd Degree Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu under Master Renato Tavares in November of 2024 after 6 years as a Black Belt.
Michael has been an extremely dedicated instructor of kids and adults for over 16 years now, and has been featured in instructional courses in Krav Maga and Jiu Jitsu that have been sold in 44 countries.
He has also competed at multiple belt levels in Jiu Jitsu and is a Fight2Win Pro veteran with a professional record of 2 wins and no losses. Professor South currently offers Private Lessons in every Martial Art that he teaches by appointment. Contact for scheduling and pricing.
ADELAIDE SOUTH
REGISTERED DIETICIAN/JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
Adelaide is a Licensed Registered Dietitian as well as a BJJ Purple Belt. She began her Jiu Jitsu journey in 2013 and has also been practicing Yoga for over 15 years now. “Coach Bear” has a fun and engaging approach to teaching Tinies and Kids BJJ class, and also serves as the Head Nutrition Coach of NMA, offering nutrition counseling with In-Body scans and personalized meal plans to everyone from elite athletes to every-days moms that want to improve their life through nutrition/weight management.
JAKE ROBERTSON
Operations Manager, Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Coach Jake brings a decade of experience and passion to the mats. As a lifelong sports/fitness enthusiast, Jake thrives on movement, discipline, and competition—but what drives him most is helping others grow. He especially enjoys working with kids, using BJJ as a tool to build confidence, resilience, and respect both on and off the mats. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned athlete, Coach Jake is all about pushing limits and making the journey fun. Coach Robertson is currently an NMA Brown Belt and first started training at NMA in 2014.
CURTIS TAYLOR
KID'S STRIKING COACH/KRAV MAGA INSTRUCTOR
Mr. Taylor has been teaching Martial Arts to Kids and Adults for over a decade now. He holds Black Belts in Krav Maga, Taekwondo, and Hapkido- as well as a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Curtis is also an accomplished Kickboxing and Karate Competitor.
JOHN HATFIELD
JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
Coach Hatfield was promoted to Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu by Michael South (Under the promoting authority of Renato Tavares) in November of 2021. He then earned his “Professor Stripes” and the title of Professor in November of 2022 after completing the required achievements. John has been training in various Martial Arts for nearly 20 years and has been training Jiu Jitsu for over a decade. He loves helping kids and adults better their lives through Jiu Jitsu training and is an NJJA Level II Certified Instructor. John is also an avid competitor with an impressive record at each belt level at which he has competed.
ADAM WILKEY
JIU-JITSU & YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Adam started practicing Yoga in 2008 at Ashtanga Yoga Studio with Andrew Eppler. He completed his 200 hour RYS (Instructor) certification in 2017 and has been instructing yoga specifically geared for BJJ athletes at NMA since 2018. He is currently an NMA Brown Belt in Jiu Jitsu and works as a Registered Nurse in orthopedic surgery.
MAC COPLIN
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT | JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
With over a decade of mat time, Mac Coplin has dedicated her time to mastering her craft & protecting others on the mats. Specializing in jiu-jitsu fundamentals & women’s self defense, Coach Mac believes you should take something new from every class despite your rank. Coach Mac has been training since 2015 & got her brown belt in 2025.
BRYCE SNOW
ADULT JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
Bryce has been training in martial arts for over 20 years. He has extensive training in Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Muay Thai. Bryce is passionate about teaching adult Jiu Jitsu classes and applies a particular emphasis on Judo-oriented takedowns in his lesson plans. He is currently an NMA 2-Stripe Brown Belt in Jiu Jitsu and has competed at multiple belt levels.
SONNY SMITH
ADULT JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
Sonny Smith has been training in the Art of Jiu Jitsu since 2006 and has been at National Martial Arts since March of 2014. He is a professional Strength & Conditioning Coach and the Co-Owner of Fitwerks Personal Training in Yukon, OK. Sonny has a particular passion for helping the students of NMA improve their fitness as well as developing their skills as Martial Artist. He has competed at multiple belt levels in Jiu Jitsu and was awarded the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt from Master Renato Tavares in August of 2023.
JIM UTLEY
ADULT JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
Coach Utley has been training for over 13 years now and earned his Black Belt at NMA in 2024. Beginning his Jiu Jitsu journey at the age of 42, Jim has lost over 40 pounds and completely transformed his life through his training; giving him a particular passion for helping others to do the same. Coach Utley has also earned two Bachelor’s degrees, a Master’s Degree, and a PhD in Business Leadership with research emphasis in Adult Learning and Motivation Theory… So it’s safe to say he’s a high achiever and a fantastic teacher.
ARMANDO RUIZ
KIDS JIU-JITSU INSTRUCTOR
Armando first began his Jiu Jitsu journey in the NMA Kids program back in 2016. He came back after an extended break in November of 2023 and earned his Blue Belt in April of 2025.
Armando is very passionate about teaching the kids Jiu Jitsu classes and the students find him relatable and easy to learn from. While being a fun-loving coach on the mat, he is also a fierce competitor with an impressive winning record!
AARON MERTS
KIDS STRIKING COACH & ADULT KRAV MAGA INSTRUCTOR
Coach Aaron has been a dedicated NMA student since 2018 and joined our staff team in the Spring of 2025. He is currently a Black Belt candidate in Krav Maga. Aaron has competed at multiple striking tournaments, including Karate and Taekwondo, and maintains an impressive winning record. He is a passionate instructor with experience teaching Martial Arts, guitar and blacksmithing. Aaron firmly believes that everyone should learn how to defend themselves, and their families- and is happy to be part of their journey.
HOURS OF OPERATION
MONDAY - THURSDAY: 12PM & 4:30PM-8:30PM
FRIDAY: 6:30PM-7:45PM
SATURDAY: 11:00AM-2:30PM
QUESTIONS?
National Martial Arts OKC
11829 S. Portland Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73170
(405) 692-7300
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