The History of JM Modern Jiu Jitsu
Every gym has a story. Ours starts with a Baton Rouge guy who fell in love with Jiu Jitsu, a black belt earned in Rio de Janeiro, and a decision to bring it all home. Here’s how JM Modern Jiu Jitsu came to be.
Where It Started
2006 to 2013 | The Making of a Black Belt
In 2006, Josh Mancuso walked into the original Gladiators Academy and found Tim Credeur. He trained, competed and fought his way up the ranks, sharing the mat with a young Dustin Poirier along the way, and went undefeated as an amateur MMA fighter.
In 2013, Tim Credeur and Rodrigo Medeiros promoted him to black belt at Nova Geração Academy in Rio de Janeiro, the same city where Carlson Gracie built his legacy. That made Josh the first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt ever produced in Baton Rouge, period, with a line that runs straight back to Carlson Gracie.
He kept competing at the highest level, winning gold medals in multiple countries across several continents and national titles at black belt. Then came the next step. Bring it home.
Why Modern?
2016 | Opening the Doors
In 2016, Josh opened JM Modern Jiu Jitsu in Baton Rouge. The name was a promise.
Modern means we never stop evolving. We’ll use any grappling technique that works, whether it comes from Jiu Jitsu, Russian Sambo, Judo or wrestling. If it’s effective, it belongs on our mat. No dogma, no standing still.
Baton Rouge felt it right away. Within a year the gym was bursting at the seams, and we had to expand into the bigger space we call home today. It’s the only move we’ve ever made.
More Than Medals
Champions, Black Belts and Changed Lives
It’s hard to pick milestone moments, because there are so many. JM Modern has produced world champions and more than 40 black belts, and many of the coaches teaching around Baton Rouge today got their start on our mat.
But the medals are only part of the story. Most of the change we see happens away from competition: people losing weight and getting healthy, shy kids finding their confidence, adults rediscovering what they’re capable of, and strangers becoming lifelong training partners.
That’s what we’re proudest of.
“Always go forward. Always spring the trap.”
Josh Mancuso
In 2026, JM Modern Jiu Jitsu celebrates ten years in Baton Rouge. Today we run classes seven days a week in Gi, No Gi, MMA, Russian Sambo and Kids Jiu Jitsu, with beginner friendly classes morning, noon and night.
Josh still trains hard every week, and the mission hasn’t changed since day one: spread Jiu Jitsu as far and wide as possible, so it can change people’s lives the way it changed his.
Your chapter starts with one free class.
