Instructors

Grandmasters

The Evolve Instructor Team possesses direct lineage to some of the greatest masters of martial arts in the world, including the legendary Kru Yodtong Senanan for Muay Thai and the extraordinary Master Renzo Gracie for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Kru Yodtong Senanan

Kru Yodtong Senanan oversees the Sityodtong Muay Thai Program at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts from Pattaya, Thailand.  He sets the course curriculum, selects the instructors, and ensures the standards of excellence for the Sityodtong Muay Thai Program at Evolve.  He is Thailand's most famous Grandmaster of Muay Thai and is a national icon in Thailand.  He is the Kru and owner of the legendary Sityodtong Gym in Thailand.  The Sityodtong Gym has produced the most number of World Champions in the history of Muay Thai in Thailand.  Some of his most famous World Champions are Samart Payakaroon, Kongtoranee Payakaroon, Chartchai Sityodtong, Nuengpichit Sityodtong, Yoddecha Sityodtong, Detpitak Sityodtong, Rob Kaman, and many more.  Under Kru Yodtong's leadership, the Sityodtong Gym has produced 57 Muay Thai Champions (including 22 Lumpinee World Champions).  Kru Yodtong is known as the Grandfather of modern Muay Thai by the Thai media and public.  Most recently, the Royal Family of Thailand awarded Kru Yodtong with the prestigious Lifetime Master Achievement Award for being one of the most influential Grandmasters in the history of Muay Thai.  To this day, he is the only Grandmaster of Muay Thai to receive such an award.  Some of his accomplishments include producing the most number (57) of Muay Thai Champions in history, leading the Thailand National Team to numerous victories, developing the most number of top instructors in Thailand, developing new revolutionary techniques in Muay Thai, and much more.  Kru Yodtong has more than 57 years of experience in Muay Thai as a professional fighter, trainer of Champions, and Grandmaster.

Kru Yodtong is originally from Thailand.  

Renzo Gracie 

Renzo Gracie has the ultimate authority over the Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Program at Evolve Mixed Martial Arts from his headquarters in New York.  He ensures that it meets the world-class standards of his academies.  Renzo Gracie is a lifelong practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and is a member of the legendary Gracie Family from Brazil.  His cousins are Royce, Royler, and Rickson Gracie.  Renzo has competed in hundreds of fights in BJJ and MMA including the PRIDE Fighting Championship, RINGS, King of Kings, Martial Arts Reality Superfighting, and the World Combat Championship.  Most recently, Renzo Gracie has signed a multi-fight deal to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  Renzo has also studied Muay Thai and Boxing to complement his ground game.  Renzo Gracie has been teaching for over 20 years in Brazil and the US.  His most famous black belt students include former UFC Champion Matt Serra, UFC Champion Georges St Pierre, UFC Contender Ricardo Almeida, Shawn Williams, and John Danaher.  Renzo is an exemplary teacher, fighter, and human being.  Renzo is a 6th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlos Gracie, Jr.  Renzo is the Chief Instructor at his main school, Renzo Gracie Academy, in New York.

Renzo is originally from Brazil.