Sempai Dan Stenning – Dan is the chief instructor of LondonBJJ.  He started training karate with Sensei Mark Fletcher at Family Karate in 1999.  After 6 years of training he received the rank of Shodan (1st degree Black Belt) with honours in the Shorin Ryu style of karate under Sensei Mark Fletcher and Renshi John Marshall.  Then, in 2008, he was promoted to the rank of Nidan (2nd degree Black Belt) with honours.  While still training karate, Dan was introduced to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu through Sensei Angelo Panoussis of the Orangeville Dojo and in April of 2009 received his Blue Belt in BJJ from Master Sylvio Behring and Professor Shah Franco.  “I continue to train and improve for the betterment of myself and my students.” – Sempai Dan Stenning

Master Sylvio Behring – Master Professor Sylvio Behring started training in 1966 at the age of four, out of Master Joao Alberto Barreto’s Academy (9th degree, red belt under Master Helio Gracie). He primarily trained with his younger brother Marcelo Behring under the watchful eye of his father, Master Flavio Behring, also a direct student of Helio Gracie. In 1972, they moved to Sao Paulo and trained at Professor Gastao Gracie Junior’s School. Master Flavio Behring would teach all the classes when they would visit. This played an important part in developing the self-defense skills of Sylvio Behring and his brother Marcelo. During the summers, Sylvio and Marcelo would train at Master Alvaro Barreto’s School (9th degree, red belt / black belt) in Copacabana. When they moved back to Rio, Sylvio signed up with Master Alvaro and began studying and developing his understanding of the Progressive method of teaching. They trained everything: self-defense, Judo and very technical ground fighting (gi and no gi grappling). Under Master Alvaro’s instruction, Sylvio would receive his Black belt. Training was intense between freestyle and reality-based self-defense. Sylvio, along with Marcelo, trained in Judo with Sensei Helcio Gama, Ney Wilson, Marco Aurelio Gama and Julio Gama. In 1982, Master Flavio Behring felt that his sons were ready for the next step in Judo so he signed them up at Sensei Mehdis’ School. There, they would learn a lot of Jiu-Jitsu and Judo from Edgard Freitas while having had the honour of attending classes with Sensei de Lucca, Master Helio Gracie, Master Relson Gracie, Master Rickson Gracie, Sensei Geraldo Bernardes and countless others. Master Professor Sylvio Behring was honoured as the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coach in Brazil in 2003 and is currently regarded as one of the premiere Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructors in the world. He continues to bring honour to his father, his family, the art and the history of Jiu-Jitsu through his diligent practice, love of the art, his patience as a teacher and the respect that he gives to all of those that have the privilege of meeting him in person. He is an inspiring Martial Artist, a gentleman and a true Master.

Professor Shah Franco – With over 20 years of teaching and training in the Martial Arts, Toronto’s legendary MMA trainer, Professor Shah Franco is one of the most respected and well-known Traditional and Modern Martial Arts Instructors in all of Ontario. A Master of Traditional Karate, Professor Franco was one of the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners to be ranked to Black Belt in Canada directly under the legendary Master Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Professor, Sylvio Behring, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sensei Angelo Panoussis – Sensei Angelo Panoussis operates the Orangeville Dojo which teaches Karate, Aikido, Brailian Jiu Jitsu and more to both adults and children.  Sensei Panoussis has over 20 years experience in martial arts and has competed on a world stage in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  A 3rd degree Black Belt in Goju style Karate and a Brown Belt Instructor under the Franco-Behring Association, he has also had the opportunity to train with some of the worlds best BJJ practitioners, including Anderson Silva, in their home country of Brazil.