B-MORE Jiu-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu for everyone

Welcome to B-MORE Jiu-Jitsu Academy!

Opening in October 2014, the Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Baltimore offers practical self-defense training and authentic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu classes.

Owner Nick Tissue began training in martial arts as a young child. After graduating college, he began teaching karate in 2008. Soon after, he began training judo and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and opened a school in Towson, MD in 2010. Wanting to bring his love of jiu-jitsu to his community in Federal Hill Baltimore, Nick opened Baltimore Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. After years of growing and evolving our school, we moved to a larger facility and rebranded as B-MORE Jiu-Jitsu Academy.

Shying away from the traditional competition-style schools and with the mindset that anyone can do jiu-jitsu, our school has become a very family-friendly school, with classes for kids, adults, women, beginners, and advanced practitioners.

Our goal is to provide everyone in our community a safe and friendly environment to learn practical self-defense!

MEET Our Team

Nick Tissue, Owner

Nick Tissue is the owner and head instructor of B-MORE Jiu-Jitsu. He has years of martial arts experience, as well as several amateur MMA fights. After a challenging MMA fight, Nick realized the importance of a successful ground game and began learning Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in 2008. He received his Purple Belt from Grandmaster Relson Gracie in 2011. In 2014 Nick became a certified instructor of Gracie University, and opened a school later that year. He received his Brown Belt from Ryron Gracie in 2016, and travelled to Gracie University in 2019 to receive his Black Belt. Nick has extensive experience teaching students of all ages and experience levels.

Alexis Schaefer, Co-owner

Alexis Schaefer is the co-owner and lead women’s instructor. She began her training in 2020 having spent most of her time as admin. She became a certified instructor in 2022 upon completing the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Women Empowered® program.
As a licensed massage therapist, Alexis is well-versed in anatomy and body mechanics. She has extensive experience teaching both youth and adults, and finds motivation in helping other women gain confidence and enjoyment through self-defense.

Justin Roem, Instructor

Justin teaches in our adult programs and assists in our youth programs. Justin lives in the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore and has been training since we opened in October 2014. He received his Blue Belt in 2015, his Purple Belt in 2017, and his Brown Belt in December 2024.

Luis Belisario, Instructor

Luis is currently teaching in our adult classes. He has been training with us since 2017 and received his Blue Belt in 2018. He received his Purple Belt in December 2022 and his Brown Belt in December 2025.

Patrick McMahon, Instructor

Patrick is one of our advanced adult instructors and started training with us in 2015. He was awarded his Blue Belt in May 2016. He earned his Purple Belt in June 2021, and his Brown Belt in 2024. Patrick is a pharmacist that lives in Federal Hill and uses his experiences as a college adjunct faculty to break down complex techniques into easier to learn slices.

Denise Wickersham, Instructor

Denise is proud to serve the community as a Women's instructor for B-MORE Jiu-Jitsu. After completing the Women Empowered® Program in 2022, she became a certified instructor in 2023. Denise's lifelong commitment to women's health, safety, and wellness extends to teaching women's self-defense techniques and principles. From US Army service to pharmaceutical sales, her core values have always fueled a passion to help women and girls embrace their inner strength. As an instructor, Denise leads with empathy--a powerful tool and critical component of her teaching methodology.

Katarina Ziakova, Instructor

Katie currently teaches in our Women's program. She has been training since 2022 and received her Blue Belt in December 2024. Katie became a certified instructor in January 2025. She started to train jiu-jitsu after a negative experience on the street. After learning basic self-defense techniques she started to love jiu-jitsu for its holistic approach to body and mind. She admires jiu-jitsu for amplifying connection between the mind and the body, for enhancing strategic thinking and concentration, and learning how to survive in stressful situations. The most precious experience from her jiu-jitsu journey is knowledge that we are worth defending!

Jimmy Noble, Instructor

Jimmy began training in 2022. He assists with our youth programs. Jimmy received his blue belt in 2024.