John M, Lochy & John Simon
Jamie Murray & Mick Pope
Jamie Murray
Jamie’s passion with BJJ began in 2002 and has been recently promoted to Brown Belt in 2011. A fierce competitor on the mat, Jamie has won multiple State, National and Pan Pacific titles in all his respective Belt divisions, and now brings his considerable hands-on knowledge of BJJ to Renegade MMA on a full time basis. Jamie has been compared by both training partners and competitors alike to being a ‘pit-bull’ on the mats due to his aggressive and fast paced style of grappling. Yet off the mats anyone can tell you that Jamie is the complete polar opposite – being a compassionate, fair, friendly and highly supportive coach and family man who always has time for his students.
So whether he’s in your corner at a match, showing you the basics, or tightening up your hard-earned new submission skills, you can be assured that as a member of Renegade MMA that Jamie Murray is very much on your side, and that he also is one of those rare coaches who truly wants to see you flourish as a competitor and a person – going to great lengths to help you achieve any goal you may set for yourself. Quite often Jamie goes far beyond the roll of coach too, and for lots of students he is a true and loyal friend.
When asked about his job at Renegade MMA as BJJ coach, Jamie will smile and tell you that Jiu-Jitsu is not just a hobby or a sport for him, but a way of life. Totally committed to his art, and one of the founders of Renegade MMA, you are in good hands on the mat with him – literally.
John Mirabella
John has a long history in the martial arts, with a lengthy karate background. Though he did eventually foresee the way things were turning in the martial arts world, taking up BJJ training in 1997 at the age of 38. After 11 years on the mat John received his BJJ black belt from John Will in August 2008 at age 49, and is still showing no signs of slowing down – rolling more often on a weekly basis than most people half his age, while happily being at the students disposal on the mats at Renegade every single night.
Another founding member of RMMA, John is passionate and highly knowledgeable when it comes to grappling and most combat arts in general, as he has dabbled in many. But it is the rare and incredibly hard to attain BJJ black belt that hangs around his waist, so we are very, very lucky to have such a rich and rare source of knowledge and skill on our mats every night.
John specialises in one on one or small group tuition and also coaching mature age students who are beginning or returning to martial arts training. He is highly adept as a top game player, with knowledge of submissions that is encyclopaedic, and a teaching style that is gentle and informative (yet please believe us, John is probably one of the worst guys around to be caught underneath in free training/sparring!).
John’s motto is ‘You’re never too old to start training’ – and he proves that every single time he gets on the mats. Having trained extensively with prominent fighters and other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts for all the four corners of the globe, it pays to listen to what john says. Because if you really take in what he has to say, then there is a fair chance, you are going to be adding an ingot of combative gold to your BJJ or MMA arsenal every time you hit the mats with him.
John Simon
John Simon, the first home-grown Machado BJJ Black Belt under John Will, started training in martial arts in 1985, and started with John Will in 1991. As well as his J.B Will Shoot-fighting Black Belt John also holds a Black Belt in Tae-Kwon-Do.
John has had great success in competition, becoming the NSW State BJJ champion in various weight divisions throughout the 90’s, and has also fought in several amateur Mixed Martial Arts events. John has run successful BJJ Academies in NSW, and has trained many people to state and Pan-Pacific BJJ championship titles. He is also well known as the promoter of the Sydney Grappling Challenge, which ran for 3 years before he moved to Melbourne.
John is not only Jamie and Lachie`s long time BJJ coach, but one of the most well versed and technical BJJ instructors in Australia today. His no nonsense approach to Jiu-Jitsu, his encyclopedic knowledge of the art, combined with his friendly manner, make him an instructor in high demand – with both beginners and experts alike. We are exceptionally lucky to have him as a coach at Renegade MMA, and anyone who is fortunate enough to be on the mats with him would be well advised to pick his brain for tips and tricks.
He is always happy to impart his vast knowledge of the sport, and it is for this reason he fits amazingly well into the team at Renegade. It is with great pride we welcome John into our fold. Things can only go onwards and upwards with an instructor of this caliber on board.
Lachlan Giles
A sports orientated lifestyle as a youngster saw Lach try a range of different sports such as footy, cricket, basketball, tennis and boxing. But it was at the age of 14 when he discovered Royce Gracie and Sakuraba that he was first exposed to the marvels of BJJ.
Graded to blue belt at 16, purple at 18, and then on to brown belt by John Simon in 2009 at age 22, Lach has always been a solid competitor has entered and repeatedly won each and every one of the major BJJ tournaments held in Australia.
With training trips to Brazil and Europe under his belt, his future goal is to win the trials and compete at Abu Dhabi (The pinnacle of global grappling contests). Lachie is an incredibly relaxed and calm character whose motto is ‘FLOW WITH THE GO!’
Though Lach is young, he shows wisdom and mat-smarts beyond his years and belt level. He is a welcome and much needed addition to the qualified, friendly and mat-hardened instructors at Renegade MMA.
Mick Pope
Mick, like many other BJJ people, first tried a range of martial arts from his teens before settling on something that actually worked. He found BJJ almost 10 years ago now, after being drawn to the sport by watching UFC tapes of Royce Gracie destroying all comers in the early days of MMA. This was a far advancement from watching Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris video’s as a youngster, so Mick was hooked from the get-go.
Mick is a highly technical and tenacious purple belt with a solid top game, and lots of sneaky little chokes, who loves teaching BJJ. He is always friendly and helpful, and would love nothing more than to roll with you, or show you proper technique – all in the RMMA manner – friendly, patient and courteous. Mick is often one of the first people to get to the gym and the last to leave – as he just truly loves Jiu Jitsu.
Mick states that his job at Renegade is to ‘give you a good thrashing and teach you all I know, so you can return the favour some day.’
Mick is on the mats most nights at Renegade, and is an incredibly welcome addition tour team. Not only is he a great bloke who likes a laugh, he is also a fantastic grappler with lots to share. Pick his brain whenever you can, as you won’t regret it.
Heath Attard
Heath started Judo at 5 years old, and since then has trained extensively in Tae Kwon Do, and has experience in Hapkido and traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, as well a plethora other more exotic fighting styles – which now also includes Muay Thai and MMA.
Heath served in the Australian armed forces from 2002 to 2006 in the 4RAR unit, and now as a result specialises in boot camp style training and functional conditioning, and is a highly experienced and sought after personal trainer with wide experience at the top of the fitness food chain – running and overseeing numerous large fitness facilities.
In late 2004 he was exposed to BJJ, and in 2005 he began regular training, and today is an extremely capable mat terror with a killer kimura, while doubling as an incredibly nice guy and loyal ally of Renegade MMA. These are just some of the reason Heath was recently promoted to Purple Belt by Jamie Murray in 2011.
Heath is the owner and operator of Metamorphica Martial Arts in Melton, but is also a fitness consultant and striking coach at RMMA. Strong as an Ox, Heath practices what he preaches with great effect, and has an unmatched passion for fitness and combat arts. Hit him up for a roll or a PT session if you like your training with an educated difference.
