Meet Your Coach

Michael Ocampo’s path to jiu-jitsu began in 2006 while serving in the United States Air Force. On bases across the country, he discovered that combat sports weren’t just training — they were community, identity, and a way of sharpening the mind alongside the body. That realization never left him.

His military career gave him access to multiple martial arts disciplines, and Michael pursued them all with the same commitment he brought to his service. He earned a Black Belt in traditional Jujitsu and a Brown Belt in Judo, building a technical foundation that informs how he teaches to this day. He tested that foundation competitively at the Newbreed Submission Grappling Atlanta Open, the Newbreed Atlanta Open, and the South Carolina State Grappling Championship.

Before co-founding The Grove, Michael trained under 3rd Degree Black Belt Brian Marvin at Renzo Gracie Houston in Sugar Land — sharpening his instruction style and deepening his understanding of what a great academy truly looks like.

His coaching philosophy is simple: military precision meets genuine care. Every student who walks through the door deserves a coach who takes their growth seriously — on the mats and off. Structure matters. Accountability matters. But so does knowing when someone needs encouragement instead of correction.

The We Defy Foundation partnership is personal. As a veteran himself, Coach Michael believes that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has the power to help veterans heal — from the physical toll of service and the invisible weight that often comes with it. Giving back to the veteran community through this platform isn’t a program at The Grove; it’s a calling. The Grove is still early in its story, but the community forming around it is everything Michael envisioned when he and his partners opened the doors in Richmond, TX — and the best chapters are still ahead.