About Us

Theodore Johnston

Head coach

Coach Teddy is the Head Coach and Owner. You will find him in all classes teaching and/or supervising instruction. Career Retired Marine who has 34 years of experience in either competing or coaching combat sports from wrestling to jiu jitsu. Coach has 13 years experience in the art and 8 years of instructing Jiu Jitsu. He opened Twisted Kraken Jiu Jitsu in North Carolina in 2020. He has two graduate degrees in Master of Science of Human Resource Development and Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance.

Tom DeBlass

Tom DeBlass is a proud 4th Degree Black Belt student under Ricardo Almeida and Renzo Gracie. He began his martial arts career studying Tae-Kwon-Do at the young age of 6. In high school, his love of sports drew him to the track and field team, where he excelled as a county and state sectional long-jump champion. While attending Monmouth University, where he would eventually earn a dual degree in Elementary Education and Special Education, he decided to focus his attention on training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the world’s most effective martial art. The following year proved to be a major turning point for Tom when he met Bill Scott. Bill was studying under world renowned BJJ instructor, Ricardo Almeida, and brought Tom to the Ricardo Almedia Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy. Since then Tom has been a loyal and devoted student to Ricardo Almeida and the rest of Team Renzo Gracie. In 2006, Tom was honored with the role of co-captain of the Ricardo Almeida Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition team.

Competition

Professor Tom DeBlass has established himself as one of the best adult American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors. He is the ONLY person in NJ to win an adult Black Belt Pan American Title and the ONLY person in NJ history to win the North American ADCC trials two times. Success through dedication. His competition record includes medals and championships in some of the world’s most prestigious Jiu Jitsu competitions such as the Worlds, Nationals, and Pan American Jiu Jitsu tournaments. Professor is also an Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator Fighting Championship Veteran. Professor Tom and his staff have also managed to build one of the largest Jiu Jitsu academies in New Jersey in both facility size (over 6,000 sq. feet) and student count (close to 300 students from all different walks of life). As an instructor, Professor Tom helps all individuals reach their goals and keeps classes non-competitive by offering separate classes for those looking to compete and those who do not. The academy’s environment is family-oriented and stress-free. The top priority of each instructor at Ocean County Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is to make sure each student gets the individual attention they need in order to accomplish their goals while acquiring the knowledge of a sport that has changed the lives of so many. In 2014 Professor Tom decided to focus once again 100% on Jiu Jitsu competition and teaching after winning his last two MMA fights by TKO, and knockout. Since then he has proved himself to still be one of the best competitor’s in the world without the Gi, winning the North American Trials for the second time and having a draw against the current number 1 No Gi fighter in the World, Joao Assis. In November 2017, Tom was elected as a Lacey Township board of education member.