About Us

Jared George has long been interested in martial arts. He began his training in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Maine back in 2000 under Bruce Carleton, a black belt under De La Riva 3rd degree black belt Alexey Cruz. Jared received his blue belt under Master Carleton. Upon returning to Oregon, Jared received his purple belt under Eben Kaneshiro in the Summer of 2010. He has trained in a variety of locations in the United States and Brazil. In 2008 he had his first opportunity to meet and train with Master Rodrigo Cavaca in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil and has been training under Rodrigo ever since.

Jared has competed in various local and national tournaments, including the Pan American and Worlds competitions. Jared placed second in the North American Nationals in 2009 and was the 2009 Oregon Open Super Heavyweight Champion. In February 2013 Jared won the Revolution BJJ tournament as a brown belt. In September 2018 Jared returned to competition winning silver at the Oregon Open Black Belt Masters Division.

Jared was awarded his black belt in November of 2014 by Master Cavaca and is proud to represent the Zenith team. In July of 2018, Jared received his first degree black belt from Master Cavaca. He is also a level 2 certified Army Combatives instructor. Professor George is dedicated to helping people better their lives and increase their self-defense capabilities through training and regularly instructs Strength and Conditioning classes, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes as well as occasional self-defense, home defense and firearms instruction. In January of 2020 he received his second degree and in December of 2023, his third degree black belt from Master Cavaca.

Kevin Epeneter, aka – “The Senator”, leads select adult BJJ classes at NextLevel while holding the rank of Black Belt under Professor Jared George that he received in Summer of 2021.

He is known for his sense of humor, patience, and creative ways to approach the intricate details of Jiu Jitsu techniques while relating them to everyday life.

Drawing from diverse past experiences training and competing in Europe and the US, training under Professors and Coaches with varied backgrounds from “Professional UFC fighters to traditional Jiu Jitsu self defense pioneers”, Coach Kevin always has something special to share. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, he strives to provide a positive atmosphere that encourages mental and physical growth both on and off the mats.

Coach Kevin places a high value in the knowledge that BJJ will provide students with great physical and mental strength, resolve, patience, persistence and perseverance.

His goal, having coached both kids, teens and adults for over 6years is to encourage and support students personal growth as Martial Artists in BJJ, both on the mats as students, training partners, and competitors, as well as off the mats in their everyday lives.

Derek began his Jiu Jitsu journey in April of 2012. After the first few months he fell in love with the mental and physical challenges that Jiu Jitsu provides, and it has now become an integral part of his life.

He is a Black Belt under Jared George, teaching adults as well as helping with the Jiu Jitsu Program.

His coaching style looks to cultivate an environment where students of all levels can thrive and grow in their Jiu Jitsu journey. Making sure that students are prepared with a well-rounded skill set for both on and off the mats.

Whether it’s your first time stepping foot on the mats or you’re an experienced grappler, Derek will help guide you towards reaching your full potential while furthering your own passion for the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

 
 
Joshua Chamberlain has been training Brasilian Jiu Jitsu for almost a decade with Next Level Martial Arts and Fitness.
 
He has spent his entire journey here starting as a white belt.
 
Through the years he has been a successful competitor, winning multiple tournaments and placing in almost every tournament he has entered.
 
He enjoys helping individuals reach their goals, whether to get in shape, succeed as a competitor, or becoming better people on and off the mat.
 
 

Striving to push everybody to reach their goals in all aspects of life especially when it’s tough is what he finds rewarding and he strives to be a positive influence/example for all he encounters.

Safesports Coaches Certification.

When Bryan’s son was in junior high school, he was getting bullied by one of their neighbors. He thought it would help his son to build confidence for him to begin training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

However, neither his son, nor his wife agreed. So Bryan decided he would start training and hope that his son would join him. Bryan fell in love with the sport at his first class and has been training ever since. And his son ended up joining him about 6 months later.

Katie’s journey in Jiu Jitsu began in 2019. She arrived in Oregon in 2020 and discovered Next Level Martial Arts where she felt an immediate sense of belonging.

Katie eagerly delved into competing, finding fulfillment in the challenges it presented. Today, she remains an active competitor, participating regularly in tournaments, while also dedicating herself to coaching children and fellow teammates. At present, Katie plays a vital role in coaching the kids’ program at Next Level.

Her primary goal is to cultivate an environment where children refine their coordination, strength, discipline and respect, as well as nurture social skills through Jiu Jitsu. For Katie, Jiu Jitsu is not just a passion, but a source of tranquility, happiness and community; qualities she endeavors to impart to others through her coaching and leadership. She firmly believes that Jiu Jitsu offers invaluable skills that lay a foundation for success in life.

Steven was raised in Portland Oregon. He started training Jiu Jitsu and MMA back in 2009. He traveled a lot for work so he visited many different gyms over the years. He fought in Canada, Seattle and Portland.

Eventually, he discovered Next Level Martial Arts Academy where he met with amazing instructors and teammates that soon become life long friends and training partners.