Professors Hans Thompson, Mauricio Zingano, & Matt Simms

Team Zingano was founded by Master Mauricio Zingano, a 3rd Degree BJJ Black Belt (Under Carlos "Caique" Elias) and native of Brazil who taught for over 20 years and learned directly from the Gracie family.

This means that you are taught in the same way that Master Zingano was taught by Master Helio Gracie and his sons Rorion, Rickson, and Royce Gracie and other leading Brazilian Jiu Jitsu experts such as Carlos "Caique" Elias, Fabio Santos and many more!

Today, Team Zingano is led by Professor Matt Simms in Broomfield, and Professor Cory Kuechler in Brighton. 

Professor Matt Simms began his training under Master Zingano in 2004 and has since become one of the top BJJ and MMA fighters in Colorado, holding 3 MMA titles at 155lbs and multiple Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Grappling State titles. He has been teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA since 2006.

Matt is a dedicated instructor and very proficient at passing on his skills to his students and training partners. He's helped coach many of our top fighters to succeed in MMA, BJJ and Thai Boxing.

Professor Simms is a great motivator and constantly pushes his students towards their goals, regardless if they want to become a champion, lose weight, achieve their next rank or simply become fit and confident.


From Left - Professors Keith Nolf, Cory Kuechler (Head Instructor), Jordon Blanco & Marcus Diamond. 

Professor Cory Kuechler is a Colorado native with over 20 years of grappling experience. He began training wrestling in 1996 and then Jiu Jitsu under Mauricio Zingano in 2008. Professor Cory earned his black belt in 2018 from Professor Matt Simms. Professor Cory brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for helping his students improve themselves and achieve their goals. 

Learn From the Best

With the increase in popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, some with dubious credentials have sought to cash in by opening their own gyms. At Zingano Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we believe that outstanding results come only from an outstanding training program taught by dedicated, qualified instructors.

Don’t be fooled by imitators and amateurs! Zingano Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is owned and operated by people who have dedicated their lives to their craft and have the skills and experience necessary to kick your fitness regimen into orbit and provide you with the BEST instruction available in Colorado!

To show our thanks to law enforcement and military members for protecting our citizens and country, we offer discounted rates on our services.

We have something for everyone! Come learn in a fun, safe, friendly environment.