5th Degree Black Belt – Owner
Professor JAO Burgos began training in martial arts in Brooklyn, NY, in 1985. He started his training in Tae Kwon Do under Great Grandmaster Suh Chong Kang at the American Tae Kwon Do Center and, after several years of training, earned the rank of Black belt. Through his teen years, he began teaching kids classes and eventually became a full-time instructor to students of all ages. He continued advancing in rank until reaching a 3rd-degree black belt, at which point he decided to begin competing nationally and internationally.
Within a few months of competing, he was ranked among the top five in the world in his divisions. Under the tutelage of his new instructor, Master Eric San Jose, he would go on to be a multi-time world champion in Sports karate. His attention to detail made him famous for his kicking ability and precise technique. He was one of the first “trickers” ever featured on the internet and is considered by most to be one of the godfathers of modern-day tricking.
He retired from competition in 2007 and shifted his focus to building the academy. He was awarded the rank of 5th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do in 2011 and 6th degree black belt in 2017 and continues his daily training in several styles of martial arts. He holds black belts in Pa-kua and Shotokan and has trained extensively in boxing and kickboxing.
After 3 years of training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and earning his blue belt, JAO met Professor Caio Terra and joined the Caio Terra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association (CTA). Professor Terra is a 12-time World Champion known worldwide for his technical prowess, which earned him his Black Belt in 3 years. Professor Terra took JAO under his wing and helped him refine his technique and the technique of all the BJJ students at the academy. He awarded JAO his purple belt in 2014, Brown belt in 2017, and Black belt in 2023, making Professor JAO the first person in NYC to be promoted to black belt under Professor Caio Terra.
Students at JMA BKNY have the option to visit and train at any of the dozens of academies throughout the world, and the open-door policy at JMA BKNY has people dropping in from all over the globe.
JMA BKNY remains a staple in the Brooklyn martial arts community, with a footprint spanning two decades and thousands of students, young and old, of all shapes and sizes. His students have become state, national, and world champions in every facet of martial arts competitions. He continues running the everyday operations at the academy and is the head instructor and assistant director of CTA NYC, which includes academies in Queens and Long Island.