Our Lineage

Mitsuyo Maeda

Mitsuyo Maeda was a pioneering Japanese judoka whose remarkable journey changed the course of martial arts history. Born in Japan in 1878, Maeda trained at the Kodokan under Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, becoming one of the discipline's earliest and most accomplished practitioners.

Driven to prove the effectiveness of his art beyond the dojo, Maeda left Japan in the early 1900s and embarked on a worldwide journey. He traveled throughout the United States, Europe, and Latin America, competing in hundreds of challenge matches against wrestlers, boxers, and fighters of every size and style. His fearless approach, technical mastery, and willingness to face any opponent earned him the nickname "Conde Koma," meaning "Count Combat."

In 1914, Maeda settled in Brazil, where he shared his practical, combat-tested approach to judo with a young student named Carlos Gracie. That mentorship laid the foundation for the development of what would become Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, one of the world's most influential martial arts.

Through his courage, innovation, and unwavering belief in practical effectiveness, Mitsuyo Maeda left a legacy that continues to shape Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and modern mixed martial arts around the world.

Pedro Sauer

Professor Pedro Sauer was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where from an early age, he began training in the martial arts. At age five, he began boxing and later took up judo and taekwondo. At age fifteen, however, his friend, Rickson Gracie, invited him to train jiu-jitsu with his younger brother, Royler, who at the time was only nine years old..

The outcome of this experience convinced him that jiu-jitsu was the most effective martial art, and he began training the very next day. Pedro worked towards a double major (Economics and Business Administration) in college, and took a post-graduation course at Fundação Getulio Vargas. He worked in Brazil as a stockbroker for eleven years before deciding to move to the United States and pursue a career teaching jiu-jitsu.

In 1990, he moved to California with the original wave of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors. He lived in California with Rickson Gracie and trained daily with the Gracie brothers (Rickson, Rorion, and Royce), their father, Helio Gracie, their cousin, Renzo Gracie, and the Machado Brothers, as well as many others. In December of that same year, he moved to Utah, where he lived for 15 years, pioneering Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the American southwest.

In 2005, Pedro got the opportunity to move to Northern Virginia to continue teaching jiu-jitsu and spread jiu-jitsu all over the East Coast. He opened One Spirit Martial Arts in August of 2006, which he still teaches at today, and the academy is now the current headquarters for the Pedro Sauer Association

Pedro Sauer Association Website.

Rylan Lizares | Technics Founder

Rylan is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Professor Pedro Sauer. Rylan has been training in the grappling arts for over fifteen years and holds numerous state and national titles.

  • 2012 Naga Hawaii Black Belt Gi Division Champion

  • 2012 Naga Hawaii Expert No-Gi – Second Place

  • 2011 Mundial World Championship Competitor – Black Belt Middleweight Division

  • 2010 Naga Hawaii Black Belt Gi Division Champion

  • 2010 Naga Hawaii Expert No-Gi – Second Place

  • 2010 Pacific Submission Absolute Advanced Champion

  • 2009 Medford Oregon Absolute Champion

  • 2009 Triple Crown of BJJ – Blackbelt Superfight Winner

  • 2009 Kingdom MMA Submission Match Winner

  • 2008 Mundial World Championship Competitor – Black Belt Middleweight Division

  • 2008 Grapple Fest Hawaii Professional Absolute No-Gi Champion

  • 2008 Mundial World Championship Competitor – Brown Belt Middleweight Division

  • 2008 Icon Submission Tournament Super Fight Winner

  • 2008 USA Wrestling Grappling Ranked #7 at 176lbs.

  • 2007 Mundial World Championship – Brown Belt Medio – Third Place

  • 2007 Naga Hawaii Advanced No-Gi Champion

  • 2007 Naga Hawaii Absolute Gi Division – Second Place

  • 2006 Aloha State Championship – Brown Belt Champion

  • 2006 Aloha State Championship – Advanced No-Gi Champion

  • 2006 Triple Crown Open – Brown Belt Champion

  • 2006 Triple Crown Open – Advanced No-Gi Champion

  • 2006 Pan-American Championship Competitor – Brown Belt Medium Heavy Division

  • 2005 Aloha State Championship – Brown Belt Champion

  • 2005 Aloha State Championship – Advanced No-Gi Champion

  • 2005 Copa Northwest Championship – Brown Belt Champion

  • 2004 Naga Hawaii Advanced No-Gi – Second Place

  • 2004 Copa Northwest Championship – Purple Belt – Second Place

  • 2003 Naga Hawaii Advanced No-Gi Champion

  • 2003 Naga Hawaii Absolute Gi Division Champion

  • 2003 Pan-American Championship Competitor – Purple Belt Medium Heavy Division

  • 2002 Medford Oregon Submission Tournament – Gi / No-Gi Champion

  • 2002 Megaton Dias Jiu-Jitsu Tournament – Eugene Oregon – Blue Belt Champion

  • 1999 Reno World of Wrestling – Second Place

  • 1999 Aiea High School Athlete of the Year Award

  • 1999 Aiea High School Wrestler of the Year Award

  • 1999 HHSAA State Championship – Third Place

  • 1999 Oahu Interscholastic Association Champion

  • 1999 Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division Champion

  • 1998 Aiea High School Wrestler of the Year Award

  • 1998 HHSAA State Championship – Second Place

  • 1998 Oahu Interscholastic Association Champion

  • 1998 Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division Champion

  • 1997 HHSAA State Championship – Fourth Place

  • 1997 Oahu Interscholastic Association Championship – Second Place

  • 1997 Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division Champion