Westside Jiu Jitsu Academy

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meet the team

group of people wearing jiu jitsu gi's front row kneeling and back row standing

Westside Jiu Jitsu Academy was founded in 2021 and is the only Caio Terra Association academy in Michigan, located on Ford Road in Westland. Additionally, we will be opening our second location early 2026 on Allen Road in Allen Park, MI. We offer a wide range of training options with classes 7 days per week, programs for all ages, men, women, and children. We offer discounts for military and first responders. In addition to our full schedule of jiu jitsu classes, we offer wrestling, judo, and kickboxing classes weekly. As well as hosting seminars, law enforcement training, and self defense workshops each year.


We are excited to announce that we will be opening a second location in Allen Park, Michigan early 2026! Stay tuned for grand opening details and the expansion of our website.

Westside Jiu Jitsu Academy

We are a family-friendly environment and strive to radiate positive energy in our academy. We encourage everyone to chase their dreams and will work with you to accomplish your goals. We have classes for all ages and experience levels. The academy is open 7 days per week and has morning, noon, and night classes throughout the week to provide a wide range of training options. We offer adult jiu jitsu classes, kids jiu jitsu classes, women’s only jiu jitsu classes, self-defense training, judo, wrestling, kickboxing, and a range of personal training options. Additionally, we have weight lifting and plyometric equipment for use to help you reach your fitness and martial arts goals.

Facility Features

Classes 7 days per week

Classes available all day (M-F)

locker rooms

1:1 instruction

First aid equipment

Free parking

Interested in a Free Trial?

Are you interested in learning more about Westside Jiu Jitsu Academy or signing up for a free trial class? Click the button below to fill out our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

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Our instructors

man in white gi and black belt kneeling on mat with westside jiu jitsu logo on wall above

Ken Short

Owner / Head Instructor

Ken Short is a first-degree black belt in jiu jitsu under Caio Terra. Ken has been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for 16 years and has been instructing for 11 years. He teaches several of the adult gi and nogi classes.

Tabatha Short

Women's Instructor / Kids Instructor / Team Assistant Coach

Tabatha Short is a black belt in jiu jitsu under Ken Short. Tabatha was a professional mma fighter and has been training martial arts for 13 years and instructing for 7 years. She teaches the women’s only classes, kids classes, and fills in for the adult jiu jitsu classes.

man kneeling on mats wearing a black gi and black belt with westside jiu jitsu academy logo on wall behind him

Matt Fielder

Jiu Jitsu instructor

Matt Fielder is a first-degree black belt in jiu jitsu with 20 years of experience. He has been an instructor for several years. During the summer months he is one of our morning instructors and during the school year he fills in for evening classes.

man in white gi and brown belt kneeling on grey mats with black mats and westside jiu jitsu academy logo in background

John Lewis

Jiu jitsu instructor

John Lewis is a brown belt in jiu jitsu under Ken Short, and also holds the rank of brown belt in Judo. John has over 14 years of experience in jiu jitsu and judo. He is our noon jiu jitsu instructor.

man in white gi and black judo belt kneeling on mat with westside jiu jitsu logo above

Jimmie Baber

Judo Instructor

Jimmie is a 2nd degree black belt in judo with over 20 years of experience. He is our head judo instructor.

man kneeling on mats wearing a white gi with a purple belt, westside jiu jitsu logo above the mats on the wall

Jordan Markey

Wrestling Instructor

Jordan is a brown belt in jiu jitsu under Ken Short with over 10 years of combined grappling experience and the head wrestling coach for Melvindale Highschool. Jordan is our Tuesday evening wrestling coach.

man in white gi and blue belt kneeling on mat with westside jiu jitsu academy logo abobe

Larry Cervantes

Wrestling Instructor

Larry is a purple belt in jiu jitsu under Ken Short with over 20 years of combined grappling experience and former high school wrestling coach. Larry is our Sunday wrestling coach.

Our Affiliation

man in black gi with caio terra patch smiling standing next to man in white gi with a caio terra patch smiling

https://www.caioterrabjj.com/affiliates/westside-jiu-jitsu-academy/

Westside Jiu Jitsu Academy is the first and only Caio Terra Association affiliate school in Michigan. The Caio Terra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association was founded by Professor Caio Terra known for being a 12 time World Champion. Caio Terra Academy HQ is located in San Jose, CA with many other affiliate locations around the world. Visit the link to see our affiliate page and reference the other CTA affiliate schools.

The Caio Terra Diffference: We believe in one team philosophy, by ourselves we can do good things, together we can do great things! One team; One family; Technique conquers all.

Frequently asked questions

Visit our Programs page to see details of what each program we offer entails. Each membership gives the student access to all scheduled classes, we do not restrict how many classes you can do, you will have unlimited access each month. Sign up in the academy to be put into our invoice payment system. Contact us for any addition questions.

For No gi practice you just need a compression shirt or rashguard and shorts or spats. For Gi practice you will need to bring a Gi, we have some available to loan or purchase at the academy.

Yes, we offer several different family package options, whether you are looking to add your spouse, sibling, children, or all of the above. Contact us today for more detailed information on what family package will work best for you.

Yes, we offer a free introduction to jiu jitsu class every Saturday at 11am, just call us at 734-895-3979 to register. You can also call to set up a free intro class with an instructor for a different time that would fit your schedule.

Yes, you can reference our home page and click on the Private BJJ Lessons button for more information. To schedule a private lesson you must visit our Contact Us page to reach an instructor via email or phone. Lessons can be scheduled anytime that an instructor has availability. Pricing differs per instructor. 

Our cancellation policy is detailed in our contract and the manager will go over it with you when you sign up. We do offer our students to put their membership on hold for up to 2 months per year with a 30 day notice. We try to work with everyone, communication is the key. 

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Westside Jiu Jitsu Free Trial

Westside Jiu Jitsu Academy is a Caio Terra Association affiliate school in Westland, MI founded in 2021. Everyone is welcome regardless of age, fitness, experience, and skill level. Request a free trial today to start your journey.