Our Team
MATT WHITE
Matt is a dedicated martial artist and co-owner of Seattle Jiu-Jitsu Academy alongside Professor David Stegman. With a passion for martial arts that began at the age of 15, Matt has cultivated an impressive 25+ year career and skill set across various martial art disciplines.
He currently holds a 2nd degree black belt and instructorship in Tae Kwon Do, black belt and instructorship in Lightning Scientific Arnis International (LSAI), Matt's expertise spans multiple martial arts forms. Currently, he trains under Professor Stegman in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where he has achieved the rank of brown belt and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for the past 9 years.
Matt's competitive achievements include four-time gold medalist in the Cold Steel Tournament in stick and knife fighting, a 2x bronze medal at the IBJJF Pan America tournament, and other accolades at local tournaments throughout the United States. Beyond competition, Matt applies his diverse martial arts skills in the film industry, choreographing fight scenes and performing stunts for productions such as the 2021 series The Book of Boba Fett.
Outside the dojo, Matt is a devoted father to two young boys, ages 5 and 2, who keep him active and engaged. He enjoys teaching and instructing others and helping to pass on the values that he learned when he first started training martial arts. He takes great pride in sharing his martial arts knowledge with others and is committed to enriching the local community through his teaching and community involvement.
DAN SYHRE
Dan began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 2013 and has been a dedicated instructor since 2022. Specializing in teaching beginners, Dan has a natural talent for guiding white and blue belts through the fundamentals of BJJ. His approachable style and passion for the art make him particularly effective in helping new students develop a strong foundation.
Dan takes pride in sharing a variety of techniques and approaches, enabling each student to discover and refine their unique game. Dan’s fundamentals class is a cornerstone of his teaching, where he focuses on creating a supportive environment that fosters growth and confidence in every practitioner.
NOAH RESTO
Noah began his Jiu Jitsu education with the encouragement of his ugly cousin, Nik Seu (then blue belt, now black belt under Sapateiro BJJ - Nova Uniao/Southside BJJ), in 2016 under the tutelage of Master Eduardo Telles after competing collegiately and post-collegiately in cross country and track and field, and moving back home to San Diego, CA. Needing to fill the void in fueling his competitive fire, he quickly took a liking to the competitive side of the art competing locally, nationally, and internationally. Although not competing as often anymore, he is always ready to scrap.After receiving his blue belt from Eduardo Telles and relocating to Washington State, Noah received his purple belt from Josh Calvo, and brown and black belts from David Stegman. In addition, Noah has trained with and continues to learn and train with many of the biggest names in the sport when he travels.Noah's alter ego is moonlighting professionally as a technical writer and illustrator specializing in instructional writing and design which helps maximize his knowledge of the sport and ability to clearly communicate and teach Jiu Jitsu. Noah brings an enigmatic and intuitive style of Jiu Jitsu that blends old school and new school together. Don't let him fool you, although probably true, when he says things like, "I don't even know what I'm doing half the time."You can find Noah out in the wild hanging out at your local Jiu Jitsu gym, tournaments talking to everyone, seminars, and your local open mat. Chances are if you know someone, Noah probably knows them too. Favorite Position/Technique - Turtle Guard, Octopus Guard, Lapel Guard, OmoplataLineage - Kano > Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlos Machado > David Stegman (Eduardo Telles, Josh Calvo)
MARCO VASQUEZ
Marco is a dedicated jiu-jitsu practitioner with an old-school approach and pressure-focused style. His journey started at Train Fight Win, an MMA gym in Tallahassee, Florida, where he first immersed himself in no-gi jiu-jitsu and striking. After several years of honing his no-gi skills, Marco shifted gears to Alliance Tallahassee, diving deep into more traditional gi jiu-jitsu.In 2019, Marco moved to Seattle and was among the first students at Seattle Jiu-Jitsu Academy (SJJA). Starting out as a blue belt, he has since earned his purple and brown belts under the guidance of David Stegman. Marco’s approach to jiu-jitsu is a nod to the classics, featuring a pressure-based strategy that combines time-honored techniques with relentless, methodical pressure that can overwhelm even the most resilient opponents. His favorite techniques include guillotines and rear-naked chokes (RNCs).When he’s not rolling on the mats, Marco is busy in the world of cybersecurity, indulging his knack for tinkering with and breaking computers. He also loves exploring the great outdoors through hiking and camping, fully embracing the stunning beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Marco’s ability to clearly teach and break down complex concepts makes him an effective and insightful instructor, helping students grasp and apply jiu-jitsu techniques with confidence.