Coaches at Los Banditos

Joe Lennon

Joe was raised in the local neighbourhood and at the age of 16 discovered Jiu Jitsu at the prestigious Roger Gracie Academy. Joe immediately took to Jiu Jitsu and developed a love for the sport. He was a natural from the get go and became one of the fastest developing students of Jiu Jitsu in the country. He went on to compete at national and international level to great success. His passion for teaching and ability to coach children and teenagers soon became evident and he has since dedicated his life to the pursuit of coaching. The results speak for themselves and he is the proud coach of the best juvenile team in the UK and Europe having recently won the IBJJF European Juvenile trophy and the team trophy at the ADCC UK Championship 2024.

Eoghan O'Flanagan

The best grappler in Europe and 5th best in the world in the under 88 kg division. As co-founder and co-head coach of SGC, Eoghan O'Flanagan brings over 20 years of grappling experience and 10 years of teaching experience.

Instagram: @eoghanoflanagan

Silviu Nastasa

As an active competitor and both Judo and BJJ black belt with a background in wrestling, co-founder and co-head coach Silviu Nastasa brings in a unique mix of grappling skills, over 20 years of training experience, plus over 10 years of teaching experience.

Instagram: @silviunastasa

Coach PJ

PJ serves as Los Banditos Academy's assistant coach, bringing high-level No-Gi expertise developed through his time training at Renzo Gracie Academy with John Danaher.

Working alongside Head Coach Joe Lennon, PJ helps develop the next generation of grapplers through detailed technical instruction and a modern approach to No-Gi submission grappling. His coaching style emphasizes systematic learning and practical application of techniques.

Instagram: @losbanditospj

Coach Ben

Ben serves as an assistant coach at Los Banditos Academy, holding a Purple Belt under Roger Gracie. Training alongside Head Coach Joe Lennon, he brings technical precision and attention to detail characteristic of the Roger Gracie lineage.

His teaching approach combines fundamentally sound Jiu-Jitsu with engaging instruction, making him particularly effective with our youth programs. Ben's dedication to the art and patient teaching style helps create an encouraging learning environment for students of all levels.

Instagram: @benjamin_yr