Glayton Melo

Glayton Melo began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey in 2000 at Nova União in Pernambuco, Brazil — one of the largest and most dominant BJJ and MMA teams in the world. Over 24 years of consistent training and competition across Brazil at every belt level forged his deep technical expertise. Before bringing his skills to the United States, Glayton served as a SWAT officer with the CHOQUE unit of the Pernambuco Police Force, where he applied fast submission techniques in real-world self-defense situations. That experience shaped his philosophy: technique must work, not just in the academy, but when it matters. At IRONGRIP, Glayton teaches with a focus on effective transitions, fluid sweeps, and quick submissions — with particular emphasis on butterfly guard, x-guard, back control, and choke and arm lock submissions. His instruction adapts to each student's level, making elite BJJ training accessible to everyone from first-timers to competitive athletes.