About Cattle Dog Jiu Jitsu
Our mission at Cattle Dog Jiu Jitsu is to teach discipline through the martial art of Jiu Jitsu that will carry through all aspects of your life.
We believe that this will create a better, safer community. After training Jiu Jitsu for years, you will find that you are applying the same principles and philosophies you learn and hone in the gym throughout your family life, work, and social interactions. When done correctly, the study of Jiu Jitsu will inevitably create balanced confidence and honesty and reduce fear and anxiety. Many Jiu Jitsu practitioners find Jiu Jitsu to be a type of “therapy” physically and mentally with an outlet for frustration and a modality for focused intention. Although Jiu Jitsu was intended for smaller weaker opponents to protect themselves from larger stronger opponents using technique and leverage to overcome physical discrepancy, Jiu Jitsu offers benefits to individuals of all sizes, shapes, and ages.
Jiu Jitsu is especially effective when taught to young children. This provides them with a strong foundation physically and mentally to navigate growing up in today's society and avoid being bullied. Kids who learn Jiu Jitsu are way less likely to bully others and rather tend to show more compassion for others. The close physical contact with others at a young age and tough physical training foster confidence and connection to others. This is important in an ever-divided society.
Meet Your Instructor
Nathan Fenech
Head instructor and owner of Cattle Dog Jiu Jitsu LLC
My name is Nathan Fenech and I am a first degree brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Master Claudio Franca. My journey in the gentle art (japanese translation of Jiu Jitsu) began in 2011 when I began sparring with MMA fighters in San Diego California. Although I could hold my own striking with these fighters, as soon as I landed a few strong strikes they would tie me up, take me down, and completely dominate the rest of the sparring session. This changed my whole idea of fighting and self defense, and I knew I had to embark on my Jiu Jitsu journey.
After that experience, I moved around a bit and found myself living in Turner, Maine, where I met Travis Wells, owner and head instructor of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Here I took on an MMA fight because I thought it would be a good goal to train for. I was still only a white belt and I ended up getting submitted in the first round via arm bar by a much more experienced grappling opponent. That only made me more motivated to master the art of Jiu Jitsu.
Not long after, I moved to Prescott, Arizona to attend college where I found Steve Judson at Gustavo Dantes Jiu Jitsu Prescott (now Mountain Tribe Jiu Jitsu). Steve became like a father to me. I spent three years at white belt here frequently making trips to Phoenix to train at GD headquarters and to compete.
After college I moved to Oregon and started training under Anibal Lobo, a Pedro Sauer black belt and childhood friend of Rickson Gracie and Fabio Santos. I spent four years here working my way from white to purple belt. It was an honor being promoted by Pedro Sauer himself and I learned a lot about self defense. I competed in submission only competitions. This is also when I began teaching.
After receiving my purple belt I moved to Santa Cruz, California, where my son was born. There I continued my training with Claudio França and Nathan Mendleson. I finally earned my brown belt in January of 2023. At this point, my wife, four-year-old son, and I purchased a house in Bishop, California and were spending our winters here. I enjoyed teaching 4-6am class at Eastern Sierra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. After ESBJJ closed, I knew it was my time to start Cattle Dog Jiu Jitsu.
Cattle Dog Jiu Jitsu is an affiliate of Coalition 95 under…
Claudio França
Claudio França pioneered the teaching of BJJ in Santa Cruz, California – coming to us from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1995. He has studied BJJ since the age of seven and holds a 6th degree Black Belt from Master Francisco Mansor, who is a 9th degree red belt certified by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro. Professor França also holds a black belt in Judo from Gama Filho University in Rio de Janeiro.
Professor França has more than 30 years experience teaching and competing in BJJ. He took a Silver Medal in the 2001 Mundials (World Championships), in Rio de Janeiro, and was a two-time Pan-American Middleweight Champion (’97, ’98), four-time Lightweight Brazilian Champion, and three-time Lightweight State Champion.
Claudio has coached several students who have won in the Mundials and Pan Americas. Since 1995, Master França has hosted one of the most lauded international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in the country, the U.S. Open Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament. With that, along with the other 5 tournaments of the BJJ tour, Claudio is helping the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments grow. When he is not working on his tournament business or running his schools with his partners and his wife, his hobbies include surfing, watching sports, swimming, and yoga. Claudio resides in Aptos with his wife and two children. He enjoys spending his time traveling with his multilingual family especially on their trips to Brazil where they spend time with their Brazilian family and friends.