Fort Lauderdale Fighters Shine at Nationals
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FORT LAUDERDALE FIGHTERS, JORGE AND ANA LUIZA FERNANDES, FOR BRINGING HOME GOLD AND SILVER AT NATIONALS
Master Junior and Ana Fernandes represented Athlas Training Team with excellence during a five-day trip to Las Vegas, where their children competed at the National Jiu-Jitsu Championship. Jorge secured first place in a strong division of five athletes, marking his first appearance at Nationals and an outstanding victory. Ana Luiza earned an impressive second place finish in her division. Their achievements reflect the discipline, dedication, and rising level of our Fort Lauderdale fighters.
This historic milestone marks the first time an Athlas Training Team Fort Lauderdale student has medaled at a tournament of this caliber. Our entire team is proud of their accomplishments and the positive example they set for all young athletes in our community.
Following the championship, Master Junior and the Fernandes family attended the MA SuperShow (Martial Arts Industry Association SuperShow). Their goal was to continue elevating the quality of service and instruction provided to our students in Fort Lauderdale. The event featured notable speakers such as Rob Waldman, Mike Metzger, Shane Tassoul, Rondy McKee, and Robby Beard, as well as world-class Jiu-Jitsu seminars led by Ricardo Liborio, Bruno Malfacine, and Marcelo Garcia.
A highlight of the event was Master Junior Fernandes joining Ricardo Liborio to award Kelly “Crossface” Anundson his Black Belt. Kelly, a former Bellator fighter, has trained under Master Junior for more than seven years and earned this rank during the seminar with Marcelo Garcia—an exceptional moment for him and for our community of Fort Lauderdale fighters.
Industry leaders emphasized the rapid growth of Mixed Martial Arts in South Florida and the need to deliver exceptional service to students and families. Upcoming initiatives include expanded self-defense programming, anti-bullying education, and school-based safety seminars addressing real-world scenarios such as active-shooter preparedness.
Master Junior and Ana’s commitment to traveling to Las Vegas demonstrates their dedication to advancing the martial arts experience for every student they serve. Their participation in the MA SuperShow ensures that Athlas Training Team—and all of our Fort Lauderdale fighters—continue to grow with excellence, professionalism, and purpose.
Master Junior and Ana Fernandes attended to the MA Supershow seminar to see how else they could improve their excellent service at their martial arts school. People that attended the seminar spoke about how they are going to bring a lot more seminars for self-defense in Fort Lauderdale. Some of the speakers included Rob Waldman, Mike Metzger, Shane Tassoul, Rondy Mckee, and Robby Beard. Other seminars included Jiu-Jitsu and were hosted by the world’s best such as Ricardo Liborio, Bruno Malfacine, and Marcelo Garcia.
At the event, Master Junior Fernandes, together with Ricardo Liborio, awarded Kelly Anundson with his Black-belt. Kelly “Crossface” Anundson is a former Bellator fighter and has been training with Master Junior Fernandes for more than 7 years. He went to the Seminar with Marcelo Garcia and earned his Black-Black Belt at such a special time.
The speakers at the seminar recognize how big Mixed Martial arts has become in South Florida and they want to ensure we give the best service possible to all our existing and potential clients here in Fort Lauderdale. They are going to bring a lot more self-defense events into the schools in the area such as more anti-bully programs. The speakers are going to visit each school and talk about ways that these events can be prevented. There will be a list of self-defense programs being added to many schools in South Florida. Seminars for how to handle situations in the cases of shooters are also being added to their list of events. The speakers are going to be going through a list of actions that your children should take in the instance of an active shooter.
It was very important that Master Junior and Ana Fernandes went all the way to Las Vegas to represent the Fort Lauderdale martial arts community so that they are bettter able to serve all of their students. The MA Supershow helps all the martial schools grow their buisness the right way. 
