Your search is over. Snake Pit U.S.A. Mixed Martial Arts Academy is where goals are achieved and champions are made!

Don’t be fooled by imitators and Karate schools that suddenly offer MMA and “Grappling.” Snake Pit U.S.A. MMA Academy is The World Headquarters for The Snake Pit U.S.A. Catch Wrestling Association and an Official Rigan Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association Black Belt Academy. Our Head Coach Joel Bane brings nearly 30 years of Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Authentic Catch Wrestling, Amateur Wrestling (Freestyle/Greco), Judo, Luta Livre Esportiva, USA Boxing, Muay Thai, Dutch Kickboxing, Self Defense and Fitness experience with him to bring you an elite level of technical training you will not find elsewhere.

Snake Pit U.S.A. is The World’s Premier Catch Wrestling Organization. http://SnakePitUSA.com with more than half a million fans, and 22 affiliate schools around the world located in countries such a Australia, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, The United Kingdom, and of course here in the United States ranging from California to right here at Snake Pit U.S.A. MMA Academy in New Jersey, Our World Headquarters. Combined with the mighty Rigan Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association (see lineage below), we have produced countless successful competitors and champions in Bellator Fighting Championships, The Ultimate Fighter, UFC, ONE Fighting Championship, Strikeforce, Elite XC, WNO, North American Grappling Association, Grapplers Quest, IBJJF, Fight 2 Win, International Open and Pan American Championships. 

Whether you are looking to compete professionally or simply get into shape and reach your fitness goals Snake Pit U.S.A. MMA Academy is the place for you.

NO EGO’S ALLOWED & KIDS BULLYING ENDS HERE & NOW! You will be surrounded by friends that are working to achieve the same goals. Camaraderie is strong at Snake Pit U.S.A. MMA Academy with a rich family oriented environment where respect, confidence and courage are the heart of what we represent. When one succeeds we all succeed. Join Snake Pit U.S.A. MMA Academy, sharpen your skills, boost your self confidence, get into better shape, become part of the elite Snake Pit U.S.A. & Rigan Machado BJJ Family, reach your goals and BECOME UNSTOPPABLE!

Coach‏ Joel Bane: Head Coach

Coach Bane brings nearly 30 Years of Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Catch Wrestling, Luta Livre, Judo, Amateur Wrestling (Greco/Freestyle), Boxing & Muay Thai experience to the team as our Head Coach.

As the leader of The Snake Pit U.S.A. Catch Wrestling Association, the affiliation has won 25 Team Submission Grappling Championships. Coach Bane has sold over 30k Training DVD’s/Videos and conducted well over 200 seminars and camps around the world with the Team having garnered over 600k fans world-wide. 

COACH BIO: 

– 3rd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Legendary 8th Degree Red/White Coral Belt, Master Rigan Machado

– IBJJF/USBJJF Black Belt under The Rigan Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Lineage: 

Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. >Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Rigan Machado > Joel Bane

– 5th Degree Black Belt in Luta Livre & First-Ever American personally and directly promoted by & under 9th Degree Red Belt, Grand Master Hugo Duarte “The General.”

– Leader of The Hugo Duarte Luta Livre International Fight Team

Luta Livre Esportiva Lineage:

Rufino dos Santos > Euclydes “Tatu” Hatem > Carlos Brunocilla > Hugo Duarte > Joel Bane 

– 1st Degree Black Belt in Judo & 2nd Degree Black Belt in Shingitai Jujitsu: Under 3 x National Heavyweight Judo Champion, Coach John Saylor (former U.S. Olympic Training Center Head Coach 1982-1989)

– 3-Time United States Air Force Heavyweight Champ, 2-Time Team Captain, & former 2-Time Assistant Coach of the United States Air Force “All Air Force Wrestling Team,” (2013 – 2017 International, Greco Roman/Freestyle) Under the expert tutelage of 2-Time U.S. Olympic Wrestling Coach, Floyd “Bad News” Winter.

– Fully Certified Catch as Catch Can Wrestling Coach: Under legendary Coach Billy Robinson (Trainer of Kazushi Sakuraba) 

– 13th KHAN/Senior Kru Ranked in Muay Thai by The United World Muay Thai Association (UWMTA)

– USA Boxing Certified Coach

– Former CSW Coach (Combat Submission Wrestling): Under Coach Erik Paulson (Shooto Lightweight World Champion) Founder, Combat Submission Wrestling

– USA Wrestling Certified Coach: Both Copper and Bronze Levels

– President, International Catch Wrestling Federation (ICWF) and USA Catch Wrestling

– Founder/Creator, Catch Wrestling Magazine

– U.S. Rep & Member of the “International Network of Wrestling Researchers” (INWR) The worlds largest scientific support group for an international sport

– Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach: American Sport Education Program (ASEP)

– Certified Modern Army Combative Program (MACP) Instructor: Levels I and II

– Member of USA Wrestling, “New Jersey State Wrestling Association”

– Coach Bane has attained multiple Legitimate Catch Wrestling Lineages that lead directly back to the Legendary Catch Wrestling Coach, Billy Riley, Founder of the original Snake Pit in England.

1st:
BILLY RILEY>KARL GOTCH>YOSHIAKI FUJIWARA>MASAKATSU FUNAKI>KEN SHAMROCK>SEAN DAUGHERTY>JOEL BANE

2nd:
BILLY RILEY>BILLY ROBINSON>JOEL BANE

3rd:
BILLY RILEY>KARL GOTCH>SATORU SAYAMA>YORINAGA NAKAMURA>ERIK PAULSON>JOEL BANE


ACHIEVEMENTS: 

  • Former Competitive Mixed Martial Artist: “Reality Fighting” and “Combat in the Cage”
  • Won or placed in USA Wrestling’s U.S. Open & Armed Forces Wrestling Championships, NAGA, Grapplers Quest, U.S. Grappling, Mission Submission and Good-fight (expert/advanced No-Gi divisions) including North American and World Championships.
  • U.S. World Grappling Team Heavyweight alternate, No-Gi and Gi divisions, 2013 FILA World Championship
  • Heavyweight Champion & Captain of The United States Air Force “All Air Force Wrestling Team” (2013, 2014 & 2015)
  • U.S. World Team Heavyweight (Senior) Alternate Greco Roman (2013 U.S. OPEN) 
  • U.S. Military World Championship U.S. Military Heavyweight Alternate for both Greco & Freestyle (2014 CISM) 
  • Assistant Coach, United States Air Force “All Air Force Wrestling Team” (2016 & 2017)

MILITARY:

  • Combat Sports and self defense instructor to U.S. Army MACP Instructors (2008-2011)
  • Has taught Grappling/Combative techniques to over 560 U.S. Military and Coalition Force members in the United States, and Afghanistan
  • Completed Krav Maga Personnel Security Detail (PSD) Combative training, (Afghanistan 2005)
  • Coach Bane is a 3 x Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and 1 x Iraqi Freedom along with two other middle eastern deployments. He was a USAF Security Forces Senior Non Commissioned Officer (Master Sergeant), now retired having served over 20 years Active Duty Military service.
  • While deployed he led counter intelligence operations including, but not limited to counter IED missions, personnel security details, weapons cache seizures, raids, apprehensions and convoys. Joel is one of very few certified U.S. Air Force Sharpshooters in the history of the program, and is a highly skilled small arms weapons expert. He served proudly alongside his U.S. Army counterparts for the greater part of his career attending specialized rigorous schools while being repeatedly assigned to Combined Joint Task Force units in Afghanistan.

“STEPPING INTO THE SNAKE PIT” 

Featuring Snake Pit U.S.A. Head Coach Joel Bane

 By: Daniel Dimarzio

Catch-as-Catch-Can, a brutal martial art and sport, was created in England beginning in the 1490s and refined for hundreds of years. Sailors from the British Navy traveled all over Asia and the Middle East, bringing back fighting techniques from these exotic lands. Englishmen mixed these techniques with their existing wrestling techniques sourced from all over Europe. The result was a devastating martial art known as “Catch Wrestling.”

The history of Catch Wrestling makes us take a hard look at what we think we know about the martial arts and where they came from. Also included in the book is a rare interview with one of the few Catch-as-Catch-Can experts still carrying on the tradition, Coach Joel Bane of Snake Pit USA. He reveals invaluable information about Catch Wrestling you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else.

Catch Wrestling is pushing its way back into the spotlight after almost being lost to the sands of time…and modern-day fighters are taking notice.

This best selling book is available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Catch-Wrestling-Stepping-into-Snake/dp/1365279332/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505228558&sr=8-1&keywords=catch+wrestling+books

As well as in bookstores around the world.

 

Coach Dale Rossi: Assistant Coach

– Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Lineage:

Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Rigan Machado > Joel Bane > Dale Rossi

 

– 2nd Degree Black Belt in Luta Livre & Second American Ever promoted to Black Belt in Luta Livre by 9th Degree Red Belt, Grand Master Hugo Duarte “The General.” 

Luta Livre Lineage: 

Rufino dos Santos > Euclydes “Tatu” Hatem > Carlos Brunocilla > Hugo Duarte > Dale Rossi


– 2nd Degree Brown Belt in Judo

– USA Catch Wrestling/ICWF Level 7/Assistant Coach Certified

 

– Snake Pit U.S.A. Catch Wrestling Association Assistant Coach & Highest Ranked Skill Level Student & understudy of Snake Pit U.S.A. Head Coach Joel Bane

– 13+ Years, Boxing & Muay Thai Experience

– 10th KHAN in Muay Thai. Ranked by the United World Muay Thai Association (UWMTA)

– USA Boxing Certified Coach


ACHIEVEMENTS:

  • Multiple time NAGA Advanced/Expert Champion, Including World Champion, 2022, North American Champion 2015 & 2022 & Virginia State Champion 2022
  • Catch Wrestling Champion, 2018 Billy Robinson Classic Lightweight Division