By: Maria Williams
Leader in Brazilian jiu-jitsu instruction, Gracie Barra will open its third Utah location in the city of Riverton. With schools in Salt Lake City and West Jordan, this expansion will enable more students to enjoy the inclusive, engaging classes Gracie Barra has to offer. Pioneered by franchise owners and jiu-jitsu experts Andrea Warner and Rodrigo Ziser, the Riverton branch will offer classes suitable for all skill levels and age groups. Like the other Gracie Barra franchises owned by Rodrigo and Andrea, this new location will embrace the brand’s ethos of brotherhood, integrity, and development.
Andrea Warner, a Black Belt jiu-jitsu instructor and entrepreneur, has partnered with Rodrigo Ziser, a previous owner of several Gracie Barra schools and a Second Degree Black Belt, to launch the brand’s classes in Utah. With a lack of reliable gyms in the area, Andrea felt inspired to share the benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which she has been practicing for over ten years. Known as the “gentle art,” jiu-jitsu became crucial to Andrea’s personal development. She improved her mental, emotional, and physical health through the sport. Her passion for jiu-jitsu led her to open her own business, become a certified instructor, and, together with Rodrigo, expand Gracie Barra in the state of Utah.
Prior to partnering with Rodrigo as the head professor of the Gracie Barra Salt Lake City School, Andrea worked with other business partners to no avail. Her relationship with Rodrigo was mutually beneficial and allowed her to recognize a greater opportunity for Gracie Barra in Utah. “I always knew I wanted to open my own gym after I became serious about jiu-jitsu,” says Andrea. “Because Rodrigo already experienced gym ownership in Brazil, his perspective toward Gracie Barra was different from mine. He helped me see that our Salt Lake City branch was only a small piece of a larger puzzle we could build. Our partnership inspires me to continue opening Gracie Barra locations across Utah until every student has access to world-class training.”
Opened months before the pandemic, the Gracie Barra Salt Lake City branch encountered significant challenges on the road to success. However, Andrea and Rodrigo overcame these obstacles and founded their second academy in West Jordan. This school was instantly successful, with signups quickly flooding in. The location has now become one of Utah’s largest jiu-jitsu gyms, boasting over 3,200 square feet of mats. Rodrigo anticipates the Riverton gym becoming just as popular, helping people to get fit, confident, and happy.
“Our schools adhere to Gracie Barra’s pillars of brotherhood, integrity, and development,” he says. “These values support students on their lifelong jiu-jitsu journeys and enable every location to offer a standardized curriculum as part of a larger structured learning plan. Once the Riverton gym opens in October, Gracie Barra will touch hundreds more students, shaping them into better people through jiu-jitsu.”
Summary
Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Academy is expanding its presence in Utah with the opening of a third location in Riverton, joining existing schools in Salt Lake City and West Jordan. Led by franchise owners and jiu-jitsu experts Andrea Warner and Rodrigo Ziser, the new Riverton branch will offer classes for all ages and skill levels, embodying Gracie Barra’s values of brotherhood, integrity, and personal development. The expansion reflects the duo’s commitment to bringing the benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu to more students across the state, with the Riverton gym set to open in October.
Published by: Holy Minoza
