Matt Skretta

Matt Skretta began his martial arts journey as a college freshman studying Kuk Sool Won in North Dakota, earning his brown belt before moving to Virginia in 2002. He then trained in Kempo Karate, receiving his black belt in 2008. Shortly after, Matt was introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and began training BJJ in 2009 at Total Defense Martial Arts in Staunton, VA with Brian Rose, and under the guidance of Dennis Hayes (owner of Hybrid Jiu Jitsu in Roanoke, VA). Matt received his BJJ brown belt from Dennis Hayes before moving to Charlottesville in 2021. Continuing his training at Gracie Charlottesville, Matt received his BJJ black belt from Shaun Kennedy in 2026.

As a Captain for a major global airline, Matt has had the unique opportunity to train at BJJ gyms worldwide. In addition to his martial arts background Matt has served as a flight instructor for a major university and two airlines, and he continues to teach sailplane pilots. His approach to Jiu-Jitsu and self-defense is strongly influenced by his aviation career: focusing on incremental daily improvement and prioritizing safety in everything we do. When not on the mats or flying, Matt enjoys exploring the world with his wife and two children.

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