About Us
Trasso Jiu Jitsu & Wrestling is a clean, safe, and fun martial arts community for children, teens, and adults — offering world-class instruction in both Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling from a centrally located facility in downtown Glen Rock, NJ.
Our Mission
Our mission is to not only make you or your child proficient in both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling, but to help you get active, get healthy, build confidence, build self-esteem, meet your goals, and experience positive social interaction.
Grappling is one of the most effective, practical, and transferable skills a person can develop. We take that responsibility seriously — delivering world-class instruction in a welcoming environment where beginners and competitors train side by side.
Active & healthy
Regular training builds fitness, strength, and flexibility in a way that never feels like a workout.
Confident & grounded
Learning to control — and be comfortable in — difficult situations carries over directly to everyday life.
Technically sharp
We teach both Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling because complete grapplers need both the ground game and the standup.
Part of a community
The relationships built on the mat are some of the strongest you'll find. We train hard together and support each other.
Our Facility
Located in downtown Glen Rock, NJ, our facility is conveniently accessible from Paramus, Ridgewood, Fair Lawn, Hawthorne, Midland Park, Saddle Brook, Oradell, River Edge, Township of Washington, Maywood, Elmwood Park, Waldwick, Wyckoff, Oakland, Ramsey, Wayne, and surrounding towns throughout Bergen and Passaic Counties.
Daily cleaning
Bathrooms and lockers cleaned daily.
Sterilized mats
Mats swept, mopped, and sterilized at least once per day — between every class.
Clean air
Medical-grade air purification system throughout the facility.
Coaching Staff
Michael Trasso
Michael's journey on the mats began in 1995, training Jiu Jitsu at just five years old. Throughout the next decade, he picked up wrestling and would become one of the world's most accomplished adolescent Jiu Jitsu competitors. In 2008, Michael was recruited to wrestle for Rhode Island College. In 2011, he was nationally ranked #9 and one year later, attained his 100th collegiate victory. In 2016, Michael began teaching and training in San Diego where he received some of his most notable awards in adult Jiu Jitsu competition while training part-time. Michael is a 2x IBJJF World Championship bronze medalist and a 3x IBJJF Pan American Championship medalist. In 2020, he moved back to New Jersey, started The Merge, and opened his own Jiu Jitsu & Wrestling academy.
2x IBJJF World Championship Bronze Medalist
- 2017 Adult Brown Belt Middle-Heavyweight (Gi)
- 2017 Adult Brown Belt Middle-Heavyweight (No Gi)
3x IBJJF No Gi Pan American Championship Medalist
- 2017 Adult Brown Belt Middle-Heavyweight – Gold Medal
- 2018 Adult Black Belt Middleweight – Silver Medal
- 2021 Adult Black Belt Middleweight – Bronze Medal
Other Awards & Achievements
- 2018 & 2019 World Ranked Top 20 No Gi Adult Black Belt Middleweights – FloGrappling
- 2021 IBJJF No Gi New Orleans International Open – Silver Medal (Adult Black Belt)
- 2020 Fight 2 Win 136 No Gi Superfight Winner – 180 lbs. (Adult Black Belt)
- 2019 IBJJF No Gi San Jose International Open – Gold Medal (Adult Black Belt)
- 2018 IBJJF No Gi Las Vegas International Open – Silver Medal (Adult Black Belt)
- 2012 12th Wrestler in Rhode Island College history to earn 100+ wins
- 2006 ADCC North American Trials – Gold Medal (Teens Division)
- 500+ matches in career competition
Axel Bouillin
Axel is a brown belt in Jiu Jitsu and started his journey on the mats in 2016. A former All-American Tennis player at UC San Diego, he pursued Muay Thai and MMA after his collegiate career before fully dedicating himself to Jiu Jitsu. Axel currently teaches two adult no-gi classes a week — Friday morning and Thursday night.
Jacki Bouillin
Jacki is a purple belt who has been training for 5 years. Originally from New York, her grappling journey started in California. She has medaled at Grappling Industries, JJWL, and FUJI BJJ, and assists with the 5-week Intro to Jiu Jitsu program and Kids Jiu Jitsu. Off the mats, Jacki is an Occupational Therapist specializing in neurological rehabilitation with a personal training background.
Sophia Meehan
Sophia started her grappling journey at Trasso JJW in 2022 and is the head coach of the Mighty Pebbles (ages 3–5) program. She is a main chaperone and coach at the Annual Kids Summer Camp and a Junior Coach for Rolling Stones and Iron Boulders. An active competitor in ADCC, IBJJF, JJWL, and NAGA, Sophia also brings extensive experience in toddler care outside the gym.
Ryan Romeo
Ryan assists the head coaches with the Kids Wrestling for Jiu Jitsu program. As a varsity high school wrestler he had 72 wins and earned district and county medals. Ryan is currently pursuing a career in law enforcement.
Matt Williams
Matt is a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu and a military veteran. He helps assistant coach the kids Jiu Jitsu programs and volunteers as an assistant coach for rec wrestling. He has competed in amateur MMA, Jiu Jitsu, and Boxing.
Shane Kelley
Coach Shane started his Jiu Jitsu journey at Trasso JJW in 2022 and is currently a blue belt. He enjoys the camaraderie and self-confidence that comes with training and assists kids' classes as well as the adults 5-week Intro to Jiu Jitsu program. His favorite move on the mats? The Omoplata.
Alyssa Kelley
Alyssa has been part of the Trasso JJW team since inception. You can usually find her at the front desk greeting students and families with a smile. She leads front office operations to ensure everything runs smoothly — and as a blue belt, you might also find her on the mats going for arm bars.
Merge Grappling
Michael Trasso, founder of Merge Grappling (formerly “The Merge”) and owner of Trasso Jiu Jitsu & Wrestling, helps athletes worldwide develop more complete grappling by addressing the gaps in modern Jiu Jitsu. Trasso combines old-school Gracie fundamentals, modern day Jiu Jitsu, and wrestling into a clear, proven system for long-term success. His approach has reached a global audience, generating over 10 million views and more than 75,000 subscribers across his online platforms. Check out some of Trasso's online courses.
One complete game
Jiu Jitsu and Wrestling aren't separate tools — Merge Grappling trains them together so each art strengthens the other.
Built from competition
The curriculum is drawn from Michael's decades of high-level competition in both arts, at the national and world level.
For all levels
Whether you have a wrestling background, a Jiu Jitsu background, or neither — Merge Grappling is structured to meet you where you are.
Train it in person
The same philosophy behind Merge Grappling drives every class at Trasso JJW. Come experience it on the mat.