Community Champions: Las Cruces Jiu-Jitsu studio producing top talent

Professor Jacob Benitez is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu today, but his love of martial arts all started with Bruce Lee, he says.

He’s turned that lifelong affection for martial arts into a blossoming Jiu-Jitsu stuido called Gracie Barra Las Cruces.

And under the tutelage of Benitez, many students are excelling in their young careers.

That includes nine-year-old Kolby Gonzales, who has won multiple world titles already, including one last week at a competition in California that featured more than 1,700 competitors.

“It makes me proud because it really shows that they’re paying attention here and they’re learning something that they can go out and apply in competition,” said Benitez.

Kolby is a prodigy who says he discovered his talent for Jiu-Jitsu, which emphasizes grappling and control of your opponent, after he became frustrated with team sports.

“It’s because I wasn’t really a team sports player,” he said. “I got kind of upset when I lost with a team. So, it was either golf or Jiu-Jitsu. And I think I made the right choice.”

That choice has led to nearly a dozen victories at major competitions and about 50 gold medals total. It’s led Kolby to become somewhat of a celebrity on the circuit.

“My favorite part is you can go wherever and basically anybody knows you, no matter how big or small you are,” he said.

Other fighters at the gym include Jacobo Martos, who used what he learned in Jiu-Jitsu to win his first MMA fight recently.

“They call it ‘The Gentle Art.’ It’s very smooth. You’re able to control your opponent,” said Martos. “Obviously, it’s easier said than done.”

And though his MMA journey is just beginning, he knows the lessons he learns from Professor Benitez will carry him through the rest of his career and beyond.

“I think martial arts is for life. I plan on doing this until I’m old and can no longer do it anymore,” Martos said.

Despite having years of training behind him, Benitez says that he, too, continues to learn more and more each day about the discipline.

“It’s a growing art,” he said. “So, a lot of times there’s new techniques coming out. The art is constantly evolving. So, even as a black belt, I’m still learning new techniques, new things.”

For more information on Gracie Barra Las Cruces, you can click this link.