LLoyd Barachina | Brown Belt
Lloyd is currently an advanced Brown Belt student of Rigan Machado and teaches the West LA/Brentwoood regular BJJ class when Master Rigan is unavailable.
Kevin Sullivan | Black Belt
Kevin Sullivan, Rigan Machado Black Belt, teaches fundamentals and intermediate BJJ classes in West Los Angeles/Brentwood.
He is living proof that if you start BJJ, and you're not in your 20's, you can still achieve your goals.. You can even get your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt!!
Kevin has been studying martial arts for over 12 years and has worked with some of the best. He started training Muay Thai and standup with Guru Dan Inosanto.
Kevin is also a long time student of Master Rigan, having trained at Rigan Machado Academy in Redondo Beach for many years. A stickler for detail, his classes are top notch. Kevin's classes emphasize the basics of BJJ (at ALL levels), strong positioning, with drills to lock in those basic techniques. He also is a huge fan of working your best to use the techniques you learned in that days class during the free sparring portion.
Kevin teaches every Thursday Night at 7:30p and as fill-in for Master Rigan throughout the week when needed. Kevin also teaches our new Rigan Kids BJJ program on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We're proud to have him on the staff at the Rigan Machado academy!
Kevin is also available for private lessons! be sure to call him at 310-691-3942 or Contact Us above to inquire about privates with Kevin.
Cindy Omatsu | Black Belt
Cindy Omatsu is a Japanese-American black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under senior instructor Rigan Machado and Leka Vieira. She is best known for being the first Asian-American and first woman outside of Brazil to be promoted to black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Cindy was born and raised in Torrance, California the fourth of five children. She attended Madrona Middle school and Torrance High School. Later earning her Associate of Arts degree from El Camino Junior College.
Cindy has been training for over thirteen years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu originally starting for self-defense purposes. She enrolled at Rigan Machado’s school in Redondo Beach, California eventually earning her black belt under Machado and Vieira. Initially hesitant about training due to the lack of female students she continued training eventually becoming the first Asian-American and first woman outside of Brazil to earn a black belt in the art.
Cindy is currently an instructor at Rigan Machado’s Academy in West LA/Brentwood, teaches private lessons and conducts seminars worldwide. In addition to training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Cindy has also trained in Jeet Kune Do under Richard Bustillo, boxing and kickboxing with June Castro, Krav Maga with Mitch Tavera, and wrestling with Frank Trigg and Rico Chiparelli. In addition to teaching martial arts she is also an interviewer for the online magazine website GrappleTV.
Cindy is also well known for her four volume DVD instructional series “Vicious Vixens: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu” which also featured fellow Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor Felicia Oh.
Cindy teaches the BJJ Fundamentals class every Tuesday evening at 7:30p
