Our Team - Nexus Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy

Our Team

Meet the Nexus Team

Expert coaching. Strong leadership. Genuine care.

At Nexus, our people shape the culture of the academy.

At Nexus, our people shape the culture of the academy. Every coach, mentor, and training partner plays a role in creating an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and properly guided. We believe the people around you matter. The quality of your coaching matters. The standard of the room matters. That is why Nexus is built around more than just technique. It is built around leadership, consistency, professionalism, and genuine care for every student’s growth — from young beginners to serious competitors.

The right team. The right decision.

MEET THE NEXUS TEAM.

Our Coaches

Murat Karadenizli

Head Coach & Founder

Murat’s journey into Jiu-Jitsu began at a time when there were very few places to train. When he started, there was no academy nearby, so he travelled across Melbourne each day just for the chance to learn. Later, that journey expanded even further, taking him across the world — including America and Brazil — in pursuit of deeper knowledge, better coaching, and connection with others who shared the same passion for the art. Over time, the mats became more than just a place to train. They became a place of focus, challenge, growth, and belonging. That experience shaped the vision behind Nexus. Murat built Nexus to create the kind of place he wished existed when he first started: a place where people could access high-level coaching, train in a structured environment, and be surrounded by the right people. A place where kids could grow in confidence and discipline, adults could make meaningful changes in their lives, and serious students could pursue excellence properly. As a coach, Murat is known for his deep technical understanding, high standards, and commitment to structured learning. Influenced early by Pedro Sauer and later by John Danaher’s systemised approach, he believes students improve best when training is taught with clarity, purpose, and strong foundations. At the centre of everything is a simple belief: the right environment can change lives.

Tosca Petridis

Boxing & Kickboxing Coach

Tosca Petridis is a former World Champion and a major addition to the Nexus coaching team. His Boxing and Kickboxing classes bring high-level striking experience, real fight knowledge, and structured technical coaching to Nexus Jiu-Jitsu & MMA in Coburg. Tosca’s coaching focuses on strong fundamentals, footwork, timing, defence, combinations, fitness, confidence, and practical striking skill. His calm, professional approach helps beginners build a strong foundation while giving experienced students the detail, discipline, and standards needed to keep improving. At Nexus, Tosca strengthens our striking program and helps members develop well-rounded martial arts skills for Boxing, Kickboxing, MMA, fitness, self-defence, and long-term growth. Training with Tosca gives our members the opportunity to learn from a champion in a safe, structured, and high-standard environment.

Craig Searle

Jiu-Jitsu Instructor

Craig is a highly experienced grappler with a strong background in both competition and coaching. His teaching combines technical precision, calm communication, and practical detail, making his classes valuable for both beginners and experienced students. He has a gift for breaking down complex techniques into clear, usable steps that students can understand and apply with confidence. His sessions are structured, energetic, and built around helping people improve the right way. Craig brings depth, professionalism, and genuine passion to the Nexus mats, making him a trusted coach within the academy.

Luca Dolfini

Kids & Adults Jiu-Jitsu Instructor

Luca is a long-time Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and a foundational part of the Nexus coaching team. He brings consistency, energy, and genuine care to every class he leads, helping students improve in a way that feels clear, supportive, and well-structured. Highly experienced in working with children, Luca plays an important role in the development of our Kids Program. Parents value his professionalism, patience, and leadership, while students respond to his ability to make learning engaging, understandable, and productive. Whether he is coaching kids or adults, Luca helps create the kind of atmosphere Nexus is known for: positive, focused, and built around real progress.

Sheridon

BoxFit & Kids/Teens Boxing Coach

Sheridon’s sporting background began with dance at age five and includes three years of Victorian squad netball. She discovered boxing and combat sports during the COVID lockdowns and has since trained daily with experienced boxing and strength-and-conditioning trainers. With eight-plus amateur fights and experience training alongside Melbourne professional boxers, Sheridon brings practical experience to bag work, pad work, core strength and conditioning. Her training includes both high- and low-intensity exercise. She holds Certificates III and IV in Fitness and a Bronze Certificate in Disabilities. Her experience also includes supporting people with dementia and life-restricting illnesses, and teaching children self-defence.

JVPhoto to follow

Jenny Vouthas

Administration Director

Full biography to follow.

Biography coming soon

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Sinem Karadenizli

Reception & Member Support

Full biography to follow.

Biography coming soon

What Makes Our Coaches Special

100% Commitment on The Mat

Highly Experienced

With years of practice our coaches have mastered there skills and help young fighters shape their future.

Focused and Result Driven

There main focus is to bring the best in you and they don’t leave your growth to chances.

Provide All Round Support

Our coaches not only support you on the mats but also in other aspects of life too, to keep you focused.

READY TO START?

LET’S GET STARTED.

Whether you are looking for the right place for your child, ready to begin your own training journey, or searching for a serious academy with strong coaching and real community, Nexus is here to help you take the next step.

View our timetable and find the right place to begin.

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