Judah Ciervo

Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Balance Studios, Muay-Thai Kru under Ajarns Andy Russell and Sakasem Kanthawong Judah is the head instructor and technical foundation of The Garden MMA. A lifelong martial artist, he began training in 1997 and developed through decades of disciplined practice, competition, and coaching across Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, and grappling. His path reflects long-term commitment to skill, adaptability, and the reality of learning through doing. Judah competed for nine years at the amateur level and more than four years as a professional fighter. In 2002, he became a Muay Thai instructor and expanded his training into Sambo and MMA while coaching and competing with the Philadelphia Fight Factory. During this time, he served as a training partner to future MMA standouts including Eddie Alvarez and Zach Makovsky, sharpening his craft in one of the region’s most competitive environments. Judah made his professional MMA debut in 2008 and his professional Muay Thai debut in 2009, competing both nationally and internationally. His career includes a bout in Cambodia against the 2010 Pradal Serey national champion, reflecting his willingness to test himself across rulesets, cultures, and disciplines. While he no longer competes in Muay Thai or MMA, his approach to training remains rooted in real experience, technical honesty, and respect for the demands of the art. Today, Judah continues to compete in No-Gi grappling and remains deeply active in his own development. He won the first Finishers Open at 145 lbs in 2018, placed third at the IBJJF No-Gi World Championships as a brown belt in 2021, and was awarded his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in January 2022 by Phil Migliarese and Ricardo Migliarese.