About Us
Everyone at our school is here to work, learn, and – of course – have fun at the same time! You can join our community and know that you are working alongside like-minded people who want to better themselves through Jiu-Jitsu. This is a safe environment where everyone can have fun and progress in their skills. Each student is set up for success as they are guided along their journey. The detailed instruction, tight-knit community, and pursuit of excellence make Rankin Jiu-Jitsu Academy a special Brandon Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school!
Who We Are
TAKE A LOOK AT
OUR PROGRAMS
Do you want to learn more about our adult and kids Jiu-Jitsu programs? Then make sure to go to their individual program pages to see what we do, the specific benefits, and more. And don’t forget our Tiny Tykes program!
SIGN UP FOR OUR
FAMILY DISCOUNT
We love to see whole families train with us. You can bring the whole household at a reduced rate with our progressive family discount! Sign up today and roll into a great experience everyone can enjoy!
CHECK OUT OUR
SCHEDULE
Have you taken a look at our schedule? If not, make sure you do. You can find the best time for you and your family to hit the mats and get to work! We look forward to having you join us on your BJJ journey!
GET YOUR
FIRST WEEK OF TRAINING FREE!
We understand getting started at a new Jiu-Jitsu school or Jiu-Jitsu in general isn’t always easy. Committing to a school on a long-term basis before ever training on their mats doesn’t seem right. That’s why we offer our special trial – sign up for a week of FREE BJJ classes! Join us today to see what training with us is like.
Sign up for our one-week trial!
You can join us for a FREE week of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes with our trial—sign up and see what our Brandon BJJ school can do for you!
Meet our
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructors
Our team is dedicated to helping each student reach their full potential during Jiu-Jitsu classes. Their experience in martial arts and working with others make them the best instructors to lead kids, adults, beginners, hobbyists, and competitors to great success. Take a look below at who leads the way on our mats!
Justin Donald
Owner & Head Instructor
Instructor Justin Donald started training martial arts when he was seven years old. He began studying Taekwondo under Kevin Kimery and has continued learning martial arts ever since.
In July 2001, he joined the US Air Force and retired after 20 years of service as a Special Agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. In this position he was responsible for investigating felony level crimes with an Air Force nexus. He also worked in counterintelligence, personal protection, and fraudulent activities. During his time in the military, he was assigned as the personal security advisor to the top US General in Europe and Africa. He conducted many protective service operations throughout Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Throughout his military career, instructor Donald was able to study different martial arts with many high-level masters. Following his retirement from active duty in 2021, he became a fulltime martial arts instructor.
Instructor Donald has achieved the rank of 3rd degree Black Belt in Taekwondo, 1st degree Black Belt in Hapkido, and Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Instructor Donald has vast experience teaching children martial arts including time as an instructor for the King Tiger Taekwondo Association in Goldsboro North Carolina. He was the head instructor for the Tiny Tigers program which introduced children aged 3-5 to Taekwondo.
Next instructor Donald taught the art of Hapkido through the Chun Tu Kwan Hapkido association while stationed in Virginia. He also began his training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu while stationed in Virginia under the Pedro Sauer Association.
His last assignment at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi allowed him to meet and train under Leonardo Delgado in D’iberville who is still his professor. Instructor Donald was a member of the staff and was the head instructor for the Tiny Tykes and Little Grapplers programs at the Leonardo Delgado Jiu-Jitsu Academy. These introductory programs introduced kids ages 3-6 to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Instructor Donald also used his experience as a Special Agent to conduct many Women’s Self Defense courses as well as anti-bullying courses by utilizing real word examples of what people face.
Instructor Donald continues his training with Master Kevin Kimery, Professor Leonardo Delgado and Master Thomas Locke. His passion is to share his love for the martial arts to all people and to help them achieve their goals whatever they may be. In 2023 Instructor Donald moved back to Rankin county to be closer to family and to help his father in his battle with Cancer. In an effort to continue helping people learn martial arts, he created Donald’s Defensive Arts LLC and opened Rankin Jiu-Jitsu Academy in order to provide top quality martial arts training to the people of Rankin County.
Leonardo Delgado
Professor
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and with over 20 years of experience, Professor Leonardo Delgado is a 3rd degree black belt. He holds World, Pan American, and National Championships among many other accomplishments. Professor Leonardo Delgado coached Justin, and is still his professor to this day.
Words from Our Community
Here at Rankin Jiu-Jitsu Academy, we want to make the most of your time training. We understand the importance of balancing Jiu-Jitsu and the rest of life and want to make your experience as enjoyable and beneficial as possible. You can see this in our student testimonials! You can take a look at what members of our community have to say about why we’re a great home for your Jiu-Jitsu training!
“Both of my kiddos take classes here and we couldn’t be happier!! It’s definitely a family friendly environment and a place for kids to learn and grow.”
“The class is not intimidating and is scaled for the student as they learn. If you are on the fence give their free week a try. You will not regret it.”
“The whole atmosphere is very welcoming. I have learned a lot in just a few months. Also, the price is very reasonable for the amount of training being offered.”
“This is a fun place to learn, and training is thoroughly explained by coach Justin. I love the exercise and the experience! They are great with the Kids too!”
“If you’ve ever thought to try Jiu-Jitsu yourself or enroll your kiddos, Rankin Jiu-Jitsu Academy is the premier BJJ establishment in Brandon!”
Class Schedule
Make sure to check out our school schedule, we have Jiu-Jitsu classes four days a week with announced open mats on Saturdays!
You’re in
Good Hands with Us
We pride ourselves on changing lives through BJJ. Our commitment to the fundamentals helps students thrive in self-defense, competition-based training, mental focus, and so much more. Our family-friendly and detail-oriented environment is perfect for anyone to join. We hope you can find a home for your training with us! Please reach out with any questions you may have.
Contact Us!
We are proud to provide high-quality Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training in Brandon and welcome all students nearby, including those from Pearl, Flowood, Pelahatchie, and Florence. You can find us a mile away from Interstate 20 off Highway 80 near Rankin County Co-Op Store!