Ivan Perez — Founder & Head Coach

Ivan Perez was born and raised in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 25, 1990. The middle child of six, Ivan was raised by his parents, Arturo and Maria, who left behind their lives and dreams in Mexico to give their children the opportunity to build a better future in the United States.

Growing up, Ivan never considered himself naturally athletic or particularly coordinated. He struggled with asthma, experienced bullying, and spent much of his childhood as a quiet kid without a clear idea of what he wanted to become. Sports were never a major part of his life, and he never imagined athletics would eventually become the foundation of his career and identity.

That began to change during his sophomore year of high school when he joined the rowing team, his first real experience with demanding physical training.

Then, in May of 2008, during his senior year, Ivan and his brothers walked into a small MMA gym simply out of curiosity. They knew almost nothing about martial arts at the time, but Ivan was immediately hooked. Under Coach Cardo Urso, he was introduced to MMA, Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing, and Muay Thai.

What started as curiosity quickly became a lifelong pursuit.

As his passion for martial arts grew, Ivan began cross-training between his MMA coach Cardo Urso and his first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu professor, Rich Komar, under Team Balance and the Migliarese brothers. Those early years gave Ivan the foundation that would shape his approach to Jiu Jitsu and martial arts for years to come.

In 2014, Ivan moved to West New York, New Jersey, while working in restaurants in Manhattan. He commuted into the city by bus every day, earning roughly $13 an hour and often barely making enough to cover rent and living expenses. Despite the financial struggle, he continued training, spending a year at Marcelo Garcia Academy as a blue belt. There were times when money meant choosing between comfort and training — and training continued to win.

In 2016, Ivan received his purple belt under Mike Budnik as part of the Renato Tavares Association, marking another important step in his development as a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner.

In 2017, Ivan moved west and continued developing his martial arts career, training at Komainu MMA and Renzo Gracie Reno before eventually returning to the East Coast.

Then came 2020.

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the world, Ivan lost his job. Rather than allowing that moment to determine what came next, he ordered Zebra Mats, heavy bags, Muay Thai pads, and whatever equipment he could afford and began building something of his own.

That decision became Pressure Jiu Jitsu & MMA.

What began during one of the most uncertain periods of his life developed into an academy and community built around the martial arts that had given him direction years earlier.

Ivan later received his brown belt under Rich Komar in 2021 before transitioning over to Professor JT Torres of Essential Jiu Jitsu.

After beginning his journey in 2008, Ivan earned his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Professor JT Torres in 2025 — more than 17 years after first stepping onto the mats. For Ivan, earning his black belt was not the completion of the journey, but another beginning. He remains a student of the sport, continuously studying the evolution of Jiu Jitsu while expanding his knowledge of MMA and striking.

Today, Ivan is the founder and head coach of Pressure Jiu Jitsu & MMA in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, where he works to pass those lessons on to the next generation of students.

His philosophy as a coach extends far beyond winning matches, earning medals, or developing technically skilled martial artists. He believes martial arts can teach discipline, resilience, confidence, humility, and the ability to continue moving forward when life does not go according to plan.

Ivan's story was never built around being the most naturally talented person in the room. It was built around persistence.

Nearly two decades after discovering martial arts, he remains as passionate about learning, training, and teaching as he was when he first began.

His goal is simple: to continue growing as a martial artist, share everything he learns with his students, uphold the responsibility that comes with being a coach and mentor, and build an academy where people from all walks of life can discover what martial arts once helped him discover within himself.

For Ivan, Pressure is about more than martial arts. It is about creating the kind of place that can change someone's direction, give them purpose, and show them that where they begin does not have to determine where they finish.

Because sometimes the person who starts with no idea where they're going eventually becomes the person helping others find their way.