Learn practical self-defense, build real confidence, and become part of a close-knit team led by two experienced black belt instructors.
1007 N Bickett Blvd, Louisburg, NC 27549
Students come to Black Sheep looking for self-defense or exercise. They stay because they discover confidence, discipline, friendships, and a skill they’ll continue developing for the rest of their lives.
Learn leverage, control, escapes, and submissions that can help a smaller person manage a larger opponent.
Improve strength, conditioning, mobility, coordination, and endurance without relying on repetitive gym routines.
Learn to stay calm, solve problems, and keep working when a situation becomes difficult.
Training forces you to focus on the present moment and gives you a productive way to release stress.
Build friendships and improve alongside training partners who share the same commitment to growth.
Carlson Gracie was the eldest son of Carlos Gracie and one of the most influential figures in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He believed techniques should be proven through hard training, live resistance, and real competition—not just practiced in theory. His approach transformed Jiu-Jitsu into a faster, more aggressive, pressure-based style that continues to influence elite competitors and MMA fighters around the world.
His academy became famous for relentless pressure, dominant top control, powerful takedowns, outstanding conditioning, and a team-first culture. Carlson encouraged his students to constantly test their skills against fully resisting opponents, creating generations of competitors known for their toughness, technical ability, and fighting spirit.
Long before the UFC was founded in 1993, Carlson Gracie and his students were already proving their skills in Brazil’s legendary Vale Tudo (“anything goes”) fights—the direct predecessor to modern mixed martial arts. These no-holds-barred contests demanded techniques that worked under real fighting conditions, helping establish the Carlson Gracie Team as one of the most respected fighting organizations in the world.
The Carlson Gracie Team went on to dominate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, produce countless world champions, and develop many of the pioneers who helped shape the early years of professional MMA. Today, students training under the Carlson Gracie banner continue a tradition built on discipline, pressure, teamwork, and techniques that have been proven at the highest levels of competition.
Develop positional control, forward pressure, and the ability to make an opponent react.
Techniques are practiced against active partners instead of remaining theoretical demonstrations.
Carlson’s academy became known as a proving ground for elite BJJ competitors and early MMA athletes.
The Carlson Gracie approach is not limited to collecting points. It develops the attributes and techniques needed to control a resisting opponent, protect yourself, compete, and keep improving for years.
Black Sheep Jiu Jitsu represents the Carlson Gracie Team in Louisburg. Students learn within a lineage recognized for testing technique through live resistance and developing complete grapplers rather than teaching isolated techniques.
Your instructors are not presenting a generic collection of moves. They are carrying forward a recognizable training philosophy built around positional dominance, takedowns, conditioning, repeated attacks, and loyalty to the team.
Black Sheep Jiu Jitsu welcomes complete beginners, experienced martial artists, children, parents, competitors, military members, law enforcement officers, and anyone ready to grow.
Learn from two senior black belts with more than 13 years of experience each.
New students are introduced to technique and live training progressively instead of being overwhelmed.
Age-appropriate training helps adults and children develop skill, confidence, and discipline.
Train for real-life confidence while retaining the option to compete and test your skills.
Develop a broader martial arts skill set with grappling, takedowns, and striking applications.
The academy emphasizes trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and compassion.
Whether your goal is self-defense, fitness, competition, or simply becoming harder to beat tomorrow than you were today, you’ll find teammates who challenge you, support you, and celebrate your progress every step of the way.
Black Sheep Jiu Jitsu students benefit from two experienced instructors with backgrounds spanning competition, self-defense, military boxing, law-enforcement training, wrestling, and multiple branches of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Professor Tim has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the past 13 years, achieving the rank of 1st degree black belt.
He has also trained in boxing while in the US Army. Professor Tim competed early in his BJJ career, with all podium finishes.
He has also taught BJJ classes periodically at several other gyms. Not only does he have a passion for training BJJ but is passionate about teaching and self-defense.
He has received both his level 1 and 2 Gracie Survival Tactics Certificates and was featured in the GST teaching video library. He also holds several other certifications he holds for teaching law enforcement officers throughout the region, most recently becoming a Special operations combatives (SOCP) instructor.
Professor Tim brings this training and experience into the gym as well, hosting self defense seminars and weaving those lessons into the regular curriculum.
Jack began his martial arts journey in middle school as a way to cope with bullying. Captivated by the discipline and challenge of martial arts, he trained in karate, taekwondo, and wrestling during grade school and into college.
His introduction to grappling came early when he joined his middle school wrestling team. After college, life and work took priority until a move to California in 2005 rekindled his passion. In 2005, Jack discovered a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym nearby and joined without hesitation.
That same year, he earned his blue belt under Marcelo Pereira from Gracie Barra. In 2008, he achieved his purple belt under Carlson Gracie black belt Odie Neto. Upon returning to North Carolina, Jack continued his training and earned his Royce Gracie brown belt in 2013, awarded by Billy Dowey and Jason Culbreth. Jack has trained under all three branches of brazilian jiu jitsu for a total of 21 years of training. Jack received his Black Belt under the Carlson Gracie Team.
A good academy should make it easier to focus, learn, and return each week. Black Sheep Jiu Jitsu provides structured instruction, experienced supervision, and a welcoming atmosphere for students and families.
A dedicated environment for focused, consistent martial arts training.
Classes are led by senior black belts who understand safe progression and appropriate intensity.
Beginners, families, women, children, competitors, and experienced students train together respectfully.
Nobody begins as an expert. Our instructors and teammates will help you build confidence one class at a time while learning authentic Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Meet your instructor, see the academy, and ask any questions before class begins.
We explain where to go, what to wear, and how the class will work.
Practice beginner-friendly movements with patient coaching and an appropriate partner.
You will know what training feels like and which program best fits your goals.
Every program follows the same commitment to practical skill, live resistance, safe progression, and Carlson Gracie team culture.
Develop self-defense, fitness, pressure-tested technique, and confidence through gi and no-gi training.
Help your child develop confidence, discipline, resilience, coordination, and safe grappling skills.
Add takedowns, no-gi grappling, striking, and MMA-oriented applications to build a broader martial arts skill set.
Some students come to learn self-defense. Others want fitness, competition, confidence, discipline, or a stronger connection with their family. The common result is measurable progress built one class at a time.
Students learn to remain calmer, communicate more clearly, and trust their ability to solve difficult problems.
Training becomes a positive routine that improves fitness, discipline, and long-term personal accountability.
Students who choose to compete can test their technique, learn from pressure, and return with clearer goals.
Parents and children gain a shared activity, common language, and a community that supports their progress.
Students gain practical experience controlling distance, escaping bad positions, and staying composed.
Training partners celebrate promotions, tournament results, breakthroughs, and the small wins that lead to lasting growth.
Read verified reviews and learn what current students value about the instruction, atmosphere, and community.
It is commonly associated with pressure, takedowns, top control, competition, cross-training, and testing technique against active resistance. A combat tested approach.
Whether your goal is practical self-defense, better fitness, competition, confidence, or helping your child grow, your first class is the place to begin.
Black Sheep Jiu Jitsu • 1007 N Bickett Blvd, Louisburg, NC 27549
