Our Community
Every person who walks through our doors has their own reason for training. Some are chasing competition gold. Some want to get fit, build confidence, or find a new challenge. Some do not know yet—and that is perfectly fine. At DEN BJJ, your path is yours to define.
We built this gym around the belief that jiu jitsu is best explored, not prescribed. Our classes give you time and space to absorb techniques, experiment with your game, and develop a style that fits you.
What we care about is the community around that exploration: a mat culture built on respect, genuine welcome, and the shared understanding that everyone here is working toward something meaningful.
Head Instructor
Nathan Hughes
Black Belt · 10+ Years
Nathan started training in December 2015 in Kansas City, after earning a black belt in Taekwondo. His path took him across the country: his blue belt from Andrew Osterlund at Americana BJJ, his purple belt from Cassio Werneck, and his brown and black belts from Jason Bircher at KCBJJ. He received his black belt on September 19, 2026.
He moved to Aurora with his wife when her job brought them to Denver. Off the mats he works as an IT administrator for Friends of Recovery Association, a nonprofit that supports people in recovery across Kansas, and he's into bodybuilding and weight training.
Why I Started DEN BJJ
Over ten years of training, I found that helping the people in the room get better meant more to me than my own progress. That's where DEN BJJ started.
Along the way I trained at gyms I loved and gyms that weren't a good fit, and I paid attention to both. I wanted a room where everyone is welcome, regardless of race, religion, sex or origin, with real safety policies and a clear way to report a problem.
I'm autistic and have ADHD. Sales pitches, contracts, complicated membership plans, and having to ask a coach for permission to pause all made me uncomfortable, and big, packed gyms left me overstimulated. So DEN BJJ has none of that friction: no pitch, no contract, you manage your own membership, and you can pause any time.
I also live with psoriatic arthritis, so I know we have to meet jiu jitsu where our life is. Training never looks the same for two people, or for one person at different stages of life. Our beginners program builds the fundamentals at your own pace. Our advanced classes focus on positional drilling and games, with plenty of time to explore your own game.
A Safe Place to Train
All DEN BJJ instructors are SafeSport trained, and DEN BJJ participates in the SafeSport program to help maintain a safe, respectful environment for every athlete.
Read our safeguarding policy