Coach Shaun Dillon is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt who earned his black belt at American Top Team headquarters, one of the most respected MMA academies in the world. He is the former owner of American Top Team Asheville, where he developed athletes in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, wrestling, and striking.

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Now leading Parabellum Jiu Jitsu MMA Academy, he brings years of high-level coaching, competition experience, and academy leadership to students of all levels- from beginners to competitive athletes.

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​Coach Shaun is an accomplished head instructor and holds a 3rd degree black belt under Ricardo Liborio, who earned his black belt from Grand Master Carlson Gracie. Coach Dillon’s martial arts journey began over 18 years ago in Asheville, before he advanced his training at the American Top Team headquarters in Coconut Creek, Florida. There, he focused on MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Dillon had an impressive fighting record, going 3-0 as an amateur and maintaining the same record as a professional.

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While in Florida, he worked closely with Liborio in coaching MMA, contributing to the training of several renowned UFC fighters, including Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, Todd Duffee, Johnny Eblen, Yoel Romero, and Vitor Belfort. Notably, he was Covington's main grappling coach and they lived together for three years. After returning to Asheville, Dillon established American Top Team Asheville, where he served as both owner and instructor until 2023. He has now launched Parabellum Jiu Jitsu MMA Academy, where he aims to leverage his extensive knowledge and experience as a 3rd degree black belt to impart high-level grappling and MMA techniques to his students—skills that can benefit them in competitions, daily life, or pursuing a professional career.

Nicole Woods is the gym manager at Parabellum and usually the first face you see when you walk through the door. She handles front desk operations, member support, and day-to-day gym flow. 

 

Nicole has been practicing and studying Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 2022, earning a reputation as a fundamentally sound and determined force on the mats. ​She trained for several years under the American Top Team lineage and passes on a strong foundation in proven jiujitsu techniques.

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Nicole believes jiujitsu is essential training for women. On the mats, she encourages others to build real-world skill, grit, and confidence.

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Through her coaching in the women's BJJ class, Nicole aims to help every student develop into a strong, capable practitioner who can remain calm and in control when it matters most.​​

Coach Mark Dillon is a highly technical, master Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner. As Coach Shaun’s brother, he has spent most of his life immersed in combat sports and the discipline that comes with them.

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Mark entered the grappling world with a strong foundation in high school wrestling, where he placed fourth in the state. After being introduced to jiujitsu by Shaun in 2008, his passion for the art quickly became a lifelong pursuit marked by relentless dedication and study.

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He is an accomplished competitor, earning victories across countless tournaments including Fightlab, NAGA, Newbreed, ProJitsu, and the Carolina Combat League. His competitive experience has shaped both his precision and his ability to adapt across rule sets and opponents.

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A black belt, Mark is often referred to as “a walking encyclopedia” of BJJ knowledge. He is especially skilled in the Gi, with a style that emphasizes old-school, traditional self-defense principles and technical mastery. His teaching reflects a deep respect for the roots of jiujitsu while remaining effective for modern competition.

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Most importantly, Coach Mark is a devoted family man. He earned his black belt while raising a growing family-an achievement that reflects both his discipline on the mats and his commitment at home. He is married to the love of his life and is the proud father of seven children. He looks forward to bringing that same sense of legacy, structure, and family into his work at Parabellum, where his family trains alongside him.

Assistant Coach Brandon Babbitt has been training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for nearly a decade, beginning his journey with a simple goal: to learn how to defend himself against bullies. It didn’t take long for him to realize he had found something special. After his very first competition, Brandon was completely hooked on the sport- and he’s been dedicated ever since.

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Over the years, Brandon has developed a well-rounded skill set, training in gi and no-gi jiujitsu, as well as judo, boxing, striking, and elements of MMA. While he continues to expand his knowledge-especially in MMA-his true passion will always be rooted in the gi.

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​Brandon spent years training under the American Top Team lineage. Through that experience, he has developed a solid foundation in effective, battle-tested jiujitsu techniques that he now shares with others on the mats.

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As a coach, Brandon is driven by a desire to give back to the art that has had such a powerful impact on his life. He’s passionate about helping students grow both on and off the mats and takes pride in watching the next generation develop into confident, skilled athletes.

Coach Braden Cermak has spent a decade mastering MMA, focusing on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, wrestling, and Judo. He began his competitive journey in BJJ in 2016, transitioning to MMA, and has earned over 100 wins, primarily by submission.

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Known as "The Surgeon" for his precise, technical style, Braden's accolades include Gold medals at the 2022 ADCC Las Vegas Open and 2023 ADCC California Open, along with national titles like Youth MMA National Champion (2022 & 2023).

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Internationally, Braden is a 2022 Youth MMA World bronze medalist and a 2023 Youth MMA World silver medalist and a Pankration World Champion. He also earned recognition as the MMA star athlete on the Emmy-nominated show All-Round Champion.

 

As an owner of Parabellum Jiu Jitsu MMA Academy, Braden brings his extensive competitive experience to the gym, where he's committed to helping students develop elite skills for both sport and life.

Coach CJ Chandler is a lifelong wrestler with extensive experience as both a competitor and coach. He was ranked in the Top 13 in North Carolina high school wrestling and went on to compete for two seasons at Belmont Abbey College.

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Throughout his career, he has trained alongside World Team members and Olympians, gaining insight into elite-level wrestling and athlete development.

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From 2013–2017, CJ coached Erwin High School during an exciting period in program history, producing multiple state placers, finalists, and a state champion. The team earned a Top 10 state finish and recorded the best winning percentage.

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Coach CJ brings a technical, disciplined approach to the mat and is committed to developing strong fundamentals, toughness, and confidence in every athlete.

Coach Ysidro Alexis has been coined "El Animal". Coach Ysidro is known for his knockout power and his highly skilled takedowns. He began his journey in wrestling at the age of 9.

 

Quickly rising the ranks, he attended many important international training camps in countries like Cuba and Russia. He eventually worked his way into multiple national wrestling championships. What many can only dream of attaining, he achieved. Fulfilling his goal in representing the Dominican Republic on the Olympic Wrestling team.

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Coach Ysidro was a Major Sergeant in the Dominican Police Department obtaining 8 gold medals, 1 silver medal, and 2 bronze medals in the Army Championship Olympics. Coach Ysidro has also obtained 2nd in the Central America Championship, 3rd in the Pan-American Wrestling Championship, and 3rd in the World Championship Wrestling tournament.  With coach Ysidro's extensive experience, he plans to impart his knowledge and skill into the Parabellum team.