There is a new Brazilian jiu-jitsu studio in Point Loma, priding itself on not only teaching the martial art but transforming lives in the process.
Located at 2176 Chatsworth Blvd., Legacy San Diego is led by Edson Jorge, a fifth-degree black belt and multiple-time world jiu-jitsu champion, alongside his daughter Maria Victoria and Brandon Pelts. Their martial arts academy is a place where training goes beyond technique. “We focus on personal growth, discipline, confidence, and resilience skills that shape you on and off the mats,” states the academy’s website at legacybjjsandiego.com.

Legacy’s journey began in 2000 when it was founded by Alberto Crane with a vision to create champions, not just in jiu-jitsu but in life. Over the years, Legacy has grown into a worldwide family, and that same passion and commitment now continues in San Diego.
Growing up immersed in jiu-jitsu, Jorge’s daughter Maria Victoria quickly realized that the art was more than just a sport: It was a lifestyle. This has inspired her, as a coach and mentor, to help students unlock their full potential.

Asked if Brazilian jiu-jitsu involves kicks like karate, Maria Jorge noted that it doesn’t, but rather involves “wrestling, leverage, grappling and different grips.” She added that training at Legacy “always starts with self-defense. What we teach people in the beginning is first of all to avoid a conflict, how to scan the places around you, how to scan people, (read) their body language.”

Jorge pointed out that assuming a correct defensive posture in jiu-jitsu is all about “Being present in the moment, being confident and looking people in the eye.” After that, she said defending oneself is a matter of creating “a stable, firm, confident position. And then from that we go from take downs to movements to immobilize a person on the ground. It’s to put them in a compromised position where they cannot harm you.”

Maria Jorge noted some practitioners are “challenging everyone to prove that jiu-jitsu is the most effective martial art in self-defense. It doesn’t matter how big your opponent is, or whether they’re stronger: You can always take them down.” She added that, in the beginning, jiu-jitsu was only known for self-defense. But over time, she pointed out that Jiu-Jitsu “turned into a sport where people compete.”

Legacy’s roots go back to the 1990s, on the mats of Gracie Barra Belo Horizonte, where Professor Edson Jorge and Professor Alberto Crane forged a strong bond under the legendary Draculino. They trained side by side, pushing each other, growing together, and forming a brotherhood that has stood the test of time.
Thirty years later, that same friendship has brought father-daughter team Edson and Maria Victoria Jorge to Point Loma. Legacy San Diego for them is not just a gym; it is a family affair, built by lifelong friends with a shared mission: to pass on this deep connection, knowledge, and passion to students.

LEGACY SAN DIEGO

Where: 2176 Chatsworth Blvd.

Contact: legacybjjsandiego.com, 619-963-4662.

Jiu-jitsu: Is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat that can be used defensively or offensively against one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponents. Certain styles of jiu-jitsu were used to develop many modern martial arts and combat sports such as judo, aikido, sambo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and mixed martial arts.