Instructors
You are not rich until you have something money can’t buy, and that is what our Professors and Instructors have to offer. We provide priceless knowledge, passion and dedication. Learning martial arts will teach you focus, discipline, memory, goal setting, respect, confidence, and the realization of the effort that it takes to become a self confident individual.
Head Professor/Owner
Daniel Souza
Professor Daniel “Coyote” Souza-
Professor Daniel “Coyote” Souza was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and raised in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In 1981 Professor Souza began training Judo. In 1985 he started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Rui Diniz Ferreira, 7th Degree Coral Belt and Master Hilton Leao Silva, 9th Degree Red Belt. Professor “Souza” earned his Degree in Physical Education in 1998. In 1993, Professor Souza began teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the school of his former master. In 1996 he began teaching under his own name, Coyote Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In 2000, Professor Souza founded Coyote Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Brazil, now affiliated with Carlson Gracie Team.
Professor Souza began teaching in the United States beginning in 2002, San Diego, CA. He finally moved permanently to Albuquerque, NM in 2016 holding the rank of a 6th Degree Balck Belt. There, he has built his Coyote Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy/Carlson Gracie Team from the ground up. He is married with Gabriela Souza who is also owner of the academy, and has four kids; Ryckson(27), Rollyson(23), Alex, and Sarah, they all practice BJJ.
Professor Souza has won multiple titles and medals as an individual athlete throughout his martial arts career, and his school has earned multiple first place titles and trophies.
Professor Souza’s martial arts career summarized:
42 years of Judo, Godan 5th Dan Black Belt
37 years of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, 6th Degree Black Belt
20 years of Muay Thai, Silver/Red Kruang-Prajied
1994-2008 MMA (21-2)
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Instructor
Gabriela Souza
Gabriela Souza-
Gabriela Souza was born in Mexico and raised in Albuquerque, NM and El Paso, TX. She owns and manages an insurance agency, helps her husband Professor Souza manage their academy, is a mother of two; 15-year-old son Alex and a 13-year-old Sarah. Gabriela has been training for 4+ years. She holds a Purple belt in Jiu-jitsu and a white Krueng Prajied in Muay Thai under her husband Professor Souza. She is also a yellow belt in Judo.
Gabriela was a wrestler for many years, she was one of the first female wrestlers in the state of NM to go to the State Championships as well as the first female to be Captain of a male and female varsity wrestling team in the state. Gabriela won multiple awards, medals, and trophies, competing against both male and female opponents. When Gabriela was younger she also held a green belt in Kenpo Karate and trained under Bill Packer.
Gabriela enjoys training with her family and coaching in both Spanish and English.
Her passion for martial arts arises in the form of self-defense and female empowerment. Her long-term goal is to provide ongoing free women’s self-defense seminars that benefit domestic violence survivors and shelters for women and children. Gabriela’s ultimate goal is to empower survivors and their children.
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Instructor
Professor Richard Padilla
Professor Richard Padilla was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. He is an 8-year Army Veteran. Father of two, 22-year-old son Joshua, a 4 stripe purple belt, and a 25-year-old daughter Melanie.
Professor Richard began his Jiu-jitsu journey in 2009 at Pitbull, owned by Master Bitta under the instruction of Kale Lopez and his brother Kalo Lopez, 3rd Degree Black belt. He started as a parent of two Jiu-Jitsu athletes. He sat for a year watching his children train until other athletes and his family encouraged him to join. Once he was on the mats, he never looked back – he was hooked!
In 2016 he became a student of Professor Daniel Souza, 5th Degree Black Belt. Under Professor Souza, Professor Richard completed his training as a purple belt, and a Brown belt and received his Black belt in 2019.
His proudest moment in Jiu-Jitsu was when he earned his black belt but also his Purple belt. “There are so many students that do not continue with their Martial Arts training after getting their blue belt, but after getting your purple belt it is a huge milestone which gives you a greater chance of earning your black belt.” – Professor Richard
When Professor Richard began instructing he immediately realized he loved seeing how a student progresses within the Martial Art and how they develop their style. His favorite quote comes from a fellow Jiu-Jitsu athlete and University Professor Josh Santarpia, “Teaching is the other part of learning.” Teaching reinstills the technique. In Jiu-Jitsu you never stop learning!
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Instructor
Aasin Hutras
Aasin Hutras was born in Orange, Texas but spent most of his life growing up in different areas due to his dad’s job. He was introduced to wrestling when he was 8 and has spent most of his life on the mat since.
He wrestled all the way through his junior year of high school, was a varsity wrestler his whole wrestling career, competed in many out of school tournaments such as Junior Olympics and multiple other national and international tournaments. Obtaining numerous medals and accolades throughout the years he spent wrestling.
After high school he had to take some time away from the mat to get himself through college and start his career. After establishing his career and getting to a point in his life where he was able to, he made it back to the mats by taking up Jiu-Jitsu in 2019.
His extensive background in multiple different styles of wrestling made his transition to jiu-jitsu very straightforward and instinctive. Using his wrestling skills, he was able to work his way to achieving his blue belt in just 16 months and his purple belt after 3 years.
He has used Jiu-jitsu to better his life in numerous aspects. When he started his adventure in jiu-jitsu he was 300 pounds and couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without getting winded. Now he has lost over 120 pounds and has a new appreciation for life.
He is currently training and progressing his skills in jiu-jitsu under Professor Souza. He hopes one day after earning his black belt to open his own gym and help grow jiu-jitsu throughout the world.
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