Building Safer Communities
No Belt Required provides continued defensive tactics training for law enforcement and first responders, strengthening de-escalation skills, building confidence, and creating safer outcomes for officers and the communities they serve.
Our Mission
Empowering law enforcement and first responders through continued defensive tactics and de-escalation training.
02 · Guard work
03 · Partner academy
Sponsor
AZPOST Accredited
This course has received full AZPOST accreditation for continued training credit.
Our ultimate goal is to save law enforcement, first responder, and community member lives while enhancing community safety, improving the physical and mental health of first responders, and growing public trust.
Our expert martial artist and first responder staff at No Belt Required have created a foundational program to teach the most effective and applicable moves from the most effective self-defense disciplines.
The classes focus on teaching the skills you need to protect yourself and others.
Our instructors are a mix of first responder professionals with extensive real-life policing experience and martial arts training, as well as expert civilian martial arts practitioners and coaches who understand the need for further education for our law enforcement community.
Instructors teach a small, specifically chosen list of effective, proven techniques in every discipline and focus on providing an experienced and safe place to practice, practice, practice.
Practice makes progress.
Why It Matters
Empowering law enforcement and first responders through continued defensive tactics training, with the NBR community behind you.
No Belt Required is committed to supporting first responders in their well-being journey. Our program provides a dedicated space for decompression and mental wellness, fostering a community where officers can share experiences and access resources to navigate the unique challenges of the job.
We build your confidence through hands-on training in defensive tactics and de-escalation techniques. By weaving these practices into every program, we make sure you not only acquire valuable skills but also gain the confidence to apply them effectively when it counts.
At No Belt Required, we foster a community of motivated officers and staff committed to self-improvement and community betterment. Our programs offer opportunities for team building, problem-solving, and networking, so you can collaborate with people from departments across the region.
Meet the Coaches
Our dedicated instructors are first responders and expert martial artists committed to positive impact and community growth. Tap a coach to read their story.
Head Coach
NBR Head Coach
Brendon Brumitt has been an avid martial artist since the age of 6 years old. His journey began with Taekwondo and Karate classes provided at the YWCA/YMCA after school program. In his teenage years, he ventured out to Japanese Jujutsu and continued to train Karate as time permitted. Upon joining the military, he continued his Jujutsu training in Japan and eventually obtained his 5th degree black belt. Upon completion of his time in the military, he returned to the US and opened his own Japanese Jujutsu training group and continued to teach and train. In 2005, he returned to Japan and began competing in Judo and training in mixed martial arts. During that time, he competed in MMA, Judo and Combat Submission Wrestling. He returned to the US again in 2014 and began training in Judo and eventually transitioned to Brazilian Jujutsu.
Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
My name is Natalie Garland. I started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2012 at the age of 35. I did not have any grappling experience when I started. Now I am a Black Belt under David Reilly. I got my Black Belt in November 2022. I currently teach at two gyms, Mako and Undisputed here in Tucson, AZ. I love teaching. The best part about teaching is the students. Watching their progression, makes this job the best job in the world.
Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
My name is Yegor Makhiboroda and I am a brown belt under David Reilly at Undisputed. I have been training Jiu Jitsu for 6 years. Grappling has brought amazing people into my life and has given me the opportunity to travel and train all over the world. I am excited to share this art with others through coaching. I believe grappling can be a powerful vehicle for personal growth if you let it. I love no-gi grappling and have been focused on wrestling over the last few years.
Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
I was approached by Mike Pelton and asked if I’d be interested in helping teach Jiu-Jitsu to first responders. I said, “heck yes, great idea!” and from that moment on, I’ve been proud to be involved with this incredible organization. Being part of something that uses Jiu-Jitsu to make a real difference in people’s lives has been both meaningful and rewarding.
Muay Thai & Striking Coach
John Bassford began his martial arts journey in search of more than just self-defense. He was drawn to the sense of community that training can create. From the start, he believed in the power of martial arts to bring people together through discipline, shared struggle, and personal growth. The camaraderie and respect found on the mats quickly became something he wanted to pass on to others.
Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
I grew up in sunny Florida and began my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 2017 with American Top Team Orlando, training under the guidance of Professor Paul Rodriguez. Over the years, BJJ became more than just a hobby. It became a central part of my life. Through hard work and consistent training, I earned my brown belt before relocating to Tucson in 2023.
Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
Gerald Garland is the head Jiu-Jitsu instructor at Undisputed Tucson and holds the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the respected Professor David Reilly. With over two decades of experience on the mats, Gerald brings a rare combination of technical knowledge, real-world experience, and a deep passion for teaching that has made him one of the most trusted and respected instructors in the Tucson martial arts community.
Who We Train
Local, state, tribal, and federal agencies across Southern Arizona train with NBR.
18 agencies and counting · Southern Arizona and beyond
Class Schedule
NBR Class. Focus this week: reguarding, sprawl / down block.
Members and first-timers welcome
NBR Class. Focus this week: reguarding, sprawl / down block.
Members and first-timers welcome
NBR Class. Focus this week: reguarding, sprawl / down block.
Members and first-timers welcome
NBR Class. Focus this week: reguarding, sprawl / down block.
Members and first-timers welcomeFrom the Ranks
When I first saw what No Belt Required offered, I realized there were significant gaps in my skills, even after the training I received as a police officer. Having wrestled through high school and college, I immediately saw how applicable these techniques are on the street. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gives officers practical skills and confidence for situations where traditional academy training may fall short. Knowing BJJ can only help you. Not knowing it can put you at a serious disadvantage.
FAQ
Everything an officer, chief, or donor usually asks before they get involved. Still have a question? We answer every email within two business days.
No Belt Required is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the safety of law enforcement officers, first responders, and the communities they serve through continued martial arts and defensive tactics training. Our mission is to provide practical, ongoing training that builds confidence, improves physical skills, supports mental wellness, and helps first responders better prepare for real world situations.
News
StoriesEvery now and then, you get a guest on the show who doesn’t just share a story, they drop truth. Mike Pelton is one of those guys. Mike and I go way back. We both barely graduated from Palo Verde High School, started our careers as Pima County Deputies, and eventually served as City of Tucson Police Officers. That shared path isn’t just a coincidence, it’s a calling. For guys like us, being the protector wasn’t a job we applied for; it’s just who we were. We stayed out of trouble, stood up for our people, and found purpose in serving. Now Mike’s on a new mission, still protecting, still serving. He founded No Belt Required, a nonprofit that provides Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, Judo, and Muay Thai training for public servants. On the podcast, we dig deep into why that matters. Because in a world where critical incidents can break you, confidence and competence in your abilities might be the best prescription we’ve got. We talk training, mindset, physical readiness, and what it really means to show up for your community. Whether you’re on the job or just someone who values service and strength, this episode’s got something for you. Turn up the volume, welcome Mike to The Squad, and shoot me a message, I’d love to hear what you think of the episode.…
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NewsIn partnership with Professor Ed Maguire of ASU’s School of Criminology and Professor Bradley Bartos of the UofA’s School of Government and Public Policy, NBR has organized a first-ever-of-its-kind academic peer-reviewed study to assess the effectiveness of continued defensive tactic and de-escalation training on law enforcement Use of Force outcomes (including officer and civilian injuries) and officer wellness (physical and mental health). No one has ever studied UOF and Officer wellness before AND no one has ever done a study utilizing 4 different police departments of varying sizes and jurisdictions. Tucson PD, South Tucson PD, UofA PD, and Sahuarita PD. Both research professors have extensive experience researching and publishing research connected to policing and public policy. The study will be 1 year in duration and can start as soon as departments are ready. The study will require a participation and control group of officers from each participating department. The participation group will be the officers volunteering to participate in the NBR classes. The control group will be a comparable set of officers with similar characteristics (age and experience) who do NOT participate in the NBR classes. Then at the end of the year, the research team will compare the officers who are training with NBR and their data sets to those comparable officers who were not. For example, if a department has 5 officers interested in doing the study it will need to share data on 10 total officers: 5 participants and 5 non-participants. For the full year all participating officers will be expected to come to at least one NBR class a week and fill out the officer wellness survey two (possibly three) times: at the beginning and end of their year of training (and maybe the middle). Non-participant officers will only be asked to fill out the survey instrument. The research professors have put together a survey instrument with questions from the NIH (National Institute of Health) and the VA meant to effectively measure officer confidence, experience, and overall mental health (primarily sleep, anxiety, and PTSD-related symptoms). **As a perk/incentive the research professors have offered to crunch the numbers for any participating departments on as many of their officers interested in taking the wellness survey as they want. What this means is that any participating department, even if you only have a few officers participating in the full study, can disseminate the wellness survey to your entire staff and receive the collated data results from the research team. An incredible way to get a free look at your department’s overall officer wellness!** Participating Departments will be required to enter into a DUA (Data Use Agreement) with ASU and NBR. This agreement will authorize ASU to receive the participating officers’ UOF data and wellness survey data. It will clarify, and hold ASU responsible for, all data protection and anonymization protocols for the study. ALL participant data will be made anonymous and temporarily stored securely on special private servers to protect all department and department personal data. The training is free and the normal NBR membership fee of $300 a year per officer is being donated by private philanthropic donors. The research professors are generously donating their time to this effort. NBR is a nonprofit and this enables us to provide this training for as minimal a cost as possible and bring to bear the vast resources of the Tucson incredible community. Once the study is complete every participating department will receive all the data on its officers and be mentioned in the formal study publication for participating in this valuable research and spearheading the search for knowledge that is vital for movement and change on the issues facing officers and communities today. We look forward to working together to keep your officers and our community healthy and safe. Practice makes Progress. Practice makes Patince. Practice makes Peace. Relevant Contact Info: Professor Ed Maguire (ASU) edmaguire@asu.edu Professor Bradley Bartos (UofA) bartos@arizona.edu…
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EventsWe were thrilled to host an unforgettable Open House event at Sonoran BJJ, one of our incredible location sponsors. This event was more than just a meet and greet; it was an opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in the vibrant community that No Belt Required (NBR) is building. Whether attendees were new to Martial Arts or seasoned practitioners, there was something for everyone to enjoy. What Happened: Meet and Greet: Guests had the chance to connect with the NBR team and our dedicated supporters. It was a great opportunity to chat with like-minded individuals passionate about Martial Arts, Defensive Tactic Training, and our mission. Food and Drinks: Everyone enjoyed a delicious selection of food and beverages, perfect for keeping energy levels high throughout the day’s activities. Raffle: Many attendees tried their luck in our raffle, where amazing prizes were up for grabs. All proceeds went towards supporting NBR’s mission to make Martial Arts accessible to everyone. Silent Auction: Our silent auction featured unique items, from exclusive NBR merchandise to one-of-a-kind experiences. Bidders walked away with fantastic prizes, all while supporting a great cause. NBR Merch for Sale: Supporters had the chance to grab some of our latest NBR gear, from apparel to accessories, proudly representing the NBR spirit wherever they go. Demonstration: Guests were treated to a live Martial Arts demonstration by our skilled practitioners. Whether beginners or advanced students, everyone found the demonstration both inspiring and educational. Q&A Session: Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions about Jiu-Jitsu and the NBR program. Our team was on hand to provide insights and share how NBR is making a difference in the community. And More: We had a few surprises throughout the day to make sure everyone had a fantastic time! Why This Event Mattered: This Open House was more than just an event; it was a celebration of the No Belt Required mission. Our goal is to make Martial Arts accessible to all, regardless of age, experience, or background. By attending, guests not only enjoyed a day full of fun and learning but also contributed to a cause that empowers individuals and strengthens our community. Whether people came to support a great cause, learn more about Martial Arts, or simply enjoy a fun afternoon with friends and family, we were grateful to have them there. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future!…
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