It is with mixed feelings that I write this review. I started my Jiu Jitsu journey at Werdum Training Center. I received my share of bumps and bruises as a white belt. I brought my children in to train with Felipe Werdum. I enrolled my wife of 10 years to train with me. I watched proudly as my family received our stripes. Eventually, I was promoted to Blue Belt. It was a wonderful journey. I spent hundreds of hours on those mats, and thought I was learning lessons of brotherhood, understanding, mutual support, and respect. The art of Jiu Jitsu was a brotherhood and sisterhood, and I was blessed to be in that space.
However, over time, a darker side of Werdum Training Center crept in.
By way of background, my wife, who years earlier survived a brain tumor the size of baseball, but still has residual damage to her frontal lobes, and who suffers a lack of judgment, and a lack of social mores, began to attract attention from the other fighters in the gym. At first it was due to her strong grips, and enthusiastic approach to BJJ. Later, however, several upper belts began asking her out, sending her amorous or inappropriate Facebook messages, and "hug" and "kiss" emojis before tournaments.
Seeing the writing on the wall, I made clear to the professors and the higher belts that my wife suffered brain damage, and that continued attention could lead to serious consequences for my family and myself. Nonetheless, the inappropriate behavior continued until my wife and I suffered a marital separation.
In a heartfelt plea to the members of the gym at a morning class, including the professors, I explained that my wife was likely experiencing issues related to her brain damage, and that we needed space to work on our relationship for the sake of our two young children. To his credit, the black belt professor at the time told the other fighters that they should respect the gym, respect my family, and respect my efforts to mend a broken relationship with a mentally broken wife. I vividly recall what the professor (who is no longer teaching at Werdum) said that day . . . "we roll together in the gym, but outside of the gym is their lives, and we must respect that."
While most men did show respect to my efforts to reconcile with my wife, one purple belt (now black) and one blue belt (now purple) continued with their efforts to interfere with my marriage, as they saw that my wife was confused, vulnerable, and easily influenced. On several occasions I spoke directly with these two men about the problems they were creating, and each time, they placed the blame squarely on my wife's shoulders. Although there were promises of respecting the relationship and our children, behind the scenes, their efforts remained persistent towards my wife.
Eventually, the reconciliations failed, due in part to the unwanted attentions arising from several members, and a Black Belt Professor at Werdum Training Center. I then moved to another gym to train, as I could not trust that my training partners at Werdum who were trying to sleep with my wife, would be safe and respectful when torqueing an arm bar or sinking in a foot lock.
After I left, the pressures became worse towards my wife. Offers of free private lessons, after-class free private instruction, reduced prices on mat time, free mat time, or free month-to-month membership came in from the upper belts, and also from Professor Felipe Werdum. Those in-gym perks eventually were joined with offers of drinks at UFC fight nights, coffee, dinner, late night walks, and direct solicitations for intimate relationships.
Eventually, Professor Felipe Werdum, knowing full well of my wife's brain damage, instability, and vulnerability entered into a sexual relationship with my wife, which he requested remain "secret." At the same time, a former member of the gym also entered into a sexual relationship with my wife, under similar circumstances.
My wife and I are now divorced, thanks in part to Werdum Training Center.
BJJ was the best thing that ever happed to me. Werdum Training Center . . . the worst. Although there are many quality fighters at the gym, it is managed by a sexual predator (Felipe Werdum) who apparently sees the black belt on his waist as a license to prey on vulnerable women.
I cannot recommend Werdum Training center to any woman who wishes to be free of a sexual hostile environment, or a sexual predatory environment. Nor can I recommend to any men that they bring their mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, or sisters into the gym, lest they catch the eyes and non-professional interest of Felipe Werdum.
It is sad that it has come to this. However, Werdum Training Center is simply not a safe place for women to train, unmolested. read more