Arnaldo Maidana

Arnaldo Maidana serves as the head instructor at Checkmat Northridge in Los Angeles, actively leading training sessions and overseeing competition preparation. A seasoned second-degree black belt, Maidana has cultivated a highly competitive and rapidly growing team, consistently guiding his students to success in both local and international tournaments.

Coaching Philosophy and Team Development

Maidana emphasizes technical precision, strategic aggression, and relentless submission hunting in his coaching approach. His leadership fosters an environment of disciplined training and tactical awareness, enabling his students to confidently execute techniques under pressure and achieve consistent competitive results.

Widely recognized for his aggressive, submission-focused style, Maidana consistently secures victories by finishing opponents, maintaining an impressive submission rate of over fifty percent. His tactical approach emphasizes relentless pressure and technical precision, allowing him to effectively submit larger and heavier opponents. Maidana's commitment to pursuing submissions highlights his advanced skill set and strategic mindset on the mats.

Technical Strengths and Strategic Approach

Maidana's competition style is characterized by dynamic guard passing, precise positional control, and a diverse arsenal of submissions. His ability to seamlessly transition between positions and attacks keeps opponents constantly defensive, creating openings for decisive finishes.

In 2021, Maidana demonstrated his tactical prowess and competitive experience by defeating rising talent Fellipe Trovo via decision in a high-profile Fight To Win superfight. His momentum continued into 2023, where he dominated the IBJJF American National (Master 1) championships, submitting all five opponents en route to double gold. Additionally, Maidana regularly tests himself against elite adult competitors, notably competing in the adult lightweight division at the 2023 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, where he faced world-class athletes including Kaynan Duarte.

Notable Achievements

• Victory over Fellipe Trovo at Fight To Win superfight (2021)
• Double gold at IBJJF American National (Master 1) championships, submitting all opponents (2023)
• Competed in adult lightweight division at 2023 IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, facing elite competitors such as Kaynan Duarte