Founder and Head Instructor

Kasdi Omar, born and raised in Paris, France, originally from Algeria. I am a 2nd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Professor Diogo Gomes and the Carlson Gracie Team. As a teacher and practitioner, I’ve had the opportunity to participate, coach and compete in some of the most prestigious competitions, won the 2022 IBJJF No-gi Jiu Jitsu World Champion in my division, and fought MMA professionally  in France and United States. 

My journey as a martial artist started in Paris when I was 10 years old, and my parents enrolled me in a dojo where I was exposed to Judo. Boxing and Wing Chun Kung Fu were soon added to my training regimen, and at age 16 I discovered Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the Cercle Tissier Academy in Paris. For the next eight years I focused on training/coaching jiu jitsu and competing professionally in MMA, until I decided at the age of 24 to travel the world.

California's well-developed jiu jitsu scene was very attractive and so I ended up in the Bay Area where I quickly turned to training and teaching jiu jitsu full time. Within a year I was offered a position as head instructor at Gracie Fighter School in Berkeley, an affiliate school of Cesar Gracie with whom I trained for a couple of years. I also had the opportunity to teach jiu jitsu full time in Hawaii for a year. Upon returning to the Bay Area, I joined the Carlson Gracie Team under the guidance of professor Diogo Gomes, from whom I received my BJJ black belt in 2015.

For the past 30 years, I've been studying and practicing a large variety of martial arts and fighting systems. Over the past 15 years of teaching and coaching in the United States, I've dedicated my life to sharing this knowledge and experience with students of all backgrounds. In the process, I've built a strong community of practitioners, competitors and instructors that are all part of the Armada crew.

Jiu Jitsu Instructor

My name is Kryspin, otherwise known as Coach Krys, and I hold a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under sensei Omar Kasdi. I was born behind the Iron Curtain in Poland, but moved to the US in 1983 as a child. Throughout my adolescence I was very involved in athletics, from soccer to skating to various martial arts. After my undergraduate studies in linguistics, I studied philosophy and theology within the Jesuit order for four years, and I later obtained a masters degree in psychology.

I began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of Sensei Omar after the birth of my first son, seeing it as my best option for getting back in shape and learning self-defense in the process. What started as a hobby turned into a lifestyle, and I found myself training for competitions and eventually was invited to help coach the team.

After receiving my purple belt, I was in the fortunate position to quit my job as a group process facilitator and focus on jiu jitsu full-time. At Armada MMA, I teach the morning fundamentals classes and assist with administration, marketing and community building. I also teach at our Carlson Gracie Team affiliate school in Alameda, Rio Combat Team led by professor Diogo Gomes, and provide private lessons to a handful of students.

Jiu jitsu is much more than a sport or a self-defense system; it is a powerful vehicle for self-development in all areas of life. I've witnessed the transformative power of jiu jitsu in myself and in many others, and strive to make the dojo a friendly and inviting place for people from all walks of life, so that anyone may benefit from this amazing art. My long-term goal is to open a dojo in Vietnam with my favorite training partner, my wife.

Striking Instructor

My name is Dominik and I was born and raised in Slovakia. I started training martial arts in Oakland six years ago under sensei Omar, and I actively compete in MMA, Muay Thai, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with a winning record in all three disciplines. In addition to training for competitions I also teach Muay Thai and MMA at Armada MMA, in both group and individual formats.

My athletic background is in soccer, which I started playing in a club at age six. My passion for the game led me to play professionally as an adult for a few years, including a couple of games as a member of the Slovakian national team. My time playing professional soccer taught me invaluable lessons, including the importance of discipline, work ethic, and the resilience required to overcome setbacks like injuries or tough losses.

Being part of a team also gave me a strong understanding of leadership, seeing how the coaches managed the group and brought out the best in players, not just tactically and physically but also psychologically. Now, as I move into teaching and mentoring younger athletes, I apply that same patience, focus and motivation, understanding that every individual has their own pace of growth.

Judo and Jiu Jitsu Instructor

I teach Judo and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Armada MMA, outside of the dojo I work as a doctor of occupational therapy. I have a total of 30 years of experience in martial arts, mostly in judo and BJJ but also in karate, muay thai, wrestling, wing chun, eskrima and Jun Fan JKD. I've trained with sensei Omar since 2011 and received my BJJ black belt from him in 2021.

My goal as a practitioner is to continue to develop my skills with a sustainable practice that grows and adapts at every stage of life. Through the martial arts I have learned how to approach and solve problems, foster friendships, build self-confidence, and develop a personal relationship with my own body and mind.

I view the practice of martial arts as a holistic approach to life. Combat sports offer a structured method for learning techniques and applying them to specific scenarios. This systematic framework has, in various areas of life, equipped me to tackle challenges beyond the dojo.

With this framework in mind, my goal as an instructor is to cultivate a supportive community that encourages members to step out of their comfort zones while providing just the right level of challenge. I want my students to gain valuable lessons through the martial arts that can be applied in their everyday lives.

I am a strong believer in simple effective foundational techniques that never go out of style. Students in my classes can expect to learn essential fundamental techniques and concepts that can help them find, build, and refine their own combat style.

Wrestling Instructor

My name is Jon Pagni and I’m from Hayward, California. I am a first-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, with twenty-three years of martial arts experience. I was awarded my black belt by Omar Kasdi, who I first began training with in 2010. I have been fortunate to have trained around the world under esteemed instructors like Eduardo Rocha, Satoshi Koutani, Rey Diogo and Aaron Botehlo. Thanks to them, I have built a style based on strong fundamentals, finesse and tempo control.

The trajectory of my life changed when I first started wrestling in high school, where I competed for four years and later transitioned into coaching. Wrestling gave me an outlet for self expression and helped me to build confidence and make friends. My biggest competition win came at the 2012 All-Japan Combat Wrestling National Championships. Most recently, I spent a year in France training Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling across multiple clubs in Paris.

As a wrestling instructor at Armada Martial Arts, I aspire to cultivate an environment of focus and camaraderie. My classes are structured to prioritize strong fundamentals and logical progression, giving students a foundation from which they can grow and develop their individual style.

Kickboxing Instructor

I was born in Trinidad & Tobago and raised in Oakland, California. I coach Muay Thai at Armada MMA, and I train new hires at Tesla outside the dojo. My martial arts journey started at age 10 with Shotokan karate, and I have trained and competed in Muay Thai since 2014. I also have nine years of BJJ experience under Sensei Omar.

My goal as a trainer is to teach the true art of Muay Thai as a martial art discipline and to improve fitness. My classes focus on drilling, fighting IQ, and conditioning so that students can improve their skills and mentality in Muay Thai.