Meet the Coaches
The people you will actually train with on the mats at Watford Tactical Fighting. Two black belts, one shared standard: no-nonsense, technical instruction for beginners and competitors alike.
Jay Herridge
Head Coach - BJJ, Judo, No-Gi, Wrestling
- BJJ Black Belt - Checkmat affiliation
- Decorated Competitor - Known throughout the circuit
- British Champion - Multiple tournament victories
- Expert Instructor - Over a decade of experience
Head coach and founder of Watford Tactical Fighting. Jay is a Checkmat-affiliated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt with a decorated competition record on both the UK and international circuits - multiple British Open medals, ADCC UK National gold, IBJJF London Open titles, English Open, NAGA Expert and Grappling Industries championships among them.
His teaching style is practical, precise and beginner-friendly. Whether you're training your first fundamentals class or preparing to compete, Jay's classes give you the same steady technical progression that produced his own results on the mat.
Raphael Saib
Coach - Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
- BJJ Black Belt - Under Grand Master João Rezende (Fadda lineage, Ilhabela, Brazil)
- Contributing Author - Books on skill acquisition and BJJ coaching
- International Seminars - Delivers workshops at academies worldwide
- Paramedic Mentor - Experienced instructor and mentor
Raphael Saib is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Grand Master João Rezende (Fadda lineage, Ilhabela, São Paulo, Brazil) and an experienced paramedic mentor and instructor.
He runs Ashlar Jiu-Jitsu (@ashlarjj), a platform dedicated to exploring skill adaptation in grappling and supporting coaches and educators interested in performance, learning and contemporary approaches to coaching.
Raphael is also a contributing author to several collaborative books focused on contemporary perspectives in skill acquisition and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaching.
He regularly coaches both recreational practitioners and competitors, designing learning environments that encourage exploration, adaptability and long-term skill development. In addition, he delivers seminars and workshops at academies around the world.
Come and Train With Us
The fastest way to get a feel for the coaching is to book a free taster class. No kit needed, no commitment.