Giva Santana (BJJ)

Lotus Club has been a powerhouse in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for many years. Based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Lotus has a strong presence in Southern California under the leadership of the famed 4th degree black belt Giva Santana. Among Giva’s many accomplishments as a Jiu Jitsu and MMA fighter, he won the Pan American Championships at black belt in 1999 and 2005. Furthermore, he has beaten the likes of Demian Maia and other Jiu Jitsu greats in various BJJ tournaments. Giva currently teaches a master class at Robot several times per month and runs the Robot program in conjunction with Tim Peterson.

Some of Giva’s Many Many Notable Wins

• 2009  1st Place American Nationals
• 2006  2nd Place Pan Am BJJ Championships
• 2005 1st Place Pan Am BJJ Championships (beating Demian Maia on the way to victory)
• 2004 1st Place ADCC Qualifiers
• 2003 1st Place Jiu Jitsu World Cup
• 1999 1st Place Pan Am BJJ Championships
• 1999 2nd Place Pan Am BJJ Championships (Open Weight)

Tim Peterson (BJJ)

Tim Peterson is the head instructor and co-owner of Robot Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Tim is a brown belt under Giva Santana (Lotus Club) and has competed and placed in local, national and international levels of competition. Tim began training in various martial arts at the age of four but then switched his focus exclusively to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of 15. He became the head of the UCLA Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program during his Sophomore year of attendance. Under Tim’s leadership, the UCLA Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class and team swelled with new members and excelled in competition. Tim graduated from UCLA in 2009 and continues his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey at Robot.

Notable Wins:

• 2010 Silver at Copa Pacifica (gold went to fellow Lotus fighter Evan Cathey in coin toss)
• 2009 1st Place at Grappler’s Quest
• 2007 Bronze at Pan American Championships
• Wins in numerous Superfights

David Telfer (BJJ)

David Telfer is an instructor and co-owner of Robot Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. David began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2003 while studying abroad in Brazil. He trained under Team Roc (Royce Gracie) and Glenio Weber (Brazilian Top Team) before beginning to train with Tim Peterson (Lotus) in 2006. He is currently a purple belt under Tim and Giva. David was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina in 2003 with a B.A. in Romance Languages. In 2005, David came to Los Angeles to attend law school at UCLA. It was at UCLA that David came in touch with Tim Peterson and decided that he wanted to commit himself to Jiu Jitsu in a more profound way. After passing the Bar and working for a short while as an attorney at a prestigous law firm, David listened to his heart, quit his law job and opened Robot Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with Tim.

Notable Wins:

• 2009 3rd Place Grappler’s Quest
• 2008 1st Place Copa Pacifica, Los Angeles, CA
• 2007 2nd Place Black Trunk Cup, Floripa, Brazil
• 2007 3rd Place Black Trunk Cup, Absolute, Floripa, Brazil
• 2007 2nd Place Copa Pacifica, Los Angeles, CA

Orion Lee (Muay Thai)

Orion Lee has over 18 years of martial artist experience, 3 years training intensively in China where he studied Sanda (Chinese Kickboxing) and Muay Thai. Orion has specialized in Muay Thai for the last 7 years, and has trained under several greats including: Jongsanan (The Woodenman), Grand Master Vincent Lyn, Kru Mike Wise, Kru John Spezzano and several Lumpinee champions. Orion also holds a certification in Personal Training and uses his wealth of experience to develop a challenging, technique focused approach to teaching that creates strong, smart, and effective fighters.

Brian Attiyeh (BJJ)

One of Robot’s most medaled members, Brian is an assistant instructor and a purple belt under Tim Peterson and Giva. When Brian is not too busy tapping out guys twice his weight, he works as a rocket scientist at one of the most cutting edge space exploration companies in the world, seriously.

Tournament Wins:

• 2008 Bronze at the World BJJ Championships
• 2007 Bronze at the Pan Am BJJ Championships
• 2007 Bronze at the No-Gi Pan Am BJJ Championships
• 2007 1st Place at the California Classic
• 2006 1st Place at the Copa Pacifica
• 2006 1st Place at the South Bay Open

Will Lee (BJJ)

Another ferocious competitor, Will began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2003 and received his purple-belt in 2007. He has trained and competed both in the U.S. and in Brazil (under Piu Jiu-Jitsu). Will graduated from UCLA in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology. He is currently pursuing a career in medicine.

Tournament Wins:

• 2009 2nd Place at Best of the West No-Gi
• 2007 1st Place at the North American Tournament
• 2006 1st Place at XI Torneio Beneficiente (SP, Brasil)
• 2006 2nd Place at II Etapa do Circuito Paulista (SP, Brasil)
• 2005 2nd Place at North Am Tournament
• 2005 3rd Place at Gracie Open JJ Championship
• 2004 1st Place at Joe Moreira 10th Annual Int’l Tourney

Danny Vaughan (BJJ)

Tough as nails., Danny is also known as the “meatgrinder,” “grandpa meany,” and the “hungover executioner.” This man likes to tap people out when they have him in side mount. Go figure it out, we can’t! .

Allison Smith (BJJ)

Allison is the instructor of the women’s classes under Tim Peterson. She received her blue belt under Pablo Popovitch (Team Popovitch) in South Florida. While training in Florida, Allison dominated in her divisions in NAGA competition, the North American Grappling Association. She was champion of Beginner’s Teens and Women’s Gi and No-Gi in October of 2007, and Women’s Intermediate Gi and No-Gi in March of that same year. Allison moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA. She is currently majoring in East Asian Studies with a concentration in Japan. In her most recent competition, Allison competed in the 2009 Best of the West No-Gi tournament, and received second place in the Advanced Women’s division.