Phil Migliarese: BJJ / MMA Yoga = Balance

Phil “Jiu-jitsu Matrix” Migliarese (aka Philip Migliarese III, born January 11, 1976) is a 3rd degree Relson Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt with over 20 years of experience in BJJ and Mixed Martial Arts. A Gracie Worlds and National Champion, Phil is a trainer, training partner and coach to UFC and MMA fighters as well as World and Pan-Am Champions. Phil is also a Master Level Yoga Instructor, author/creator of Yoga For Fighters and has many years of training in Judo. He is the founder of Jiu-Jitsu Share Online Community , Jiu-JitsuMatrix  (a video newsletter and online learning community) and one of the co-founders/co-owners of Matrix Fights Promotion Company . He currently lives in Philadelphia, PA where he teaches at Balance Studios which he co-owns with his brother, Ricardo Migliarese. Phil is the Head of Team Balance International.

Phil began his journey in 1988 at Maxercise in Philadelphia, PA with Steve Maxwell when he was 12 years old. Maxercise had affiliations with both Royce Gracie’s Academy in Los Angeles, CA and Relson Gracie’s Academy in Hawaii. Three months after he started training, Phil met Rorion Gracie and Royce Gracie at a seminar and shortly thereafter, he was introduced to Relson Gracie. Phil was quickly taken in by the Gracie family as he showed great promise in the sport. It was Relson though, that focused his attention on Phil’s training and became his mentor and inspiration.

In January 1993, Phil was in a devastating car accident that initially put him in a coma. He suffered injuries including broken nose, shoulder, collarbone, all of the ribs on the right side of his body, all of the fingers on his right hand and his pelvis as well as damage to his internal organs. This accident, which made him nearly immobile for 6 months, changed the direction of his training and approach to Jiu-jitsu forever.He credits his yoga breathing and practice for his recovery. Originally not expected to walk or train again, Phil was doing some light training and in attendance to support Royce at UFC 1 in November 1993. Given a clean bill of health in early 1994, he was back on the mat as one of Royce’s training partners for UFC 2 in Denver, Colorado.