2 black belts3 purple beltsOne lineage

Thecoaches.

A black belt line that runs from Renzo Gracie in New York to Aaron Milam in Portland to Carsten Carlsen on University Ave. Every coach here came up through this room or a room like it.

New YorkRenzo Gracie

PortlandAaron Milam

Des MoinesCarsten Carlsen

NextYou

Head instructor and owner

Carsten Carlsen

Second-degree black belt

Throughout his 25+ years of grappling experience, Carsten has developed a unique style and method of practicing and teaching all forms of grappling. Starting his journey on the high school wrestling mats of Wisconsin, Carsten continued to wrestle through college, where he was a four-year letter winner at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. After moving to Portland in 2011, Carsten found and fell in love with Jiu Jitsu.

In 2013 Carsten began training with Renzo Gracie and John Danaher black belt Aaron Milam. Under Aaron and the Renzo Gracie Portland banner, Carsten became one of the Pacific Northwest's premier grapplers. He competed at national and international levels, winning multiple regional titles, a match on the first Submission Underground, and placing 3rd at the ADCC East Coast trials. In March 2018, Carsten earned his black belt from Aaron.

Carsten has coached and cornered fighters at both the amateur and professional level, including in the UFC. He holds a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Criminal Justice.

All-Levels and Fundamentals instructor

Derrick Flaig

Black belt

Derrick started his Jiu Jitsu journey in 2015 and joined Renzo Gracie Des Moines shortly after it opened in 2019. Since then he has been an integral part of the gym's culture and success.

An active competitor at Submission Underground, the Onnit Invitational, Fight2Win and many regional promotions, Derrick has medaled at several IBJJF majors including the No-Gi World Championships, No-Gi Pan Championships and No-Gi European Championships. He earned his black belt in September 2024.

A Des Moines native, Derrick graduated from Urbandale High School, earned his BA in Business Administration from Grand View University and a Master of Jurisprudence from Drake University.

Fundamentals and Kids instructor

Bubba Mulholland

Purple belt

Bubba has been a dedicated practitioner of Jiu Jitsu since 2021. Drawn by the limitless progression and the physical and mental challenge, he commuted three hours round trip, five or six times a week, to train and teach at RGADSM. That commitment earned him his purple belt in September 2024.

Off the mats Bubba enjoys weight lifting and time with his family. He graduated high school in Webster City, Iowa and earned an A.A.S. in diesel technology at Iowa Central Community College.

Head Kids instructor, assistant Little Kids instructor

Bode Conlan

Purple belt

Bode started his Jiu Jitsu journey in 2021 at Renzo Gracie Des Moines. Alongside his grappling at RGADSM, Bode wrestled for Roosevelt High School. He enjoys coaching the kids classes and preparing them for competition.

Bode has competed successfully in several local competitions and constantly strives to be a better practitioner and instructor. He earned his purple belt in July 2025.

Head Little Kids and Women's class instructor

Jill Hughes

Purple belt

Jill started Jiu Jitsu in 2019 at Renzo Gracie Portland, training under Hannah Sharp. She relocated to Iowa in 2020 and joined RGADSM, quickly becoming a dedicated and highly valued member of the gym.

As the women's coach, Jill excels at helping female students sharpen technique, develop confidence and navigate their individual journey. She is a mom of two accomplished wrestlers, Calvin and Clara, and holds a BS in Nursing.

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