About Daniel Estrella
Daniel Estrella, also known as Dozer Dan, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu Black Belt and seasoned Martial Arts veteran. For the past 15 years, he has been extremely fortunate to study under 4th degree Black Belt, Professor Mike Tomacelli, and 8th degree Coral Red Belt, Master Instructor Joe Moreira, both highly regarded and renowned for their achievements. Dan's tutelage under these great instructors has given him a classical yet unique training that is well-respected and coveted in the martial arts community. Dan also studied as a 3rd generation Bruce Lee student under Ralph Figuera and Patrick Strong, and in addition to jiu-jitsu, he studied Jeet Kune Do and Jun Fan Gung Fu (non-classical kung fu). It goes without saying that Daniel loves to learn and capitalizes on the opportunity to learn from the best!
While on his jiu-jitsu journey, Dan earned his Purple Belt in 2015 and discovered that he not only excelled at learning technique, but he also demonstrated an innate talent to teach. Dan's keen ability to lead and instruct made it a natural progression for him to go from student to teacher, and training others has proven to be a role that he truly enjoys and thrives in. Being in front of the class, presented Dan with the distinct opportunity to reinforce his knowledge and build on a strong foundation, all of which helped him succeed in his personal pursuit for Black Belt excellence. As he advanced in his proficiencies as an instructor, Dan gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for the fundamental values that continue to guide him in the martial code of honor, loyalty, and respect.
Although Dan's first love is jiu-jitsu, he developed a passion for training in combat and self-defense. Dan has 15 years of Combatives training at Tomacelli Academy that includes force-on-force application testing, use of self-defense tools, and grappling-based self-defense techniques. He found this field fascinating, so much that he continued to expand his areas of expertise and immersed himself in the study of Sayoc Kali, a blade system that focuses on knife specific self-defense. For the past 3 years, Dan has been a proud member of the Sayoc Kali community studying "the Art of the Blade" and continues to actively pursue knowledge and develop essential skill sets taught by the Sayoc tribe.
When he isn't grappling or submitting competition on the mats, Dan can be found leading classes at Tomacelli Academy, fully committed to sharing his experience with eager students and serving as both mentor and friend. Training all these years in a safe space of camaraderie and community has motivated Dan to continue to teach and operate at the highest of standards, living by a sacred set of core beliefs. Even through his own injuries along the way, he adapted and learned training methods to mitigate future injuries for himself and other students. Dan is proof that there are lessons to gain from every experience and growth comes from challenges.
Although Dan has earned his Black Belt, he will be the first to tell you that he is still a student of jiu-jitsu, as we are all part of a continuous journey that evolves but never ends. In his next chapter, he is devoted to teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the same time-honored tradition of his predecessors. Just as he received the education, support, and motivation needed to earn his degree, Dan commits to doing the same for others, excited to share his knowledge and expertise to inspire the next generation of students.
Dozer Dan continues to enhance and refine his skills in jiu-jitsu, combatives, and self-defense. Contact Dozer Dan to try out a group class or schedule a private lesson; all levels and degrees of experience are welcomed and encouraged!
