THE NAME

Yōkai (妖怪)

i. Supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore.

ii. A grappling academy specialising in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in North Liverpool.

In folklore, yōkai are the things that are more than they appear. The small that overcomes the large, the ordinary that turns out to be anything but. A fitting name for an art where leverage beats strength, and the person who looks outmatched is the one who walks away on top.

WHAT WE ARE

Yōkai is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submission grappling academy in Bootle, North Liverpool. We teach the art properly — patiently, without ego, and traced directly to its source. Whether you've never set foot on a mat or you've trained for years, you'll find a room that takes the work seriously and takes itself lightly.

OUR LINEAGE

Yōkai's jiu-jitsu traces directly to the source:

Carlos & Hélio Gracie → Carlos Gracie Jr → Roger Gracie → Nicolas Gregoriades → Phil & Joey.

Roger is a 5th-degree black belt, consistently considered the greatest Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor of all time. A 10x IBJJF World Champion, he famously was never submitted in elite black belt competition.

Nic is a 4th-degree black belt with 27 years of grappling experience. He's travelled the world, living and breathing jiu-jitsu. Nic was the first person Roger ever promoted to black belt.

Phil and Joey received their 1st degrees on their black belts in summer 2026 from Nic.

That means there's a standard they're held to. That first degree means they're not resting on their laurels. They're black belts who are still developing, still accountable.

WHAT THAT MEANS FOR YOU

A lineage is only worth something if it changes what happens on the mat. Ours does.

It means the jiu-jitsu you learn at Yōkai is the real thing, built on fundamentals that work, taught the way they were meant to be taught. And it means accountability runs in both directions: we answer to the standard above us, and we hold the same standard for you. You'll be taught carefully, corrected honestly, and never sold a shortcut.

You don't need to be fit, flexible, or fearless to start. You just need to turn up. The rest is our job.

WHO TRAINS HERE

Everyone.

Beginner to black belt, whatever your fitness, ability or affiliation, you're welcome on the mats at Yōkai. (Unless you're a dickhead.)

We run gi and no-gi six days a week, mornings and evenings, with open mats to put it all together.

Beginners are looked after; the experienced are pushed.

START TRAINING

Your first class is on us. No commitment, no pressure. Come and see whether Yōkai is for you.

Most people know by the end of the first session.