Next Generation Martial Arts

🥋 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Zach Blanchard
About a year ago, Zach Blanchard walked through our doors and decided to give jiu jitsu a shot. Fast forward to today, and the transformation speaks for itself.
Since joining, Zach has dropped roughly 30 pounds. 💪 That's not a fad or a quick fix — that's a year of showing up, putting in the work, and letting the mat change his life.
And on June 13th, Zach jumped into his very first competition at a NAGA event — the same day Gavin Thronson competed — and he absolutely delivered. FIRST PLACE in his division, both wins by submission, in dominant, controlling fashion from start to finish. 🥇
But honestly? The results are just a bonus. What we love most is what Zach brings to the room every single day. He's funny, he's a joy to roll with, and he's got great chemistry with everybody in the gym. He brings an energy that lifts the whole mat — and he's quickly become a training partner everyone looks forward to working with.
Zach, you've put in the work and it shows. Excited to see what's next. 🐃
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🥋 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Gavin Thronson
Some of you have watched this one grow up right alongside us.
Gavin started with us as a kid — really quiet, shy, a little timid on the mat at times. We spent a good while working with him just to help him come out of his shell. Four years later? It's been awesome to watch the young man he's becoming. 🐃
The confidence he's built on the mat has been incredible to see. He's constantly improving, he's respectful every time he trains, and everybody in the gym loves rolling with him — never a problem, always cool, always chill.
Here's the part we're most proud of, though: Gavin has competed in a lot of tournaments now, and for a long time the results just weren't what he was hoping for. But he never let that stop him. He kept showing up. He grinded out every single session. He learned how to believe in himself instead of walking away — and then he went out and achieved his goal.
On June 13th, Gavin stepped up at a NAGA event and absolutely delivered — FIRST PLACE in BOTH of his divisions, every win by submission. 🥇🥇 The breakthrough he'd been working toward.
Gavin is exactly the kind of story we want this gym to produce: a kid who started in our youth program and has grown into a genuine asset in the adult program. That perseverance, that self-belief — that's what we want to instill in every kid who walks through our doors.
Gavin, the future is bright — keep going. 🙌
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🥋 Black belts everywhere… and both belts on the floor. 😂
Don't let the chaos fool you — this is what 20+ years on the mat looks like.
That's Elton Tootle (.jiujitsu, Houma) and Logan Authement (, Thibodaux) rolling together — two black belts, both with well over a decade of training, just enjoying the art.
Here's what makes this one special to us: it's multiple generations of the same lineage on the mat at the same time. We started training 20 years ago, and Elton was a main training partner coming up. To see him still rolling today — now with a guy who started with us in Thibodaux as a teenager — is something we don't take for granted.
That's the whole point. Not medals. Not hype. Longevity. Community. People who start here and stay, who keep showing up for each other year after year after year. 🐃
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📢 FRIENDLY REMINDER: NO kids classes this week — all kids classes are canceled. Adult classes run as normal today at 12:00 & 6:30. Kids classes resume next week — see you then! 🥋
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🥋 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Gavin Fontenot
Last month, Gavin made the drive all the way to Austin, Texas to test himself in a grappling competition on May 9th — his very first competition ever — and walked away with a third-place finish. 🥉👏
But here's what stuck with us, and it had nothing to do with the podium.
Like a lot of first-timers, Gavin had no idea what that opening match was going to feel like. He was amped up, and when the adrenaline hit, it hit hard. He won his first round decisively — but that adrenaline dump emptied his gas tank completely. Arms like Jello, running on fumes, not even sure what to do with his body.
And then he went back out and did it again. And again. Match after match, exhausted and depleted, he kept battling — and fought his way back up to third place anyway. 🔥
That's grit. That's the stuff that matters. It was incredible to watch how Gavin's brain works — the way he self-assessed, processed each scenario, and stayed cool, calm, and collected even when his body was spent. A guy who can dig in like that, in his very first competition, is only going to get more capable as life goes on.
We have zero doubt these are lessons that'll follow him straight through law school and into his profession — lessons that trace directly back to the mats he trained and competed on.
Awesome work ethic. Great attitude. The kind of person his family raised him to be, and the kind of man he's chosen to become as he's grown up. 🐃
Gavin, we're proud of you. The sky's the limit. 🙌
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🥋 PROMOTION DAY at Next Generation Martial Arts
What a night. On June 19th we packed the room with nearly 40 members, families, and friends to celebrate everyone who earned their next rank. The energy was unreal, and seeing this whole crew in one place is exactly what this gym is about.
We also had five black belts on the mat that night — and that's with three more who couldn't even make it. That kind of depth says a lot about where this community is headed, and with plenty more climbing the ranks behind them, the future here is bright. 🐃
Huge congratulations to Jeremy Rougeau, Trepp Lombard, Dennis Crozier, Payton Oubre, and Tucker Daniels on their promotions! 👏 The rank is nice, but what we're really proud of is the work behind it — the hours on the mats, the showing up, and the kind of people you're becoming along the way. We'll be highlighting each of these guys individually throughout the week, so they'll get their own moment in the spotlight. Stay tuned. 👀
We've also had a few of our members test themselves in competition recently, and we'll take a moment to recognize Gavin Thronson, Gavin Fontenot, Zach Blanchard, and our tag team grappling duo Ty Smith and Corbin Falgout as well. To be clear, competition isn't something we push here — it's never a requirement, and it's not what we measure anyone by. But when someone chooses to put in the preparation, push themselves, and step onto the mat ready, that effort deserves to be recognized. Win or lose, that's the part worth celebrating. 🙌
At the end of the day, we care a whole lot more about who our people are than about any medal or belt. That's the community we're building here in Thibodaux. 🙏
📢 One quick heads up: there are NO kids classes this week. All kids classes are canceled. Adult classes run as normal today at 12:00 and 6:30. Come get some work in. 💪
We'll see you on the mats.

📅 Saturday Morning Training at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux — June 20, 2026
Tonight is going to be a good one. 🥋🔥
Ty and Corbin are jumping in to compete at CWC 40 this evening in a tag team grappling match — and if you've ever seen tag team at CWC before, you already know it's one of the most exciting things on the card every single time.
This photo says it all. Backstage at CWC 38 — from left to right: Corbin, Ty, Dr. Huval, Scotty, Dr. Authement, Ben, and Paul.
That night Paul and Ty both walked away with MMA wins. Ben stepped inside the cage for the first time to compete in a grappling match and found out exactly what that feeling is like. And Corbin and Ty did what they do best as a team.
These aren't just training partners. This is a brotherhood. 🖤
Tonight Ty and Corbin go back to work. Come out and support your NGMA family if you can.
This Morning's Class Schedule:
🥋 Adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — Open Mat — 10:00 AM
We'll see you on the mats, Thibodaux.
👉 Start your free trial week at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux
💬 Drop a 🔥 to send Ty and Corbin off right tonight. 👇

Here's the Friday post:

📅 Friday Training at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux — June 19, 2026
Belt promotions are happening tonight. 🥋
Before we celebrate where we are — we want to take a moment to honor where it all came from.
This photo is from deep in the archives. November 20th, 2015. The night Scotty received his black belt, surrounded by OG's from Evolution Training in Houma.
Every single man in this picture played a role in what happens on our mats today. The countless hours shared between these men — the drilling, the rolling, the hard rounds — all of it became the research and development behind everything we currently teach.
None of tonight's promotions happen without them.
And we can't share this photo without saying his name — R.I.P. Heath Cooper. 🙏
Heath is the one wearing the headband in the back. If you trained with him, you already know. His ability to teach without ever saying a word was his greatest gift on the mat. He made everyone around him better simply by being there. Few people truly understand what it felt like to roll with Heath — and those who do know exactly what we mean when we say he was one of the best to ever step on these mats. That's not said lightly.
Tonight we promote. Tonight we also remember the ones who helped build this.
This one's for you, Heath. 🖤🥋
Today's Class Schedule:
🥋 Adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — 12:00 PM & 7:00 PM
🥋 Belt Promotions — This Evening
We'll see you on the mats, Thibodaux.
👉 Start your free trial week at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux
💬 If you knew Heath or trained at Evolution, drop something in the comments tonight. 👇

📅 Thursday Training at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux — June 18, 2026
This moment right here. 🥋
After the belt test is over — when the nerves settle and the room quiets down — this is where some of the most important conversations happen.
The what and the why of working through difficulty. Lessons that don't stay on the mats. Lessons that show up in the classroom, in relationships, in every hard moment life throws at you down the road.
Humility. Grit. Self development.
You can't teach that from a textbook. You have to earn it.
Today's Class Schedule:
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Pre-Teen Martial Arts — 5:30 PM
🥋 Adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — 12:00 PM (Gi)
🥋 Adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — 6:30 PM (No-Gi)
We'll see you on the mats, Thibodaux.
👉 Start your free trial week at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux
💬 Who in your life taught you how to work through difficulty? Tag them below. 👇

📅 Wednesday Training at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux — June 17, 2026
Before we teach a single technique — this happens. 🇺🇸
Every youth and pre-teen class. Without exception.
A lot of places will teach your child how to punch and kick. We're more concerned with who they become when they walk out that door.
Martial arts is the vehicle. Respect, discipline, and character are the destination.
If you're looking for a place that takes that seriously — you found it.
Today's Class Schedule:
👶 Pre-K Martial Arts — 4:30 PM
🧒 Youth Martial Arts — 5:30 PM
🥋 Adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — 6:30 PM
We'll see you on the mats, Thibodaux.
👉 Start your free trial week at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux
💬 Can you guess what these kids are doing before every single class? What does this mean to you? Share this with someone who would appreciate it. 👇

📅 Tuesday Training at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux — June 16, 2026
Some goodbyes hit different. 🥋❤️
A few weeks ago we had to say goodbye to one of our own. Weston and his family had to relocate recently — his dad Cody was reassigned as part of his service in the military.
Cody, thank you. What you do is selfless, and individuals like yourself are what make this country the greatest on earth. We are honored and humbled by your sacrifice.
Before they left, Cody asked Weston's instructors to sign his gi. It was a small moment that meant everything.
We hope that gi finds a spot on his wall someday — a reminder of where he started and the people who were proud to be a part of his journey. And when he looks at it, we hope he notices something — he's been wearing the same flag on his shoulder as his dad since the very first day he walked through our doors. 🇺🇸
Weston — the discipline, the heart, and the effort you brought every single time you stepped on these mats — that doesn't stay in Thibodaux. That goes with you everywhere. We have zero doubt you're going to grow into an amazing young man. You already have a head start. 🥋
We'll miss you guys. Drop a comment and send them off right. 👇❤️
Today's Class Schedule:
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Pre-Teen Martial Arts — 5:30 PM
🥋 Adult Brazilian Jiu Jitsu — 12:00 PM & 6:30 PM
We'll see you on the mats, Thibodaux.
👉 Start your free trial week at Next Generation Martial Arts Thibodaux