Union Team BJJ unfit for beginners.
We wanted our children to learn self-defense, and we chose Union Team BJJ based on its outstanding reviews and the background of its owner, Grandmaster Ricardo Murgel. We should have done more research and checked other BJJ schools in the area.
The tuition is higher than at other schools ($186 per month for three one-hour classes per week, plus a mandatory rash guard with the school logo is $70). The schedule is limited, there are very few children to train with, and there are barely any beginner-level students, especially teenagers. The school seems to focus primarily on competitions and trophies rather than providing a strong foundation for beginners.
Now, here is the most important part.
While training under Grandmaster Murgel's supervision, my child was bullied and received multiple death threats from another student with an orange belt. The same student sprained my child's ankle at the first opportunity during sparring.
On September 22, 2026 we reported the incident to Grandmaster Murgel. He claimed he was unaware of this type of behavior and assured us that this student and his sister would neither train nor spar with my child. Furthermore, he promised to arrange a meeting between the two families to address the incident and clear the air. That same day, I requested cancellation of our children's memberships. However, Grandmaster Murgel encouraged us not to cancel just yet and assured us that the school would be a safe place for my children.
Three weeks passed without any follow-through on Grandmaster Murgel’s promise to arrange a meeting between the families. He also did not allow my child an opportunity to discuss the incident. Given his failure to address the matter and what appeared to be an attempt to sweep it under the rug, I concluded that our concerns were not being taken seriously and decided to formally confirm the cancellation of our children’s memberships.
Under the membership agreement, cancellation requires payment for both the current month and the following month. Accordingly, on the morning of October 12, 2026, I notified him of our decision to proceed with the cancellation.
In the evening of October 12th, I took my children to class. About 30 minutes after class began, I heard Grandmaster Murgel yelling, "You! Come here. I need to talk to you!" Once I realized he was addressing me, I approached his desk in front of all the children and parents. He then asked me, "Why did you bring your kids here? You canceled the membership today."
I explained that I had brought my children because I had paid tuition through the end of the month. Grandmaster Murgel repeatedly taunted me by saying, "Read the agreement, read the agreement."
I was confused by his insistence that I read the agreement, as it had been presented to us when we signed up on August 25, 2026. Nowhere in the agreement does it state that canceling a membership means forfeiting my children's right to attend classes through the end of the period we had already paid for.
He was so aggressive and rude that I felt I had no choice but to call my children and leave.
After effectively being kicked out, I requested a refund for the remainder of October. He agreed to refund the final two weeks of the month, yet he still intends to charge us for November. GM Murgel appears to be applying the cancellation policy selectively, accepting the payment obligations while denying the corresponding benefits. This does not seem consistent with the terms of the membership agreement.
During this confrontation, he shouted comments such as, "This is my school!" and "Tell your husband to call me!" I do not understand why he chose to behave this way during class. Meanwhile, no one was closely supervising or observing the children on the mat.
I wanted to believe that Grandmaster Murgel was a great teacher and that his school simply was not the right fit for our family. Unfortunately, I found the owner to be unprofessional, aggressive, and disrespectful.
I regret bringing my family to Union Team BJJ.