Danny Savery Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu starts its 20th year with a free celebration in Somerset Dec. 5
A former Tiverton police officer who started by teaching friends at his home, Danny Savery now runs three academies. Two black belts the academy calls its pioneers return for the anniversary seminar.
SOMERSET Danny Savery Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which grew from a police officer teaching friends at his home into three academies, marks the start of its 20th year with a free public celebration at its Somerset headquarters on Saturday, Dec. 5.
The academy, which says it opened in December 2007, holds the celebration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1123 Grand Army Highway, with a belt promotion, an awards ceremony and an anniversary seminar. Admission is free, the event is open to the public, and the academy invites current and former students, families and friends.
The academy now teaches children as young as 3 and adults at its Somerset headquarters, at 17 Sarah's Way in Fairhaven and at 655 Metacom Ave. in Bristol, Rhode Island, with classes seven days a week, according to its website. In its Nov. 11 post on the celebration, it calls the day a chance to celebrate "the people, accomplishments, friendships, and memories" that helped build the academy into what it is today.
What happens Dec. 5
Students who have earned their next rank will be promoted, and the academy will hand out awards to people who it says "continue to contribute to our academy and its success."
The seminar brings back two black belts the academy calls its "pioneers": Ethan Richardson, a third-degree black belt, and Keith Ferreira, a first-degree black belt. "These two instructors have been part of our academy's history, and having them return to share their knowledge makes this celebration even more special," the academy wrote. Limited-edition anniversary merchandise will be available.
From his home to three academies
Savery was a Tiverton police officer and a corrections officer who competed in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts when fellow officers asked to train with him, EastBayRI.com reported in 2024. "I started having people come and train at my home," he told the paper. "It just grew from there."
He opened a studio in Tiverton first, then one in Somerset, EastBayRI.com reported. He spent 15 years in law enforcement, with the Massachusetts Department of Correction and the Tiverton police, and opened his first school in 2007, The Standard-Times reported in April 2024. He earned his black belt in 2011, the paper reported, and Somerset is his main location.
In 2024 he opened the Fairhaven academy in the town where he grew up. "When I was a kid, you had to go into the city to train martial arts and there wasn't much going on in this town, especially for kids who didn't have the ability to do other sports whether it be money or a way to get there," he told The Standard-Times. His son, Danny Savery Jr., runs the children's programs, the paper reported. The Bristol academy moved that year into a 6,000-square-foot space in the plaza that once held a Benny's on Metacom Avenue, EastBayRI.com reported.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a grappling art built on ground fighting and submission holds such as joint locks and chokes, as EastBayRI.com described it, and Savery has said that is what makes it work for smaller people. "The whole theory of Brazilian jiu-jitsu is about the smaller opponent actually being able to beat a large opponent," he told The Standard-Times.
Also on the academy's calendar
Before the anniversary, the academy holds a kids' in-house tournament at the Somerset headquarters on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m., with gi and no-gi divisions for young students from all three academies, according to its Nov. 11 post. In Bristol, kickboxing and Muay Thai classes start Monday, Nov. 16.
Questions about the Dec. 5 celebration go to the Somerset academy at 508-567-4017, the number on its website.
Correction, 7:15 p.m. Nov. 14, 2026: An earlier version of this story said the academy was marking 20 years. Danny Savery BJJ opened in December 2007, and the Dec. 5 celebration marks the start of its 20th year, the academy said. The headline and story have been corrected.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every fact about the Dec. 5 celebration and the academy's calendar comes from the academy's own Nov. 11 post, its website and the announcement and flyer it sent us, all read in full on Nov. 14. Savery's background and his quotes come from two newsrooms, credited where they appear: EastBayRI.com (May 3, 2024) and The Standard-Times (April 18, 2024), both read Nov. 14. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar. No reviews or testimonials from the academy's site are used. The opening date, December 2007, and the start of the 20th year come from the academy's own email of Nov. 14, which corrected our earlier count. Not heard: Savery has not been interviewed for this story yet; his answers will be worked in if he gives them.
Corrections
- Correction, 7, 2026: 15 p.m. Nov. 14, 2026: An earlier version of this story said the academy was marking 20 years. Danny Savery BJJ opened in December 2007, and the Dec. 5 celebration marks the start of its 20th year, the academy said. The headline and story have been corrected.
If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (6)
- Danny Savery Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, "Big Things Are Happening at Danny Savery Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy! November & December 2026 Events"Posted Nov. 11, 2026. The Dec. 5 celebration at 10 a.m. at the Somerset headquarters, free; the belt promotion, awards and seminar; Ethan Richardson and Keith Ferreira; the merchandise; the Nov. 21 kids' tournament; the Bristol kickboxing start Nov. 16. Read Nov. 14, 2026.
- Danny Savery BJJ & Martial Arts Academy, home page and Somerset and Fairhaven location pagesThe three addresses and phone numbers; classes seven days a week; the Tiny Tots program for ages 3 and 4. Read Nov. 14, 2026.
- Danny Savery BJJ, event announcement and 20-year flyer sent to South Coast 360Emailed Nov. 5, 2026, not posted online (the link is the academy's own post on the same event), by the academy's operations support manager. The 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. hours; 1123 Grand Army Highway; open to the public; no admission or registration. Read in full Nov. 14, 2026.
- Danny Savery BJJ, email to South Coast 360 from the academy's operations support managerEmailed Nov. 14, 2026, 5:01 p.m., not posted online (the link is the academy's home page). The academy opened in December 2007, and the Dec. 5 celebration marks the start of its 20th year rather than 20 completed years. Read in full Nov. 14, 2026.
- EastBayRI.com, "Former cop shares secrets on training the body and mind," by Christy NadalinPosted May 3, 2024. Savery's police and corrections work, training friends at his home, his quote, the Bristol space at the former Benny's plaza. Read Nov. 14, 2026.
- The Standard-Times (via Yahoo), "Coming back to his roots. Danny Savery opens Brazilian jiu-jitsu school in Fairhaven," by Kathryn GalleraniPublished April 18, 2024. His 15 years in law enforcement, the first school in 2007, the 2011 black belt, his Fairhaven quotes, Danny Savery Jr. and the children's programs. Read Nov. 14, 2026.