Our History
Although both grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., on opposite sides of river, Ryan & Jen Hall met in 2006 at a Grappling tournament in New Jersey. It wasn’t long before they were training on the same team and shortly after, in 2008 at just 23 years old, already one of the most accomplished American BJJ practitioners, Ryan launched Fifty/50 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with his friend and main training partner at the time, Seph Smith. Ryan & Seph rolled out the mats daily in their first training room, the multi-purpose room in the Ballston Mall in the Sport & Health in Arlington, VA. There they taught a small ragtag group of young adults who showed up everyday ready to learn and work hard. But it paid off.
Initially the academy represented the Brasa Team under their friend & 2x Black Belt World Champion, Felipe Costa. The winning tradition began almost from the beginning as Jen was the first student under Ryan to win a big title when she took the Pan American Championship GOLD as a blue belt in 2009, which she accomplished while still working a full-time job at the Department of Defense. Followed just a short few months later, by Ryan himself earning BRONZE in the ultra-prestigious ADCC World Championships.
Soon the Fifty/50 Team outgrew its spot in the multi-purpose room and moved to their first dedicated location in a two story building across from the Virginia Square metro stop, there they had 1500sft of mats & 2 changing rooms, but no dedicated bathroom facilities, since they were shared with other offices in the building. This little spot is where the team really took off. With their own mat space the Fifty/50 academy was able to expand the class offerings immediately and their name and visibility in the BJJ community grew with each new major tournament success. Visitors started to come from far and wide to learn from and train with Ryan Hall and the Fifty/50 Team.
It wasn’t long before the first competitors arrived who had moved themselves many states from their homes to train with the team in Northern Virginia, Ryan had also begun traveling regularly to NYC to train with BJJ Legend Marcelo Garcia. During this time the Fifty/50 Team’s competitive accolades continued to mount. The youth program was officially established in December of 2010 after Jen finally quit her “normal” job, can you believe that two of the original 6 kids from day 1 still attend classes today, although they’re in the adult program now!
Eventually Ryan made the move from full-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor to an aspiring Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and began training at Tristar Gym with coach Firas Zahabi in Montreal half the year; while Seph, Jen, and others helped pass along Ryan’s teachings to the team. Unfortunately due to his MMA pursuits and the focus on developing striking and wrestling, Ryan no longer had as much time to visit Marcelo’s academy and eventually it made sense for him to move the Fifty/50 Team under it’s own banner.
This is also the time Ryan was first introduced to UFC contender and Karate legend, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Ryan soon started traveling to train with Stephen and learn from him and his father Ray Thompson at Upstate Karate in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
Suddenly a developer came along and purchased the building the Fifty/50 team was housed in, forcing a move. The substantial stressor proved itself to be a blessing in disguise as the team relocated to Falls Church City in December 2013. Initially housed in a small room in the second floor of the building while construction wrapped up, Fifty/50 finally moved into a custom-built 7000 sft space in which the gym still operates today.
After 6.5 years of helping run Fifty/50 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Seph Smith finally realized his dream and moved home to Richmond, Virginia where he opened the first Fifty/50 affiliate academy in 2015, Upstream BJJ. Meanwhile, Ryan was competing in Las Vegas in the UFC’s TUF 22 reality show and about to see his career take off! Ryan went on to win TUF 22 in December 2015 and in doing so secured himself his first contract with the UFC.
It was just a few months later that Adam Benayoun moved himself and his then girlfriend (now wife), Charissa, to Northern Virginia in order to train under Ryan and take his game to the next level. In another exciting twist of events, Fifty/50 was able to bring on NCAA All-American folk style wrestler David Terao and future ONE FC Champion Thanh Le in 2017, bringing more high-level martial arts skills and instruction to our students.
As the academy branched out from a sole focus on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into something more, it was time to update the academy name from Fifty/50 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Fifty/50 Martial Arts Academy. Continuing to attract great talent, a year later the gym was fortunate to add Thanh’s childhood friend and Moon College Tae Kwon Do teammate, Carlos Vera, who moved from New Orleans to Falls Church to make Fifty/50 his home away from home.
In 2019, black belt and renowned competitor Frank Rosenthal began to make trips down from New York City to learn from and train with the team. When he expressed an interest in relocating in 2021, Fifty/50 jumped at the opportunity to bring another accomplished athlete and coach to our staff.
The timing of Frank’s arrival couldn’t have been better as Adam was ready to take the next step in his life in summer 2022, when he opened the second Fifty/50 affiliate academy, Black Cat Jiu-Jitsu in Springfield, Virginia. Ryan & Jen were ecstatic that Adam decided to remain close enough to maintain a regular training relationship at Fifty/50 HQ.
Once again one of our expert staff is moving to his next stage in life and Fifty/50 was excited to see the launch of the 3rd affiliate academy under Frank Rosenthal in Spring 2023 in Herndon, Virginia, Phantom Jiu-Jitsu. Frank has remained teaching and training at the main academy in the lunchtime until his academy is fully off the ground.
August 2023 saw the birth of our new competitive Judo program under 2x USA Judo Olympian, Nick Delpopolo, assisted by nationally ranked competitors Josh and David Terao. We are excited to facilitate a substantial boon for the Washington DC Judo community with Nick’s arrival and look forward to doing our best to help grow the level in the area under Nick’s tutelage.
Fifty/50 is proud to be an evolving team and looks forward to seeing the numbers, sites, and medals continue to grow thanks to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. You can also expect to see the programs and classes expanding as they do.
For a complete list of Fifty/50 Black Belts, please visit the link below.
Fifty/50 mma CHampions
TUF 22 Champion
2015 - Ryan Hall
ONE FC Champion (Featherweight)
2020 & 2022 - Thanh Le
ONE FC Interim Champion (Featherweight)
2023 - Thanh Le
LFA Interim Champion (Featherweight)
2018 - Thanh Le
Fifty/50 Major Grappling Tournament Results:
ADCC World Championships
BRONZE:
2009 - Ryan Hall (<66kg)
ADCC North American Trials
GOLD:
2009 - Ryan Hall (<66kg)
IBJJF World Championship
GOLD:
2015 - Maia Matalon (Adult Brown, Heavyweight)
2008 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Lightweight)
BRONZE:
2022 - Zack Ghalayini (Adult Blue, Middleweight)
2015 - Maia Matalon (Adult Brown, Open Class)
2013 - German Salas (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
2012 - Megan Lomonof (Adult Blue, Lightweight)
2011 - Megan Lomonof (Adult Blue, Lightweight)
2010 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Purple, Light Featherweight)
2009 - Ryan Hall (Adult Brown, Featherweight)
2009 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Blue, Light Featherweight)
2009 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Blue, Open Class)
2007 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Blue, Light Featherweight)
IBJJF World Championship No-Gi
GOLD:
2022 - Zack Ghalayini (Adult Purple, Middleweight)
2021 - David Terao (Adult Brown, Light Featherweight)
2021 - Josh Terao (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
2021 - Emma Reiter (Adult Blue, Featherweight)
2017 - Sam Kilmer (Juvenile 1 Blue, Middle Heavyweight)
2014 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Brown, Light Featherweight)
2014 - Maia Matalon (Adult Purple, Heavyweight)
2013 - German Salas (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
2007- Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Lightweight)
SILVER:
2011 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Purple, Light Featherweight)
BRONZE:
2023 - Mohamed Ibrahim (Adult Blue, Open Class)
2023 - Mohamed Ibrahim (Adult Blue, Middle Heavy)
2022 - Kaushik Saikumar (Adult Blue, Featherweight)
2017 - Maia Matalon (Adult Black, Heavyweight)
2017 - Sam Kilmer (Juvenile 1 Blue, Open Class)
IBJJF World Master (30+)
GOLD:
2021 - Kenji Sato (Master 1 Blue, Featherweight)
2020 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Blue, Open Class)
2020 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Blue, Heavyweight)
2018 - Josh Millsapps (Master 3 Purple, Ultra Heavyweight)
SILVER:
2013 - Harold Van Berkel (Master 3 Purple, Heavyweight)
BRONZE:
IBJJF World Master (30+) No-Gi
GOLD:
2023 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Purple, Middle Heavyweight)
2022 - Phillip Thai (Master 1 Brown, Featherweight)
2017 - Brett Rainey (Master 3 Brown, Lightweight)
SILVER:
2023 - Emma Reiter (Master 1 Purple, Lightweight)
2019 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Lightweight)
2018 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Lightweight)
BRONZE:
2023 - Adam Benayoun (Master 1 Black, Lightweight)
2023 - Frank Rosenthal (Master 1 Black, Featherweight)
IBJJF Brazilian National
SILVER:
2013 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Brown, Light Featherweight)
BRONZE:
2013 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Brown, Open Class)
2008 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Lightweight)
IBJJF Brazilian National No-Gi
BRONZE:
2010 - Kenny Savercool (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
IBJJF Pan American
GOLD:
2020 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Blue, Middle Heavyweight)
2016 - Adam Benayoun (Adult Brown, Featherweight)
2014 - Maia Matalon (Adult Purple, Open Class)
2014 - Maia Matalon (Adult Purple, Heavyweight)
2009 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Blue, Light Featherweight)
SILVER:
2011 - Joseph “Seph” Smith (Master Brown, Lightweight)
2010 - Quang Nguyen (Adult Blue, Roosterweight)
BRONZE:
2020 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Blue, Open Class)
2013 - German Salas (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
2008 - Kenny Savercool (Adult Blue, Light Featherweight)
IBJJF Pan American No-Gi
GOLD:
2023 - Zack Ghalayini (Adult Purple, Open Class)
2023 - Mohamed Ibrahim (Adult Blue, Middle Heavyweight)
2020 - Josh Terao (Adult Blue, Featherweight)
2020 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Blue, Open Class)
2020 - Devin Hanneman (Master 1 Blue, Middle Heavyweight)
2019 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Lightweight)
2018 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Open Class)
2018 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Lightweight)
2018 - Sam Kilmer (Juvenile 2 Blue, Middleweight)
2017 - Brett Rainey (Master 3 Brown, Lightweight)
2016 - Brett Rainey (Master 3 Brown, Featherweight)
2017 - Matthew Crockett (Adult Blue, Featherweight)
2017 - Josh Millsapps (Master 3 Purple, Ultra Heavyweight)
2014 - Maia Matalon (Adult Purple, Open Class)
2014 - Maia Matalon (Adult Purple, Super Heavyweight)
2013 - German Salas (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
2013 - Megan Lomonof (Adult Purple, Middleweight)
2012 - Megan Lomonof (Adult Blue, Middleweight)
2009 - Anthony Cincotta (Adult Blue, Lightweight)
SILVER:
2023 - Zack Ghalayini (Adult Purple, Middleweight)
2023 - Mohamed Ibrahim (Adult Blue, Open Class)
2022 - Adam Benayoun (Adult Black, Featherweight)
2020 - Emma Reiter (Adult Blue, Lightweight)
2012 - Megan Lomonof (Adult Blue, Open Class)
2010 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Purple, Light Featherweight)
BRONZE:
2022 - David Terao (Adult Black, Light Featherweight)
2020 - David Terao (Adult Purple, Light Featherweight)
2018 - Adam Benayoun (Adult Black, Featherweight)
2018 - Sam Kilmer (Juvenile 2, Open Class)
2015 - Mikey Koren (Adult Blue, Featherweight)
2010 - Joseph “Seph” Smith (Adult Brown, Lightweight)
2010 - Quang Nguyen (Adult Purple, Light Featherweight)
IBJJF European
GOLD:
2016 - Adam Benayoun (Adult Brown, Featherweight)
2008 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Lightweight)
SILVER:
2013 - Jeanette Hall (Adult Brown, Light Featherweight)
IBJJF European No-Gi
GOLD:
2016 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Lightweight)
BRONZE:
2016 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Open Class)
IBJJF American National
SILVER:
2006 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Open Class)
BRONZE:
2004 - Ryan Hall (Adult Blue, Open Class)
IBJJF American National No-Gi
GOLD:
2019 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Open Class)
2019 - Brett Rainey (Master 4 Black, Middleweight)
US Open
GOLD:
2010 - Rick Slomba (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
2006 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Lightweight)
SILVER:
2007 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Middleweight)
IGJJF Gracie Jiu-Jitsu World Championship
GOLD:
2006 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Featherweight)
BRONZE:
2006 - Ryan Hall (Adult Purple, Open Class)