Rafael Manese
Raf is a first-degree black belt and received his black belt in 2021, under Brent Burniston of the Subconscious Brazilian JiuJitsu Association located in North Hollywood, CA.
He started his martial arts journey around 5 years old in the Philippines and brought his passion for Tae Kwon Do to America. He continued his practice in TKD parallel to boxing from 2003-2008. In 2009, at the Martial Arts World School in Burbank, he met Brent and began his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu journey. From 2010 to 2021, Raf participated in various Jiu Jitsu competitions, such as Jiu Jitsu World League, LA Open, All-Americans, and Baddest Blue Belt with honorable mentions of medaling bronze in IBJJF Pan-American, gold and double bronze in SJJF Worlds.
Raf lives in Pasadena with his fiancé, Mickey. He got his Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2020. Together they work at UCLA as operating room nurses. Raf loves sushi, tacos, to surf in Orange County and travel the world.
Mickey Remigio-Manese
Mickey is a white belt, co-owner and studio manager for Ukiyo Academy. For years, she and Rafael have dreamt of opening an academy that was not only inclusive of women in Jiu Jitsu and martial arts, but a space that can be utilized and diversified for the community.
On days that she’s not being co-coaching kids classes or chatting with parents about their weekly happenings, she’s also filming content for the Academy’s social media. Her side projects for Ukiyo include things from collaborating with other local social clubs and small businesses, as well as designing merchandise and the interiors of the academy.
Mickey is a full time Operating Room Registered Nurse at UCLA campus, so her passion for connecting with people is not just a professional role but also who she is wholly and innately.
Her favorite things to do besides support Ukiyo Academy are to go for walks with her two dogs, read books and listen to jazz music, host dinners and bake for her friends and family as well as explore the world with Rafael. THEIR NEXT TRIP IS MEXICO CITY!
Nahee Kim
Nahee is a blue belt and coach for our Ukiyo kids program. Nahee started training in 2021 in San Francisco when she walked into Ralph Gracie for a trial by chance. She didn't know much about jiu jitsu, but She found a welcoming community there and a shared passion with the people there.
When She moved to LA in 2022, She joined Meraki and trained there with Anthony Caito (now at Kata). She took a year and half break from jiu jitsu during a personally difficult time, but came back to jiu jitsu at Legacy Pasadena. This was where She Received her blue belt (last July) and found Her love for jiu jitsu, both in training and coaching. Nahee spread her love of jiu jitsu as an assistant coach for Legacy Pasadena’s kids' program from August to May. Nahee is now training at Varsity Jiu Jitsu under Isaac Doderlein.
What She loves most about jiu jitsu is how it keeps pushing her to grow and the people she shares it with, including the kids who she passes on what she’s truly passionate about. Nahee is also currently loving her newfound hobby, swimming!