Meet the
instructors
Learn from the best.
Black belts and brown belts across no-gi, women's self-defense, kids, wrestling, and competition. Every class at 10P South Bay is led by a coach who competes, teaches, and lives the art. Tap any coach to read their story.
PJ "Butter Panther" Barch
Second Degree Black Belt · No-Gi Specialist · Ranked Top 10 in the World
Owner and head coach, PJ Barch is one of the most prominent no-gi grapplers in the world, representing 10th Planet. He is consistently ranked within the top 10 at 77kgs and has multiple championships and notable wins on his record.
Raised in Delaware, PJ first began wrestling in 5th grade and continued through college, where he competed at the Division 1 school Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in 2009. From there he moved to Hilo, Hawaii, and trained under MMA pioneer and legend BJ Penn, competing in mixed martial arts and quickly earning a 2-0 record in 2011. Later, while in Portland, he discovered 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu and began training with Nathan Orchard, then moved to Sweden, where he earned his blue belt from Magnus Hansson at 10th Planet Stockholm.
In 2015, PJ settled in San Diego, where he quickly became a standout at 10th Planet San Diego. He earned his purple, brown, and black belts under Richie “Boogeyman” Martinez and 10th Planet founder Eddie Bravo. Since then, PJ has consistently been the vanguard for 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu on the competition scene, winning multiple individual and team titles worldwide. He is known for his action-packed matches and dominant performances.
Achievements
- ADCC World Championship Placer (3rd) — 2024
- ADCC World Championship Semi-Finalist — 2022
- UFC Fight Pass Team Finalist — 2022
- Emerald City Invitational Champion — 2022, 2021
- Submission Only Series Champion — 2022
- BJJ Fanatics Grand Prix Champion — 2021
- Sin City Series Champion — 2020
- 2x Onnit Invitational Champion — 2018, 2017
- Sapateiro 10 Champion — 2018
- Quintet Team Champion — 2015
Fun Facts
- Planned on going into academia before finding grappling as a career path
- An avid surfer
- The only known Butter Panther
Dawna Gonzales
First Degree Black Belt · Women's Self Defense · Fundamentals Specialist
Gym manager and coach Dawna Gonzales is known as the “Mom of 10th Planet.” She is renowned for her work in women's self-defense and holds the distinction of being one of the first women to earn a black belt in 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu under Eddie Bravo.
A native of California, Dawna found her way into combat sports while pursuing acting and working as a massage therapist in the early 2000s. In truly Hollywood fashion, she crossed paths with The Simpsons creator Sam Simon, who sparked her passion for boxing and took her to the legendary Wildcard Boxing gym — gifting her a pair of wraps, gloves, and a year-long membership he had won on a bet. Dawna was instantly captivated. Her fascination with fighting led her to Legends MMA in 2007, where she trained in Muay Thai and MMA alongside professional fighters. It was there that she met Eddie Bravo and discovered jiu-jitsu, igniting a lifelong passion.
In 2016, Dawna began teaching women's self-defense classes and co-founded 10th Planet Women's Self Defense. Her mission is to empower women through the sport of jiu-jitsu and combat sports, and she has become a trusted self-defense coach for organizations assisting survivors of human trafficking, assault, and substance recovery programs. She conducts self-defense seminars nationwide, and in 2023 established the Women's Self Defense Network, an international organization connecting women with female coaches and other resources.
Over the years she has earned her “Mom” status within the combat sports community — organizing events and tournaments, providing commentary for MMA and grappling shows including UofMMA and Ultimate Grappling Warrior, and hosting web series such as the Mat Therapy podcast. She became the first female champion of the Onnit Invitational and the Submission Challenge, the first female coach at 10th Planet HQ, and one of the first five women to earn a black belt from Eddie Bravo.
Fun Facts
- Also a professional voice-over artist
- She loves dogs
Allan De Los Reyes
Brown Belt · Kids Coach · Wrestling Specialist
Born in San Diego, Allan grew up in Imperial Beach and was introduced to wrestling in middle school. After a successful high school career — setting a school record with 136 wins — he began coaching, producing many successful CIF champions (boys and girls), a Masters Champion (girls wrestling), and numerous state qualifiers, including one state placer.
He began training jiu-jitsu later in life in 2019 under PJ, earned his purple belt in 2021, and has competed at several F2W events since.
Joey Balistreri
Brown Belt · Kids Coach · Fundamentals Specialist
The seed of grappling was sown in Joey's heart long before he stepped onto the mats — back when he was just a boy watching Pride fights, marveling at the spectacle and dreaming of one day being part of something so electrifying. That dream was nurtured in the most humble of dojos: a friend's backyard, where Joey received his first taste of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the guidance of his childhood best friend's stepdad, a jiu-jitsu black belt.
Joey's journey in the world of grappling is a narrative of transformation, dedication, and community. From those earliest backyard days to his current role as coach and competitor, he embodies the spirit of continuous growth and the positive impact of martial arts — a testament to perseverance, mentorship, and the transformative nature of jiu-jitsu. As Joey continues to compete, coach, and contribute to the grappling community, his journey encourages others to explore their potential within the sport, offering guidance, inspiration, and a welcoming hand to anyone ready to take the first step onto the mats.
Step Onto the Mats
Claim your
free intro class
No catch.
Hundreds of teens and adults train at 10P South Bay. One free class, no pressure — we’ll show you the system and introduce you to the team.