Meet The Instructors
Anthony Cronce
Owner/Head Instructor - Krum Resident
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt | NCAA Division I Wrestler @ Drexel University
Anthony began grappling at the age of five in New Jersey where he spent his childhood Wrestling every Winter. In High School, he spent two years as a Varsity member of the Blair Academy National Championship Wrestling Team and his last two years as a Varsity member of the Phillipsburg High School Wrestling Team winning one Group IV State Championship. After Highschool, he competed up to the NCAA Division I level at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania while completing his degree in Business and Engineering with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.
After completing college, Anthony spent some time away from grappling while focusing on developing his professional career in which he currently holds today as a Technical Sales Manager in the Renewable Energy Industry. In 2018, him and his wife, Samantha moved to Texas where they eventually ended up settling down in Krum with their son, Nico, who arrived in July 2020.
Anthony began training Jiu-Jitsu in 2015 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under the instruction of Jared Weiner eventually moving through the colored belts and was promoted to Brown Belt in 2018. Anthony saw his most success at Brown Belt beating UFC Fighter, Kevin Holland, at Kasai Pro 7, Winning American Nationals, and earning a Bronze Medal at No-Gi Worlds . In December 2020, Anthony was awarded his Black Belt after winning the IBJJF Masters World Championship on the podium by his Professor, Fifth-Degree Black Belt and 9-Time World Champion, Rafael “Formiga” Barbosa. “Formiga” is still his coach and is the co-owner of the Double Five Affiliation located in Highland Village. As a member of the team, we have the opportunity to cross-train and learn techniques from some of the best practitioners in the World. In his first year at Black Belt, Anthony has won the IBJJF No-Gi Austin Open and earned a Bronze medal in both the IBJJF Pan-American Championships as well as the No-Gi World Championships.
Anthony’s mission of Eclipse BJJ and Grappling Academy is to grow a Grappling Community in North Texas/Denton County that is not just about World-Class Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, and Fitness instruction. It is about helping every person that comes through the academy or comes in contact with one of its members in being a better person to ourselves and others. He wants to show our students all of the benefits of the grappling arts that have personally helped him shape a balanced life and develop relationships that will last a lifetime.
Joao Matheus Assonitis
Instructor/Head Competiton Coach
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
Joao is originally born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started training Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 15 through his stepfather who is a Second-Degree Black Belt. At first Jiu-Jitsu was more of a hobby to Joao, but as time has progressed in his development, Joao found a passion in competition where he began compting in every event he could find in Brazil. As his focus on the sport sharpened, Joao also found the passion of teaching kids classes which was an opportunity offered to him at home in Brazil. Through Joao’s early development in his teenage years, he has taken to focusing further on his diet, fitness preparation and physical conditioning which has awarded him opportunities to become a well-known athlete in the global Jiu-Jitsu competition circuit.
At blue belt, Joao won several impressive titles including IBJJF European Championships, South American Championship (2 Times), the Fight2Win Championship and many other smaller local competitions. After winning the South American Championships, Joao was promoted to purple belt by his professors Fifth-Degree Black Belt Leandro “Tatu” Excobar and Second-Degree Black Belt Darwin Falcao. At purple belt, Joao has accomplished more success given his discipline and dedication to preparation and has medaled at some of the Worlds’ most difficult competitions including the IBJJF Pan-American Championships (twice), Fight2Win, and the AJP UAE Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi. In June, he will compete at the World Championships and expects to be one of the favorites for the Middleweight Division.
Outside of competition, Joao has experience teaching classes and private lessons from 5-year old children to Advanced Classes. In 2021, Joao moved from Brazil for more opportunities and make Jiu-Jitsu his profession by pursuing sponsorships and teaching full-time.
In December 2023, Joao was awarded his Black Belt at No-Gi Worlds after a successful Brown Belt career ending Brown Belt as the #1 Ranked Competitor and a No-Gi Pan-American Champion.
Joao’s mission at Eclipse Jiu-Jitsu is to make people feel happy on the mat as it is a place where students can de-stress before or after work/school, change students’ lives, and get people on the right path towards being more confident with themselves.