Description

Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai academy in Philadelphia, the only Relson Gracie affiliate in the city, co-founded in 2002 by brothers Phil and Ricardo "Rick" Migliarese, themselves Relson Gracie black belts. It is where the Migliarese brothers guided Lex Fridman from white belt to black belt.

Also known as

Balance Studios HQ · Balance MMA

Locations (1)

• location_onPhiladelphia

  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

  warning No sources cited

Founders

Instructors (2)

• 
  Phil Migliarese

  Head instructor

  2002

  Probable

  Probable

  The studio's own site names the brothers as founders; one side only.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  The studio's own site names the brothers as founders; one side only.

  “The Migliarese Brothers are the founders of Balance Studios”

  — (2026). Balance Studioslink history info
• person
  Ricardo Migliarese

  Head instructor

  2002

  Probable

  Probable

  The studio's own site names the brothers as founders; one side only.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  The studio's own site names the brothers as founders; one side only.

  “The Migliarese Brothers are the founders of Balance Studios”

  — (2026). Balance Studioslink history info

Trained here (1)

• 
  Lex Fridman

  sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Lex Fridman's own Instagram post, quoted by Jiu-Jitsu Times and Jits Magazine, names Phil and Rick Migliarese as the instructors who guided him from white belt to black belt; Wikipedia corroborates that Ricardo Migliarese awarded a black belt to Lex Fridman

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  under Ricardo Migliarese

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Lex Fridman's own Instagram post, quoted by Jiu-Jitsu Times and Jits Magazine, names Phil and Rick Migliarese as the instructors who guided him from white belt to black belt; Wikipedia corroborates that Ricardo Migliarese awarded a black belt to Lex Fridman

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “I got a stripe on my jiu jitsu black belt today from Phil and Rick Migliarese who guided me from white belt to black belt, as mentors and friends.”

  — (2023). Lex Fridman Awarded First Stripe on Black Belt by Philadelphia's Migliarese Brotherslink history info

  “Migliarese also awarded a black belt to research scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Ricardo Migliarese. Wikipedia (English)link history info

  sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Lex Fridman's own Instagram post, quoted by Jiu-Jitsu Times and Jits Magazine, names Phil and Rick Migliarese as the instructors who guided him from white belt to black belt; Wikipedia corroborates that Phil Migliarese awarded a black belt to Lex Fridman

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  under Phil Migliarese

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Lex Fridman's own Instagram post, quoted by Jiu-Jitsu Times and Jits Magazine, names Phil and Rick Migliarese as the instructors who guided him from white belt to black belt; Wikipedia corroborates that Phil Migliarese awarded a black belt to Lex Fridman

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “I got a stripe on my jiu jitsu black belt today from Phil and Rick Migliarese who guided me from white belt to black belt, as mentors and friends.”

  — (2023). Lex Fridman Awarded First Stripe on Black Belt by Philadelphia's Migliarese Brotherslink history info

  “Migliarese also awarded a black belt to research scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman.”

  — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Phil Migliarese. Wikipedia (English)link history info

Tags

bjj · academy · philadelphia · gracie-lineage

Sources