Roy Cantu – Owner & Head Instructor – Black Belt with Blue Bar, 1st Dan
Born and raised in Northwest Houston, I started jiu-jitsu not long after its introduction into the US. Always having an interest in athletics and problem solving, jiu-jitsu presented both with a lot more to offer. It wasn’t until I met Mr. Valente that I learned the true meaning of Jiu-Jitsu and what it truly represents which was not just a self-defense martial art, but also a lifestyle. I found something that made me feel alive and energetic. I was working a very stressful job and jiu-jitsu gave me an outlet, gave me tons of energy and made me feel strong and confident. I’m in the best shape of my life and Jiu-Jitsu is my passion. I am also a dedicated family man. I married my high school sweetheart and together we have 2 wonderful children. Roy, Jr. “R.J” who is a recent honors graduate of Cy-Falls High School and is currently striving to attend nursing school in the Fall and our beautiful daughter, Skylar who is currently a junior at Cy-Falls High School.
Ken Gruller – Asst. Instructor – Black Belt
Kenny has known Roy since middle school and considers him a great friend and mentor. His interest in martial arts started as a child and he has trained in Tae Kwon Do, Chayon Ryu, Tang Soo Do, Kung Fu, and Shotokan. He began training jiu-jitsu with Roy in 2003, achieving his black belt in 2015. Kenny is a professional land surveyor and started his own company, Gruller Surveying, in 2002. Kenny is also a Licensed State Land Surveyor for the State of Texas. Kenny married his his beautiful wife Julie in 1995 and they have two amazing children, Kyle and Courtney.
Chad Rose – Asst. Instructor – Brown Belt IIII
Before opening Cantu’s Jiu-Jitsu, Roy taught classes and trained at TNT Jujitsu in Northwest Houston. This is where Chad and Roy met and they have made a great team ever since. Chad teaches the adults fundamentals and sparring classes. Chad is also trained in muy thai and is currently training to achieve his black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. He’s married with 3 children, Zachary, Tatiana, and Camila, employed by Coca-Cola and enjoys playing soccer and paintball.
Clyde Toval – Asst. Instructor – Brown Belt IIII
Clyde has been a student of Valente Brothers Jiu-Jitsu since 2010. Mr. Toval received his Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Special Education at the University of Houston. He’s currently a physical education teacher at Emery Elementary. We’re so fortunate to have Clyde because besides being an excellent practitioner – our kids love him! You can definitely tell he teaches elementary education! Clyde is also recently married and he and his wife, Tara (also a teacher at Birkes Elementary) are expecting their first son!
Ryan Shiang – Asst. Instructor – Purple Belt
Ryan was born and raised in Alief, Texas. He began training jiu-jitsu and jeet kune do in 2013. In 2015, he joined Cantu’s and thanks to Mr. Roy he has found a deeper meaning and passion for jiu-jitsu. Ryan is a medical billing specialist in northwest Houston. He’s married with 4 beautiful daughters, Kaylinn, Riann, Phoenix and Kiana and his interests are in marine biology, philosophy and history.
