A Brazilian jiu jitsu academy at 150 Foundry Road in Silverdale, north of Auckland, Black Knights teaches Gi and No Gi classes for children and adults, from complete beginners to experienced fighters. The head coach, Ricardo Castagna, came to New Zealand from Brazil in 2005 as a purple belt and earned his black belt here in 2017. The academy lists national grappling championship titles in 2015, 2016 and 2018. Its children's programme introduces younger students to jiu jitsu and moves older ones into competition and adult training. Through a partnership with Urban Sports Gym, members can also train Muay Thai, and the academy offers mixed martial arts for anyone who wants to add striking. A seven-day free trial is offered to people who want to try a class first.
The coaching team includes Jake Skipper, a black belt who works with teens and adults and has been at the academy since 2019, and a brown belt coach named Jackie, who structures classes to suit every skill level. The academy describes its aims as fitness, confidence, self-defence and discipline, with an emphasis on respect and steady improvement. Its Gi classes focus on controlling and submitting opponents, while its No Gi classes are faster and rely less on grips.