Our Coaches
Tim Dawson
Owner/Head Instructor
Coach Tim Dawson is a passionate competitor who instructs well-structured, high-intensity Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) classes. His dynamic coaching equips students with a fluid and powerful style that combines offensive and defensive techniques for sport BJJ. Having been a varsity wrestler and gymnast in high school and now a BJJ competitor, Coach Tim has a strong background in excelling at intense individual sports, requiring a mix of strength, speed, flexibility, and mental toughness. He holds an IBJJF certified Black Belt in BJJ under the late Dave “The Rock” Jacobs, an east-coast BJJ legend, and has been consistently successful in competitions since 2011. Alongside BJJ, Coach Tim emphasizes wrestling as a valuable tool to achieve positional dominance in sport BJJ. His wrestling instruction focuses on enabling students to seize control, keep opponents on their toes, and position themselves favorably to secure victory.
Abbreviated Credentials
- IBJJF Certified Black Belt under David “The Rock” Jacobs
- 2x World Master Champion
- 5x NY Open Champion
- 2x DC Open Champion
- F2W Pro Winner
- WKA Amateur MMA National Champion (2014)
- Multiple-time U.S. Grappling, NAGA, and Grappling Industries Gold Medalist in both Gi and Nogi
Maia Matalon
Kids Program Director
Coach Maia’s BJJ journey began in California in 2009, coming from a high school wrestling background. In 2013, she joined Fifty/50 Martial Arts under Ryan and Jen Hall’s guidance, achieving her black belt in 2017. Despite being an enthusiastic competitor in colored belt divisions, injuries sidelined her from competitions, paving the way for her to excel as a BJJ coach. While Coach Maia enjoys teaching all levels, her true passion lies in guiding the High Noon Kids, where she fosters confidence and resilience in the young grapplers through BJJ.
Competition Highlights
Brown Belt
IBJJF World Absolute 3rd Place (5/30/15)
IBJJF World Heavyweight Champion (5/30/15)
Purple Belt
IBJJF No-Gi World Heavyweight Champion (10/4/14)
IBJJF No-Gi Pan American Absolute Champion (9/27/14)
IBJJF Pan American Championship Absolute Champion (3/14/14)
IBJJF Pan American Championship Heavyweight Champion (3/14/14)
Blue Belt
IBJJF World Championship Heavyweight Champion 2010
IBJJF World Championship Absolute Champion 2010
Coach Leah
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Yoga Instructor
Coach Leah has been immersed in BJJ training in the DC area since 2010, achieving her purple and brown belts under David “The Rock” Jacobs. In October 2020, she was honored with a black belt from High Noon’s head coaches, Tim Dawson and Matt Miller. Throughout this period, Leah actively competed in various colored belt divisions, earning medals at multiple prestigious tournaments like IBJJF Masters Worlds, IBJJF DC Open, IBJJF New York Open, and numerous local U.S. Grappling events. Leah’s true passion lies in instructing and guiding newer grapplers, assisting them in learning effective training methods and encouraging them as they embark on their competitive journeys.
Graham Smith
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Coach Graham began his BJJ journey in January 2014, dedicating four years of training under the late David “The Rock” Jacobs, a revered BJJ legend on the east coast. Following The Rock’s passing in 2018, Graham continued under the lineage of Coaches Tim and Matt, both esteemed black belts under David Jacobs, at High Noon BJJ.
In April 2021, he earned his brown belt and remains committed to enhancing all aspects of grappling while contributing to the development of the High Noon team. Coach Graham has actively competed in numerous local and IBJJF tournaments, with notable appearances at the IBJJF DC and Atlanta Opens.
Tyler Murphy
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Instructor
Coach Tyler, our leg-lock specialist, embarked on his BJJ journey in December 2013 after joining a class at Kaizen MMA. He was awarded his purple belt by Coach Kyle Dalton in 2017, but unfortunately, Coach Dalton retired from coaching due to injury concerns. Coach Tyler then found a new home at High Noon when Coach Tim reached out about the gym’s opening, and he has been with us ever since. In 2020, he received his well-deserved brown belt from Coaches Tim and Matt, recognizing his toughness, skill, dedication, and hard work.
Currently, Coach Tyler leads a submission grappling class centered around leg locks on Monday nights. He is passionate about improving his leg lock arsenal and often collaborates with leg lock expert Eddie Cummings for further expertise.
Coach Tyler thrives in competition and regularly takes part in local events and super fights, securing multiple medals throughout his competitive journey. His commitment to refining his technique and pioneering the use of leg locks in the sport is evident as he trains with his peers almost daily at the gym.
Nate Marsh
Wrestling Instructor
Coach Nate, a former college wrestler and purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, currently excels as the wrestling coach at Fairfax High School. He is both a devoted BJJ student and a fantastic wrestling instructor, contributing immensely to the High Noon community. You’ll often see Coach Nate on the mats, assisting Coach Tim with wrestling instruction during our Tuesday/Thursday no-gi classes, participating in Saturday open mat sessions, and leading his exceptional wrestling class on Sunday mornings.
Mo Benkandil
Kids Instructor
Coach Mo began his BJJ journey in 2015 and earned his blue belt from a Matt Serra BJJ academy. He later received his purple belt from a Tom Deblass BJJ academy. Despite various deployments and missions with the United States Navy, Coach Mo has consistently prioritized training and actively competed in local and IBJJF tournaments at all levels.
Beyond his mat skills, Coach Mo’s teaching expertise stems from four years of experience as a Hebrew School teacher, instructing students of diverse ages and skill levels. His role as a High Noon instructor is driven by his passion to evolve as both a teacher and a practitioner.
Chris Round
Yodan | Judo Program Director
Chris Round has been a judo instructor for nearly twenty years. He holds a black belt earned under the guidance of 2x Olympic Coach and World Champion, Jimmy Pedro. Prior to leading several programs, Chris underwent extensive instructor training. He has taught at Fenix Fight Club, Sport Judo, and managed the Indiana University Judo Club. Chris also worked at Pedro’s Judo Center and apprenticed under Dr. Rhadi Ferguson, where he contributed to developing scouting reports for the 2016 US Olympic Team and 2019 US World Team. His expertise extends to working with elite athletes in judo, Brazilian jiujitsu, and mixed martial arts. He is recognized as a Yodan in judo, holds a brown belt in BJJ, and is certified as a continental level coach by USA Judo.
In addition to his teaching role, Chris had an impressive competitive career spanning sixteen years. He was a consistent member of the US Elite national roster and achieved high rankings, including 4th in the United States as a senior player, 2nd as a junior player, and the top rank among veterans in the 30-35 year old division. Chris has multiple top 8 finishes in major tournaments such as the Senior National Championships, US Open, and Presidents Cup. He boasts a record as a collegiate national finalist, U20 Junior National Champion, and served as a training partner for members of four Olympic teams.
Jordan Stone
Sandan | Lead Judo Instructor
Jordan’s journey in judo began at a young age, with his father, a 5th-degree black belt, introducing him and his brothers to regular training at clubs he organized. Alongside judo, Jordan also pursued wrestling for several years. After graduating from high school, he joined the Marine Corps, where he actively participated in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program and competed with the Armed Forces Judo Team. At present, he holds a Brown Belt in BJJ and an impressive 3rd-degree black belt, known as Sandan, in Judo.
Throughout his competitive career, Jordan achieved numerous victories, including winning the Maryland Open, Virginia Open, Keystone State Games, Takemori Open, and Ken Tamai Open multiple times. He also attained notable rankings like 9th place at the Senior Nationals, 3rd place at the Liberty Bell International Open, and 1st place at the AM-CAN International Open. In the realm of BJJ, he secured victories in the NY Open (blue belt), COPA NOVA, and earned a Silver at the DC Open (purple belt) among various other tournament achievements.
Coming Soon
Muay Thai Instructor
Coming Soon
