Ievgen Skyrda's path to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is rooted in the rich grappling traditions of Eastern Europe. Beginning with judo in childhood, he built a strong technical foundation in throws, takedowns, and ground control — tools that would later accelerate his transition into BJJ. Alongside judo, Skyrda trained sambo, broadening his wrestling vocabulary and introducing him to submission grappling at an early age. The combination produced a grappler with exceptional range well before he ever stepped onto a BJJ mat.
At 18, a knee surgery redirected his athletic career and brought him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Rather than marking the end of his competitive ambitions, the shift opened a new chapter. The technical overlaps between judo, sambo, and BJJ allowed Skyrda to develop at an accelerated pace, even as access to qualified BJJ instruction in Ukraine remained extremely limited at the time.
With few certified coaches available in the country, Skyrda began teaching relatively early in his own learning process, drawing on his deep grappling background to bridge the instructional gap. His commitment to continued growth brought him into the lineage of Max Carvalho, under whom he earned his black belt and became an official representative of ZR Team on the international stage.