Born in Surrey and raised in Tottenham, Romel Luistro found his passion for martial arts at just nine years old. The golden age of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and Bruce Lee films fueled his imagination, and with encouragement from his father, he began training in European-style kickboxing. Soon after, he transitioned to Japanese jiu-jitsu under the same instructor, setting the foundation for a lifelong love of martial arts.
Luistro’s journey took a brief detour during his college years at East Surrey. Without a coach, he relied on bag work to stay connected to the discipline. However, everything changed when he watched BJ Penn fight in the UFC.
“I saw BJ Penn fight and thought, I want to do that.” Inspired, he sought out Brazilian jiu-jitsu, dropped out of college, and began training at Carlson Gracie London in his late teens.
After competing on the UK circuit in the 2000s, where the distinction between amateur and professional fighters was often unclear, Luistro decided to move to Australia to pursue new opportunities. A pivotal moment came when his close friend Denis Kelly pushed him to compete.
“He told me, ‘If you don’t fight, you’re not going to have credibility.’ That stuck with me.”
In 2008, Luistro’s career took a leap forward when he met UFC athlete Brian Ebersole during fight team tryouts in Perth. Out of all participants, Luistro was the only one to pass the grueling selection process. This accomplishment propelled him into international competition and solidified his path as a coach, working closely with Ebersole as his assistant.
Now in 2025, Romel Luistro stands in the spotlight as the head coach of UFC newcomers Cody Haddon and Quillan Salkilld. Reflecting on his relationship with Haddon, Luistro recalls, “I first met Cody at the UFC Gym in Balcatta. One of the coaches, Ben Campbell, kept telling me about this kid. He said, ‘You’ve got to train Cody.’ I didn’t think much of it at first. I was already coaching two top guys, Daniel and Luke Jones, and my mindset was simple: if someone wanted to train, they’d come train with the twins.”
Persistence paid off when Luistro received an invite to spar with Haddon on his 38th birthday. “I thought, fuck it, it’s my birthday, let’s see what this kid’s about. And he was good. Really good. That’s when I knew he was something special.”
Luistro started working with Haddon by wrapping his hands for amateur fights, gradually building a rapport along the way. Later, when Luistro opened Luistro Combat Academy, Haddon transitioned fully to his team, leaving behind his long-time coach. “It wasn’t an easy decision for Cody, but he stayed with me, and that’s when our journey really began.”
For Luistro, coaching is about strategy and discipline.
“You just gotta keep doing what got you to the dance,” he explains. “But I always study the opponent, what tools they use and where their weaknesses are. If a guy starts his attacks with a jab, we’ll drill jab counters so we can capitalise on fight night.”
Training Haddon, however, comes with its challenges. “Cody’s biggest strength is also his biggest weakness: his self-doubt. It drives him to train insanely hard, but he’s overly critical of himself. He’ll dwell on getting taken down once during sparring, even when it’s against top guys. I remind him constantly that he doesn’t have to be perfect, he’s going to win anyway.”
Quillan Salkilld, on the other hand, started from scratch with Luistro at the Balcatta UFC Gym as a teenager.
“Quill [Quillan Salkilld] walked into his first MMA class with me at 17 or 18. He’s been with me ever since. We’ve built him up together, and now he’s making his mark.”
When asked about any interests outside of combat sports, Luistro grinned, “This is my life. There is nothing else. This is it. All I do is watch fights. My mates know if they come to my house, there’s fights on the TV. This is all I know, this is all I want to do, so I just study everything. The game is always developing, there’s always new skills and tools you can add. I’m always watching, seeing what’s the next evolution.”
Luistro’s dedication to martial arts extends to his family, with two sons, aged 11 and 8, who have embraced the lifestyle almost as much as he has. “My eldest competes in jiu-jitsu, and my youngest loves to box, he just wants action! I don’t force them to do martial arts, if they want to do it, they do it.” He smiles as he adds, “My missus doesn’t train, but she does have a judo background.”
Luistro’s coaching philosophy revolves around building a team culture and prioritising longevity.
“This isn’t just a gym where people come to spar and leave. It’s about camaraderie. Everyone shakes hands when they walk in, building trust is key. Without it, sparring becomes dangerous, and fighters don’t improve.”
He limits sparring to twice a week.
“You can shine bright for three years if you smash yourself in training, but I want my fighters to have long careers. No one should leave this gym with a concussion or injury. Tired? Sure. Beat up? Never.”
Jasmin Frank, the team manager and founder of Attic Sports, is integral to Luistro’s operation. “Jas handles everything from scheduling, massages, even coffee orders. The boys don’t have to think about anything except training. She’s relentless, always on top of things, and consistently pushes for opportunities. Having her around has been a game-changer.”
While Haddon and Salkilld are currently in the UFC spotlight, Luistro is already nurturing the next wave of talent. “Ellis Cozens is next. He’s tall, rangy, and has worked hard on his grappling. He’s only 22 and hungry. Ashley Rodger is another standout, an elite-level judo athlete with freakish strength and a relentless work ethic. And Annie Thatcher is working to improve her boxing to complement her exceptional jiu-jitsu.”
Luistro’s journey from a young martial arts enthusiast in Tottenham to a respected coach on the world stage operating out of Perth is a testament to his passion and dedication. By combining skill development, strategic planning, and a strong team culture, he continues to build champions while shaping the future of mixed martial arts here in Western Australia.
