On December 23, 2023, professional No Gi heavyweight wrestler Nicky Rodriguez got a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt. He made this achievement under the mentorship of his trainers and sparring mates: Nicky Ryan, Craig Jones, and Ethan Crelinsten. Nicky Rodriguez was born in New Jersey, US, in 1996. He is called a ‘Notorious Black Belt Slayer’ in Jiu Jitsu’s world. Rodriguez embarked on his wrestling career at a tender age. He was a part of the Clayton High School Team and later made it to the NJSIAA championship.
Rodriguez moved to Virginia to join Ferrum College, where he further honed his wrestling skills by joining the Division III wrestling team. In 2018, his mentor, Jay Regalbuto, introduced him to national BJJ tournaments. Rodriguez established his reputation by keeping an undefeated record. In 2018, Rodriguez’s coach suggested he join the Danaher Death Squad training group, where he started his preparation for the ADCC. That same year, he secured the IBJJF World Championship.
In 2019 and 2022, Rodriguez emerged victorious in the ADCC East Coast Trials, bagging a silver medal and progressing to a purple belt by overcoming some of the top BJJ competitors globally. His outstanding performances have been noticeable since his white belt days. In 2021, Rodriguez split from the DDS training group and established his team, the B-Team, alongside his DDS training colleagues, Craig Jones, Nicky Ryan, and Ethan Crelisten. Considering his training mates are already black belts in BJJ, his upgrade from purple to black belt marks a significant achievement in his grappling career.
Nicky Rodriguez has so far collected medals from the ADCC US West Coast Trials, ADCC World Championship, Kasai 7 HW Grand Prix, and ADCC US East Coast Trials, demonstrating his exceptional grappling skills. Watching how far he progresses in his BJJ journey will be fascinating.
