Nicky Rod’s Grappling Beginning

Nick Rodriguez was born on August 30, 1996, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Clayton, New Jersey. He got into wrestling in the sixth grade and kept doing it through high school. He was good—good enough to qualify for the NJSIAA state championships as a senior.

Then he hit college at Ferrum College, a DIII wrestling school. And here’s something wild—he went from 170 lbs to 220 lbs in one year. His college record? 23 wins, 4 losses. After a year, he left college to pursue a modeling career with Wilhelmina Models.

Nicky Rod BJJ: From Newbie to Beast

In 2018, a friend invited Nick to try a Jiu-Jitsu class just to stay in shape. Two weeks later, he was competing and winning in a submission grappling tournament.

Under the guidance of coach Jay Regalbuto, Nick competed in his first tournament after just three weeks of training and didn’t lose a single match. A few months later, he started training with John Danaher at Renzo Gracie Academy.

Nick exploded onto the scene, winning at Grappling Industries and medaling at ADCC North American Trials. He also took gold at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship (blue belt division) by submitting all three of his opponents.

Nicky Rod ADCC: From Trials to Podium (As a Blue Belt?!)

In 2019, Nick entered the ADCC North American Trials and won the +99 kg bracket. That earned him a spot at the 2019 ADCC World Championship.

There, he beat Mahamed Aly, Orlando Sanchez, and Cyborg Abreu. He made it to the finals as a blue belt and only lost to Kaynan Duarte by points. On the podium, he was promoted to purple belt.

That run made the world take notice. And the nickname “Black Belt Slayer” stuck.

He returned to ADCC in 2022 and earned another silver medal, cementing his status as one of the sport’s elite competitors.

Black Belt Promotion (December 2023)

On December 23, 2023, after just over five years of training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Nick Rodriguez was promoted to black belt by his training partners and coaches at B-Team: Craig Jones, Nicky Ryan, and Ethan Crelinsten.

This promotion was a massive achievement. Many noted that Nick accomplished more in 5 years than most grapplers do in a decade. Craig Jones later explained in an interview why it took him “so long” to promote Nicky Rod, joking that he wanted to make sure Nick had earned it through consistent dominance.

The black belt was well-deserved recognition for a grappler who had already medaled at ADCC twice and competed at the highest levels of the sport.

Gordon Ryan vs. Nick Rodriguez 2 — The Rematch

After losing to Gordon in the ADCC 2022 finals via heel hook, Nick got another shot at him in the UFC Fight Pass Invitational. This time, they went to overtime. No submission. But Gordon won by escape time.

Gordon claimed Nick was greasing. Nick denied it on the Mark Bell Podcast. The rivalry? Still hot. Fans are hoping for a third match soon.

Nick’s Style: Strength, Speed, and Pressure

Nick’s grappling style is heavy on wrestling, speed, and control. He uses:

• Body Lock Passes to shut down guards and score.
• Foot sweeps to surprise opponents.
• Relentless pressure to rack up points.
• Explosiveness and smart scrambles to stay one step ahead.

He trains hard. His workout routines include wrestling drills, lifting, sled work, and conditioning circuits.

Nick Rodriguez: From Danaher Death Squad to B-Team

John Danaher gave Nick his shot. He sharpened Nick’s defense and leg lock awareness. But in 2021, the Danaher Death Squad split up.

Nick joined Craig Jones, Nicky Ryan, and Ethan Crelinsten to form B-Team Jiu Jitsu in Austin, Texas.

Since then, Nick has become a dominant force, winning the CJI 80kg division in 2024, defeating Max Gimenis, Owen Livesey, Adam Bradley, and Fellipe Andrew in one night. He also helped B-Team win the $1 million team tournament at Craig Jones Invitational 2 in August 2025, where his crucial 10-8 victory over Luke Griffith in the final match clinched the team duel against New Wave.

2024-2025 Recent Dominance

Nick’s recent years have showcased his continued evolution as a world-class grappler:

• May 2024: Defeated Mason Fowler via points at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 7
• August 2024: Won Craig Jones Invitational 80kg Championship
• October 2024: Submitted Michael Pixley at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 8
• March 2025: Lost to Victor Hugo via submission at UFC FPI 10
• April 2025: Defeated legendary grappler Kaynan Duarte by decision at Who’s Number One 27
• August 2025: Won $1M team tournament at CJI 2 with B-Team

Even with occasional setbacks like the loss to Victor Hugo, Nick continues to compete at the highest level, taking on the toughest opponents in the sport and proving why he’s one of the most exciting grapplers to watch.

Current Status (2025)

Nick Rodriguez continues to compete at the highest levels of no-gi grappling. With a professional record of 49-12-7 and a black belt earned in December 2023, he remains one of the most exciting and dangerous competitors in the sport.

His 2025 has been eventful, with both wins and losses showing that he’s still taking on the toughest challenges. From losing to Victor Hugo in March to defeating Kaynan Duarte in April to winning the million-dollar team tournament with B-Team in August, Nick proves he’s not backing down from anyone.

Final Thoughts

Nick Rodriguez proves one thing: you don’t need to start BJJ as a kid to be great. He started at 22 and became a black belt world-class grappler within just over 5 years, beating elite black belts with pure work ethic, explosive wrestling, and relentless pressure.

From earning the nickname “Black Belt Slayer” at ADCC 2019 as a blue belt to winning over $1 million in prize money with B-Team, Nick’s journey is one of the most impressive in modern grappling history.

Want to get better at grappling? Study Nicky Rod’s jiu-jitsu game to learn to control the pace, master the body lock, build cardio that lasts, and never give up on yourself—no matter when you start.