# Nick Rodriguez

> B-Team co-founder, two-time ADCC +99 kg silver medalist, and Craig Jones Invitational champion—famous for a meteoric rise after starting BJJ in 2018.

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- **Last updated:** 2026-07-16

## Identity

- **Name:** Nick Rodriguez
- **Full name:** Nicholas Pete Rodriguez
- **Nickname:** Nicky Rod
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** B-Team
- **Nationality:** United States
- **Born:** 1996-08-30
- **Birthplace:** Clayton, New Jersey, United States
- **Weight class:** Ultra-Heavyweight / +99 kg (~220 lb)
- **Height:** 6'3" (1.91 m)

## Biography

Nicholas Pete Rodriguez, known worldwide as Nicky Rod (and early on as the “Black Belt Slayer”), was born on August 30, 1996, and raised in Clayton, New Jersey. He began wrestling in sixth grade and competed for Clayton High School, qualifying for the NJSIAA state championships as a senior. After high school he spent a year at Ferrum College (NCAA Division III), bulking from roughly 170 to 220 pounds between high school and college competition and placing fourth at the East Regionals before leaving the collegiate path. He briefly pursued modeling with Wilhelmina Models before jiu-jitsu rewrote his career.

Rodriguez started Brazilian jiu-jitsu in June 2018 under Jay Regalbuto at South Jersey BJJ—remarkably late by elite standards. Within weeks he was winning advanced open tournaments; within months he was chasing ADCC Trials. Early private work with Gordon Ryan opened the door to the Danaher Death Squad at Renzo Gracie Academy in New York. Still a blue belt, he took bronze at the 2018 ADCC East Coast Trials, then won the 2019 West Coast Trials at +99 kg to earn a berth at the ADCC World Championships. At ADCC 2019 in Anaheim he defeated Mahamed Aly, Orlando Sanchez, and Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu before losing the final on points to Kaynan Duarte—earning silver and a purple belt promotion from Regalbuto on the podium. He had also won the 2018 IBJJF World No-Gi title as a blue belt.

He trained full-time under John Danaher with DDS in New York and later Puerto Rico. When the squad dissolved in 2021, Rodriguez co-founded B-Team in Austin, Texas, with Craig Jones, Nicky Ryan, and Ethan Crelinsten. At ADCC 2022 he again reached the +99 kg final—beating Damon Ramos, John Hansen, and Felipe Pena before falling to Gordon Ryan by outside heel hook—for a second silver. He also reached the absolute quarterfinals. That same year he won EBI 20: The Absolutes in one night, and he later captured the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 absolute tournament (2023).

Craig Jones promoted Rodriguez to black belt in December 2023 after roughly five and a half years of training. In 2024 he withdrew from ADCC to compete at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational, submitting Max Gimenis, Owen Livesey, Adam Bradley, and Fellipe Andrew—all by rear-naked choke—to win the +80 kg bracket and the headline million-dollar prize. Signature attributes include elite heavyweight wrestling, pressure body-lock / “Rody Lock” passing, and a high rate of back takes finishing with RNCs. Notable pro wins also include decisions over Yuri Simões and (in 2025) Kaynan Duarte at Who’s Number One 27, plus superfights on Polaris and multiple UFC Fight Pass Invitational cards. His younger brother Jacob “J-Rod” Rodriguez is also a high-level ADCC medalist.

## Lineage

Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Jean Jacques Machado / Rigan Machado > John Will > John Simon > Lachlan Giles > Craig Jones > Nick Rodriguez; early belts under Jay Regalbuto; extensive no-gi development under John Danaher (Danaher Death Squad)

## Instructors

- Jay Regalbuto
- John Danaher
- Craig Jones
- Gordon Ryan

## Signature techniques / game

- Body lock pass / “Rody Lock”
- Blitz pass
- Wrestling and takedowns
- Rear naked choke / back control
- Pressure passing
- Kimura
- Outside heel hook

## Major achievements

- Craig Jones Invitational champion — +80 kg (2024); $1M prize, four RNCs in one night
- 2nd Place ADCC World Championship — +99 kg (2019, 2022)
- 1st Place ADCC North American West Coast Trials — +99 kg (2019)
- 3rd Place ADCC North American East Coast Trials — +99 kg (2018)
- EBI 20: The Absolutes champion (2022)
- UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 Absolute tournament champion (2023)
- 3rd Place Kasai Pro 7 Heavyweight Grand Prix (2020)
- Who’s Number One decision win over Kaynan Duarte (WNO 27, 2025)
- Who’s Number One decision win over Yuri Simões (WNO 7, 2021)
- UFC Fight Pass Invitational wins vs. Roberto Jimenez, Mason Fowler, Michael Pixley, Yuri Simões (2023–2024)
- Quintet 4 team champion with The B-Team Bulls (2023)
- Polaris wins over Luke Rockhold (Polaris 12) and Ashley Amos (Polaris 10)
- Grappling Industries Wildwood — Advanced Absolute and Advanced 230 lb champion (2018)

## Colored belt highlights

- 1st Place IBJJF World Championship No-Gi — blue belt (2018)
- High Rollerz Open Pittsburgh — blue belt Absolute champion
- Promoted to purple belt on the ADCC 2019 podium after +99 kg silver
- Promoted to black belt by Craig Jones (December 2023)

## Official / social links

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickyrod247/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BTeamJiuJitsu
- BJJ Fanatics: https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_nick-rodriguez

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes — Nick Rodriguez](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/nick-rodriguez)
- [Wikipedia — Nick Rodriguez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Rodriguez)
- [FloGrappling — Athlete page](https://www.flograppling.com/people/6566374-nick-rodriguez)
- [BJJEE — Black belt promotion (2023)](https://www.bjjee.com/articles/nick-rodriguez-promoted-to-black-belt-in-bjj-after-training-for-5-years/)
- [BJJ Fanatics — Nick Rodriguez instructionals](https://bjjfanatics.com/collections/instructional-videos/fighter_nick-rodriguez)
- [Instagram — @nickyrod247](https://www.instagram.com/nickyrod247/)

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