🥋 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brown Belt.
Still Learning.
10+ years on the mat. Competed at white, blue, and brown belt. 3rd place at brown — won via reverse triangle. Nearly had my neck snapped by a concrete-throwing blue belt in overtime. That's jiu-jitsu.
The Journey
Belt Timeline
- ▸ Lost a ton of tournament matches at 170
- ▸ Spent a ton of time at white belt and needed a lot of it to improve
- ▸ Began developing triangle attacks
- ▸ Competed and medaled at blue belt
- ▸ Developed positional dominance game
- ▸ Refined omoplata-to-reverse triangle entry
- ▸ Transitioned focus to coaching
- ▸ Guided white belt student with 60+ wins to compete against blue belts
- ▸ Deepened understanding of timing and belt-level skill gaps
- ▸ Saw Mike Israetel compete at a Northeast tournament as a brown belt
Focused on coaching — did not compete personally at this belt
- ▸ Competed in Gi, No-Gi, and Absolute Cash Prize division
- ▸ Finished with 3rd place — won via reverse triangle submission
- ▸ Lost absolute division overtime to a nogi-specialist blue belt (got launched onto concrete)
- ▸ Beat competition black belt in Gi — showed takedown and positional game
- ▸ Signature submission: reverse triangle from Omoplata defense
On the Competition Mat
Competition Record
Competed at white, blue, and brown belt (skipped purple — was coaching full-time). Took a medal at every belt entered. Believe in validating your belt on a live mat against strangers.
Won Gi & No-Gi matches including a reverse triangle; lost absolute overtime
The Brown Belt Tournament
Came back to competition to set an example for a student I was pushing to compete. Couldn't tell someone else to get out there without doing it myself — so I entered Gi, No-Gi, and the Absolute Cash Prize division.
In the Absolute, a No-Gi specialist blue belt launched me off the circle onto concrete for his first takedown. I bounced, got up, and lost in overtime when I ran out of gas. First tournament in years with no proper training camp — fair result.
In Gi: beat a competition black belt with a deep double leg and positional dominance (he wasn't expecting it at my size). Won my other matches including a reverse triangle from inside control — down 0-12 on points, less than a minute left. Hit the omoplata-reversal and got the tap. 3rd place overall.
Technique
Game Highlights
Reverse Triangle
Toby's go-to submission — entered from Omoplata defense or inside control. Works against purple belts and above.
Deep Double Leg
High-amplitude takedown with lift. Surprised a competition black belt who wasn't expecting the athleticism at 220 lbs.
Cartwheel Guard Pass
Saved for once-a-year situations. Can execute it — just not at 220+ lbs unless necessary.
Currently competing at ~220 lbs. The game adapts — cartwheel passes get shelved, explosive drops become more deliberate, and neck-risk attacks (like the flying triangle off standing opponents) get used sparingly. Size-aware training is real training.
How I Think About BJJ
Training Philosophy
Compete to Validate
No belt should be accepted without proving it on the mat. Competed at every belt except purple (coaching focus). Returned to competition at brown to set an example for students.
Position Over Submission — Except When Losing
When ahead on points, controls position. When behind, flips the script — hits dynamic submissions from adverse positions (reverse triangle down 0-12).
Injury Awareness
Strips dangerous moves against smaller training partners. Uses Garmin + WHOOP to track training load and recovery. Currently training through a broken finger from grip battles with upper belts.
Size-Aware Game
At 220 lbs, adapts game based on training partner size. Avoids neck-risk moves against heavy partners. Strips cartwheel passes and explosive drops at heavier weights.
On Camera
BJJ Commentary & Analysis
20+ videos on belt culture, training philosophy, and the politics of BJJ promotion — from someone who's lived all four belts.
Is Mike Israetel Really a Legit BJJ Black Belt?
A brown belt's insider take — including seeing Israetel compete at a Northeast tournament as a brown belt.
The 'Levels' of Jiu-Jitsu: Tying My Pants Mid-Roll
The moment you realize skill gaps are real — controlling a white belt while casually retying your gi pants.
Should Black Belts Be Earned ONLY Through Competition?
The nuanced take on belt promotion — why tournament requirements aren't always fair, but often necessary.
WHOOP vs Garmin for Jiu-Jitsu & Strength Training
Why WHOOP wins for BJJ tracking (chest straps during rolls are terrible) and Garmin wins for running.
Hot Take
"If I had lost every match at that tournament, there's no way I could accept my black belt — until I went back and rectified it."
Belt promotions should mean something. Not gatekeeping — there are valid reasons someone can't compete (age, family, injury). But if you can compete and won't, your belt deserves scrutiny. That applies at every level, including black.
Watched Mike Israetel compete as a brown belt at a Northeast tournament three years before the internet decided he wasn't legit. His coach had a blue belt who handled my best student. The criticism of his black belt from people who don't train jiu-jitsu? They don't know what they're talking about.
Follow the Journey
The Black Belt Is Coming.
Eventually.
Training through a broken finger, pushing 220 lbs, and still planning that next competition. All of it — on camera. Unscripted.