PJ Barch is an American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu representative known for combining a collegiate wrestling base with 10th Planet no-gi submission grappling. A former high school All-American wrestler, he transitioned to grappling after moving to Hawaii, eventually earning his black belt under Richie Martinez and Eddie Bravo in 2016. He now competes on the professional no-gi circuit and heads his own academy, 10th Planet South Bay, in Chula Vista, California.
Bio
PJ Barch grew up in Delaware in a family with strong wrestling traditions. He began wrestling in the fifth grade and, after also trying soccer, gymnastics, surfing, and football, committed fully to the sport by his freshman year of high school. Competing for Sussex Central High School, he earned All-American recognition at several events, including Beast of the East, and placed fifth statewide as a sophomore.
Barch went on to wrestle at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (2009) but left school two years later, eventually moving to Hawaii to finish his education and return to surfing. It was there that he was introduced to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, training at BJ Penn’s academy in Hilo under JD Penn. He also competed briefly in mixed martial arts, going 2-0.
Barch later trained at 10th Planet Portland under Nathan Orchard, then at 10th Planet Stockholm under Magnus Hansson, who awarded him his blue belt. In 2015 he settled in San Diego and began training under Richie Martinez, newly opened his own 10th Planet affiliate in the region. Barch received his purple, brown, and black belts under Martinez, with his black belt awarded in a ceremony led by Eddie Bravo in November 2016.
As a competitor, Barch is known for pairing an aggressive wrestling-based takedown game with top pressure and back-take finishes, a style that stands out within a team more commonly associated with guard play. He has competed in numerous major no-gi events, including Quintet, ADCC trials, Polaris, WNO, and various submission-only invitationals, facing opponents such as Gordon Ryan, Nicky Ryan, Kade Ruotolo, Dante Leon, Gregor Gracie, and JT Torres. At ADCC 2024 he won a bronze medal, finishing a match with an armbar set up from an unconventional 50/50 position known as the “Junny Lock.”
Barch transitioned into coaching around 2018 and opened his own academy, 10th Planet South Bay, in Chula Vista, California, in approximately 2022, where he serves as head instructor.
Acheivements
- ADCC East Coast Trials — competitor (multiple years); bronze medal, ADCC 2024
- Onnit Invitational Champion (x2)
- Sapateiro Invitational — competitor
- Quintet Grappling Team Survival Match — competitor
- Subversiv Team Tournament Champion
- Polaris — competitor
- No-Gi Worlds — competitor
- Beast of the East Champion (high school)
- High School All-American wrestler
Career grappling record widely cited at roughly 50+ wins, with a significant majority coming by submission.
Style
Wrestling-based top control, aggressive takedowns, and back-take finishes within the 10th Planet no-gi system.