Nick Rodriguez is a wrestler and BJJ athlete from the famous Renzo Gracie Gym. He rose to prominence after winning silver in the ADCC 2019 after just 18 months of training, whilst still a blue belt.
Acknowledged highly for his takedowns and wrestling ability, he is also known for his muscular physique and intense strength. He ventured into BJJ after years of highschool wrestling which can be seen in his style. Here Rodriguez often favours double leg takedowns and turtle attacks.
Rodriguez is mostly a top player who favours passing, over playing the guard. It is quite unusual to see him playing guard in competition and equally as rare to see him lose at takedowns. Due to this, he has the ability to force players into guard where he can start working passes. Perhaps his most famous pass is the cartwheel, where he athletically cartwheels over the legs of the opponent into an instant pass.
In terms of submissions, Rodriguez is known for his back attacks which he secures whilst cracking the turtle position. Here Rodriguez will secure the seatbelt and then start hunting rear naked choke submissions. Due to his sheer strength, even cranking the neck will often result in taps. Imagine a super heavyweight squeezing the neck and jaw, it would be unusual not tapping under those circumstances.
A key part of his success is due to his strict lifestyle. This includes weightlifting and a healthy diet. Even whilst doing BJJ, Rodriguez still finds time to wrestle regularly and lift weights on a daily basis. Because of this he is incredibly athletic and quick for his size which makes him a horrible opponent to face in competition.
Winning silver on his ADCC debut, Rodriguez defeated legends such as Mohammed Aly, Orlando Sanchez and Cyborg to achieve the medal. Whilst this is incredibly successful, it’s not difficult to understand when his regular training partners are the likes of Gordon Ryan, Ethan Crelinstein and others. This combined with regular coaching from John Danaher is a tested route to competition success. Off the back of his ADCC triumph, Rodriguez has toured the superfight scene and continued his rise.
With this in mind, he is one to look out for in future ADCC’s and will undoubtedly be looking towards gold medals next time.
