Austin Oranday

Austin Oranday was born on December 11, 1998, and demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to martial arts from a young age. He began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training at Elite MMA in Baytown, Texas, under Coaches Jorden Rivas and Robert Yamashita — the environment where the foundations of his competitive grappling game took shape. By fifteen, Oranday had already set himself apart, earning both his BJJ blue belt and a black belt in goju-ryu karate simultaneously. Immersion in two disciplines, each demanding its own technical rigor and physical precision, forged a well-rounded competitive foundation that would prove instrumental as he ascended through the ranks of professional jiu-jitsu.

Austin Oranday's journey to the black belt spanned nearly twelve years of dedicated training, shaped primarily under the guidance of his brother, Damion Oranday, who refined his own game through extensive work with Lucas Lepri of Alliance. Competing under the banner of Oranday Bros Jiu Jitsu in affiliation with Alliance Charlotte, Austin built a formidable colored belt record, earning victories in the pro-division against several notable names in the sport.

The peak of his pre-black belt career arrived in 2021, when he claimed the number-one ranking in the IBJJF Adult Brown Belt division in both Gi and No-Gi — a rare double distinction reflecting the breadth of his technical development. That same year, he captured gold at the IBJJF American Nationals, reached the final of the IBJJF Pan American Championship, and earned a bronze medal at the IBJJF World Championship No-Gi. In January 2022, after nearly twelve years on the mats, Oranday received his black belt directly from his brother Damion — a moment that carried deep personal and familial significance.

Oranday entered the black belt division competing in the Peso Médio weight class (82.30 kg / 181.5 lbs) and wasted little time proving his colored belt momentum was no anomaly. In 2023, he delivered a string of podium-topping performances on the IBJJF circuit, claiming gold at the IBJJF Rome Open, the IBJJF New Orleans Open No-Gi, and the IBJJF Atlanta Fall Open — three titles that collectively affirmed his standing as one of the division's most consistent competitors. By the close of 2023, he had risen to the number-eight position in the IBJJF Adult No-Gi Black Belt rankings.

Oranday carried that momentum into 2024, adding a first-place finish at the IBJJF Dallas Open to his growing list of black belt titles. Known by the nickname "Gumby," he brings a flexible and adaptable approach to competition that translates effectively across both Gi and No-Gi formats — a quality that distinguishes him as a complete competitor rather than a format-specific specialist.

Beyond his individual competitive career, Austin Oranday co-founded the Oranday Bros Jiu-Jitsu Academies, a network of BJJ schools rooted in Southeast Texas. The first location opened in 2016 as a genuine family enterprise, built alongside his brother Damion Oranday, sister Camryn Oranday Costa, mother Bambi Renee Oranday Martin, and stepfather Aaron Martin. The academies operate locations in Port Neches and Lumberton, Texas, serving both competitive athletes and community members seeking quality martial arts instruction.

By the end of 2022, Austin and his mother assumed full management of the second location, overseeing a period of exponential growth in student enrollment. The Oranday Bros Jiu-Jitsu Academies function simultaneously as a competitive training hub connected to the Alliance network and as a community-centered BJJ school — a dual identity that reflects the family's long-term commitment to growing the sport in their region.