Chris Tran

Chris Tran was born on September 27, 1995, in Baltimore, MD, and grew up in Severna Park, MD, where his passion for martial arts took root early. Before ever stepping onto a BJJ mat, he trained kung fu and taekwondo from childhood through his teenage years — disciplines that built his foundational understanding of martial arts movement and discipline. A single season wrestling for Severna Park High School added an early layer of competitive grappling experience that would later inform his jiu-jitsu game.

The pivotal moment arrived when Tran was 13, introduced to BJJ by his brother-in-law, who had been training for a few months and brought both Chris and his sister along. What immediately captivated Tran was jiu-jitsu's central promise made visible — smaller athletes consistently overcoming larger, physically imposing opponents through technique and leverage. That revelation anchored his commitment to the art and set the course for everything that followed.

Tran relocated to College Park, MD, to attend the University of Maryland, where he pursued a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Rather than allowing the demands of university life to interrupt his development on the mat, he channeled his drive into both arenas simultaneously. In 2014, he founded an official BJJ club at the University of Maryland, creating a structured training environment where students could develop their grappling skills on campus. He led and maintained the club throughout his undergraduate years, reflecting both his organizational commitment and his ambition to grow the sport within his academic community. Tran graduated in 2017, closing a chapter defined by parallel growth as a scholar and as a martial artist.

From his very first BJJ class, Chris Tran trained under Julius Park — a coaching relationship that shaped the entire trajectory of his competitive career. Representing Crazy 88, an affiliate of Team Lloyd Irvin, Tran competed steadily on the US circuit and rose to become one of the nation's top no-gi competitors at the colored belt level.

His brown belt years served as a proving ground. In 2016, he claimed gold at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship, and in 2019 he delivered the signature result of his pre-black belt career by winning the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship at brown belt — a title that underscored his dominance in the lighter weight divisions. Built on years of consistent development under Park's instruction, his black belt promotion in December 2021 was a natural and well-earned progression.

At the black belt level, Chris Tran establishes himself as one of the most reliable no-gi competitors in the Peso Galo division (57.50 kg / 127.0 lbs) on the IBJJF circuit. His transition to the sport's highest rank was seamless, with podium finishes arriving quickly to affirm his standing among the elite. In 2022, he earned 3rd place at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship in his first full year as a black belt, a result that signaled his momentum had carried over without interruption.

The 2023 season reinforced his reputation for consistency at the highest level. Tran reached 3rd place at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship and followed with a 2nd place finish at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship — back-to-back podium appearances at two of the sport's most prestigious events that cemented his standing as a fixture among the world's best in his weight class.

In 2024, Tran reached the pinnacle of international no-gi competition by capturing 1st place at the 2024 European No-Gi IBJJF Championship, claiming the marquee title that represented the highest achievement of his black belt career to that point. The victory stands as the product of a long competitive arc stretching back to his early teens in Severna Park — a journey shaped by curiosity, dedication, and the enduring influence of Julius Park and the Crazy 88 program.