Jeremy Jackson

Jeremy Jackson was born on February 11, 1987, and raised in Visalia, California, where competitive sports served as the cornerstone of his early development. He joined his first organized football team at age 8 and continued playing through his freshman year of high school, building the athletic discipline that would define his approach to every physical pursuit that followed.

Despite standing just 5'1" and weighing 120 lbs — notably small by any measure — Jackson earned a spot on his high school basketball team as a sophomore, a testament to his determination over natural advantage. He competed through his junior year before stepping away from organized athletics entirely, channeling his energy instead into a professional career in internet marketing.

The years away from competition brought weight gain, and Jackson responded with characteristic resolve. He committed to Tony Horton's P90X program — a rigorous 90-day fitness challenge — and shed 19 pounds in the process. More than a physical reset, the experience reignited something essential: a hunger for discipline, structure, and the satisfaction of pushing past personal limits.

With that competitive fire reawakened, Jackson began searching for his next challenge. The answer arrived almost by accident. Driving through his area one day, he spotted a jiu-jitsu gym, pulled over, walked in, and signed up for a trial class. The effect was immediate. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu offered the same blend of physical and mental rigor that had drawn him through P90X — only deeper, more technical, and endlessly complex. His entry into BJJ was less a calculated decision than the natural outcome of a challenge-seeking mentality he had been refining his entire adult life.

Blue Belt: Early Foundation and First Gold

Jackson began his BJJ journey at Alberto Crane's Legacy gym in Burbank, California, where he developed the foundational elements of his game and earned his blue belt. He wasted little time making his presence felt on the competition circuit — his IBJJF Pan Championship title in 2013 announced him as a serious competitor and offered an early glimpse of the ceiling he would eventually reach.

Purple and Brown Belt: Building Under Alan Marques

Seeking continued growth, Jackson relocated to the San Francisco area and joined Heroes Martial Arts, training under Alan Marques — widely known in the BJJ community as "Gumby." Under Marques' instruction, Jackson earned both his purple and brown belts while simultaneously building an international reputation as a competitor. Throughout this period, he balanced the demands of high-level competition with the responsibilities of running a successful online business — a discipline that mirrored the structured mindset that had first drawn him to the sport.

Black Belt: The Caio Terra Association and Final Promotion

As a brown belt, Jackson made a deliberate move to sharpen his training environment. He joined the Caio Terra Association (CTA) in San Jose, California, training directly alongside Caio Terra — one of his personal idols — and a roster of internationally recognized athletes. The environment proved transformative. In July 2019, Jackson received his black belt in a ceremony led jointly by Caio Terra and Alan Marques, a promotion that honored the dual lineage that had guided his development from blue belt onward.

Colored Belt Highlights

Jackson built his competitive résumé methodically across belt levels, producing consistent results on both the IBJJF and UAEJJF circuits. His 2013 IBJJF Pan Championship gold at blue belt set an early standard, complemented by a second-place finish at the IBJJF American Nationals that same year.

At purple belt, he reached the final of the IBJJF European Open in 2015, demonstrating his capacity to perform against elite international opposition. He also placed third at the IBJJF American Nationals in both 2014 and 2015, reinforcing his standing as one of the more reliable performers on the circuit. His brown belt years proved his most decorated in colored belt competition: a UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro final appearance in 2016, followed by the UAEJJF US National Pro title in 2018 — one of the most competitive brown belt events on the North American calendar.

Black Belt Competition

Even before his formal black belt promotion, Jackson's results signaled his readiness for the sport's highest tier. His IBJJF Open gold medals at the Twin Cities Open and the Atlanta Summer Open — both in 2018 — came while he was still a brown belt, underscoring the level he had already reached. After his promotion in 2019, Jackson continued competing as a representative of the Caio Terra Association in the Peso Leve division at 76 kg / 168 lbs.

From a spontaneous trial class to podium finishes on the global stage, Jackson's competitive arc reflects an athlete who has consistently risen to meet — and exceed — the level of challenge placed before him.