Jesseray Childrey

Jesseray Childrey's athletic identity was forged long before he ever stepped onto a jiu-jitsu mat. Originally from California, he relocated to Kentucky after his freshman year of high school — a move that changed his environment but did nothing to diminish his competitive drive. In Kentucky, Childrey threw himself into interscholastic athletics, competing in wrestling, football, and track, while also representing Lindsey HS in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). That multi-sport foundation proved instrumental in shaping his future as a grappler.

Of all his athletic pursuits, wrestling left the deepest imprint. The discipline, positional awareness, and physical pressure developed on the wrestling mat became the defining characteristics of his no-gi submission game — a thread that runs consistently through every phase of his competitive career.

Childrey's introduction to jiu-jitsu came through mixed martial arts, a common pathway for wrestlers looking to round out their skill set. Training under Adam Gomez at Georgetown MMA, he built enough grappling proficiency to pursue professional competition. In 2014, he made his professional MMA debut and won his first two bouts by submission — a clear early signal of the finishing instincts he would later channel exclusively into submission grappling. The year, however, ended on a difficult note: a professional loss accompanied by a torn ACL brought his MMA trajectory to a halt.

Rather than treating the injury as a setback, Childrey used it as a redirection. Beginning in 2015, he shifted his competitive focus entirely to jiu-jitsu, channeling the same submission-oriented mindset that had served him in the cage into the no-gi grappling circuit. The pivot proved to be a natural fit — his wrestling base and submission finishing ability translated seamlessly into the format.

Childrey's development as a jiu-jitsu practitioner unfolded through a series of meaningful training relationships. At Georgetown MMA, he trained under Brian Jones and later Israel Gomes, both operating under the Killer Bees banner. All of his subsequent belt promotions came through this affiliation, establishing a clear lineage that ties his technical growth directly to the Killer Bees program.

His connection to Nice Guy Submission Fighting (NGSF) began through competition. After facing Joe Baize on the mat, Childrey received an invitation from Bobby Emmons to cross-train at NGSF — a gesture that reflects the collaborative culture common in submission-only grappling communities. That cross-training arrangement deepened into a full commitment after Childrey secured employment in Evansville, at which point he transitioned to training full-time at NGSF. His trajectory across these affiliations illustrates a competition-driven approach to team relationships, with each connection forged through mutual respect on the mat.

Childrey's grappling style is a direct extension of his wrestling background — pressure-based, aggressive, and oriented toward finishing. His game is rooted in no-gi, a format that rewards athletic, scramble-heavy grappling and suits wrestlers particularly well. Rather than relying on the grip structures and guard systems that define much of the gi game, Childrey applies relentless forward pressure and leverages his physical attributes in pursuit of the finish.

On the submission-only circuit, he has demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach with strong campaigns at the BJJ Fanatics Grand Prix. The submission-only format suits him particularly well: without points or advantages to fall back on, competitors must commit to finishing — a mandate that aligns naturally with his instincts as both a wrestler and a former MMA fighter. His career arc, from wrestling mats to the cage to submission-only competition, reflects a consistent emphasis on ending bouts decisively.

Childrey's standing in elite submission grappling was affirmed through his participation in ADCC competition. At the ADCC West Coast Trials held in Anaheim, California, he advanced deep into the bracket before falling in the semi-finals to Jon Hansen by submission. His run ended at the semi-final stage — he did not place second at the trials, contrary to some earlier reports.

Despite that result, Childrey earned an invitation to compete at the 2017 ADCC World Championships in Finland, one of the most prestigious events in submission grappling. The Finland appearance did not unfold as he had hoped, but the invitation itself represented meaningful recognition of his standing in the sport. Competing on that stage placed Childrey among the credible contenders at the highest level of no-gi grappling — a validation of the path he built since redirecting his career away from MMA in 2015.