Michael Trasso

Michael Trasso was born on August 29, 1990, and grew up in New Jersey, where an early fascination with Bruce Lee films ignited a lifelong commitment to martial arts. Inspired by Lee's on-screen mastery, Trasso began training at Rising Sun Martial Arts in Lyndhurst, New Jersey at just five years old in 1995 — one of the youngest dedicated grapplers of his generation.

At Rising Sun, Trasso trained under head coach Jerry Jones, whose hybrid no-gi grappling system fused the traditions of catch-wrestling and sambo into a distinctly effective submission wrestling methodology. Jones served as a foundational influence across eight formative years from 1995 to 2003, guiding Trasso's technical development with a long-term, system-driven approach. That sustained commitment culminated in Trasso earning his first black belt within Jones' "Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu" system — a testament to both the depth of his early training and the seriousness with which he approached competition.

By his early teens, Trasso's results were drawing national attention. Competing on the NAGA and Grapplers Quest circuits, he accumulated more than 55 tournament gold medals as a youth competitor and ranked among the top kids and teens grapplers in the United States and internationally across both promotions. That remarkable run earned him a feature in the Summer 2003 edition of Kids Sports Illustrated Magazine, which spotlighted him as one of the premier young grapplers in the country.

Trazzo's competitive trajectory through his mid-teens cemented his reputation as one of the most accomplished young grapplers in the country. His sustained dominance on the NAGA and Grapplers Quest circuits — spanning multiple weight classes and age divisions — culminated in the "Top Teen Grappler" award at the NAGA/Grappling Hall of Fame Gala in 2005, an honor he shared ex aequo with Gianni Grippo. The recognition affirmed what his competition record had long suggested: Trasso was operating at a level well beyond his years.

In 2006, that excellence translated to a 1st Place finish at the ADCC North American Trials in the teen division, further validating his standing among the top young submission grapplers in North America.

Expanding the Foundation: Wrestling, BJJ, and Striking

During this same period, Trasso broadened the scope of his martial arts education significantly. In 2001, he added wrestling to his regimen, building the positional instincts and physical attributes that would later serve him at the collegiate level. By 2003, he was training Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Mike MrKulic, a BJJ brown belt and student of Louis Vintaloro, representing the RGDA — the Royler Gracie and David Adiv partnership. MrKulic's influence introduced Trasso to a more formal BJJ framework, becoming a significant thread woven through his development over the following decade.

In 2005, Trasso further diversified his game by taking up kickboxing and Muay Thai under Dave Tirelli, a well-regarded combat sports coach whose stable produced notable professional fighters including Bellator champion Lyman Good, Nick Pace, Jimmie Rivera, and Uriah Hall.

Years of dedicated wrestling development paid off in 2008 when Head Coach Jay Jones recruited Trasso to join the wrestling program at Rhode Island College in Providence, Rhode Island. For the next five years, Trasso channeled the bulk of his athletic focus into competing at the collegiate level, representing the program in the NEWA (New England Wrestling Association) Conference.

Four Medals and a Milestone

Spanning 2008 to 2012, Trasso earned four NEWA Conference Medals, establishing himself as one of the most decorated wrestlers in the program's recent history. His consistency and longevity on the mat allowed him to surpass the 100+ career victories milestone, making him the 12th wrestler in Rhode Island College history to reach that mark.

Even within the demanding collegiate athletic calendar, Trasso maintained his connection to Brazilian jiu-jitsu by returning to New Jersey each summer to train with Mike MrKulic, ensuring his grappling development continued in parallel with his wrestling career. Trasso graduated in 2013 and stepped back from active competition to pursue a career in the IT staffing industry, continuing to train recreationally with Tim Burrill at TBBJJ and with Jimmy Connor in the Northeast.

In 2016, a professional opportunity brought Michael Trasso to San Diego, California — one of the most concentrated hubs of elite grappling talent in the world. The move proved pivotal. Trasso began training under Regis Lebre, the leader of Gracie Humaitá San Diego, and with renewed focus and access to high-level training partners, returned to competitive grappling with immediate results.

Brown Belt Breakthrough

In 2017, competing at brown belt, Trasso captured 1st Place at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship and followed with 3rd Place finishes at both the 2017 IBJJF World Championship and the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship — a breakout year that signaled his readiness for black belt competition. In June 2018, Regis Lebre awarded Trasso his BJJ black belt, formalizing years of accumulated technical development under a lineage rooted in Gracie Humaitá.

Black Belt Competition

The transition to black belt competition produced strong results almost immediately. Later in 2018, Trasso earned a 2nd Place finish at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship. In 2019, he claimed gold at the 2019 IBJJF San Jose Open No-Gi, demonstrating his ability to compete and win at the sport's highest level. He continued to perform at elite standards into the 2020s, earning a 3rd Place finish at the IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship in 2021 and reinforcing his standing as a seasoned black belt competitor within the Gracie Humaitá San Diego community.