JT Torres "Spiderman"

Jonathan 'JT' Torres was born on September 2, 1989, in the Bronx, New York. Like several of his generation's top American grapplers, he came to jiu-jitsu through another martial art: Torres earned a karate black belt before high school, but a chance discovery of a small BJJ program at his karate school redirected him toward grappling as a teenager. He trained initially under Louis Vintaloro at Performance BJJ in New Jersey, earning his blue belt within six months, before moving to Maryland in 2009 to join Team Lloyd Irvin — at the time one of the most competitively dominant academies in American jiu-jitsu. Irvin awarded Torres his black belt later that same year, an unusually fast progression that reflected how quickly Torres had absorbed the team's aggressive, pressure-based competition style.

Torres left Team Lloyd Irvin in 2013 amid a wave of departures following misconduct allegations against members of the academy, and joined Atos Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego to train under André Galvão. The move paid off almost immediately: later that year he won the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship at black belt, defeating Rodrigo Freitas and Marcelo Mafra en route to the title, and picked up an ADCC bronze medal at 77kg. He backed that up with a strong 2015 season, winning the Pan American Championship without conceding a point in several matches and taking gold at the European Open.

Torres's signature achievement came at ADCC, where he built a reputation for grinding, wrestling-heavy control and a distinctive grip strength that earned him the nickname 'Spiderman.' He won his first ADCC World Championship at 77kg in 2017, defeating a stacked bracket that included Lachlan Giles, and defended it in 2019 with wins over Ross Nichols, DJ Jackson, Garry Tonon, and 2017 bronze medalist Vagner Rocha in the final — making him a two-time ADCC World Champion in one of the deepest divisions in the sport.

In 2016, Torres founded Essential Jiu-Jitsu in White Plains, New York, building it into his home academy and coaching base while continuing to compete at the highest level under the Atos banner. He also took part in several high-profile submission-only superfights during the Metamoris era, including a widely watched 2014 draw against UFC welterweight champion Rory MacDonald that showcased his ability to hold his own against elite wrestlers and MMA competitors on the mat. He was promoted to fourth-degree black belt in 2023 and has continued competing into the mid-2020s, including an appearance at the 2024 ADCC World Championship.

Torres's career is defined by consistency and adaptability: a fighter who moved from karate to a Lloyd Irvin production line, weathered a team collapse to reinvent himself under André Galvão, and became a two-time ADCC champion through relentless pressure rather than flash. As both a competitor and, through Essential Jiu-Jitsu, a builder of the next generation of East Coast grapplers, he remains one of the most respected lightweights of the ADCC era.

Relentless pressure-passing wrestler-grappler known for exceptional grip strength and a high, grinding pace