Eric Phan

Eric Phan is a Canadian grappler of Vietnamese descent, who is also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) under Jorge Britto. Widely regarded as one of Canada’s most proficient black belts and a representative of the Jiu-Jitsu For Life – Toronto Academy in BJJ’s global circuit, Eric Phan made a name for himself while competing in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), where he conquered 2 European titles and multiple World Championship medals in the colored belt divisions.

Eric Phan Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Eric Cong Phan

Nickname: Phan is often called “Meleca”, which is the Portuguese slang word for “boogers”. The nickname started when he first started training BJJ during his early teens, after Eric’s coach saw one running down his nose during a warm-up

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Royler Gracie > Saulo Ribeiro / Vini Aieta > Jorge Britto > Eric Phan

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF Toronto Open (2019)
• 2nd Place JJIF World Cup (2017)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Atlanta Winter Open (2019)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2014 / 2015 purple belt)
• 1st Place IBJJF Chicago Spring Open (2017 brown belt)
• 1st Place IBJJF Toronto Open (2013 blue belt, 2014 / 2015 purple belt, 2016 brown belt)
• 1st Place IBJJF Toronto Open Juvenile (2012)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Toronto Open (2013* blue belt)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2017 brown belt)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship Juvenile NoGi (2011)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship Juvenile (2012)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship Juvenile (2011)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Choke from back

Weight Division: Peso Pluma (64,00 kg/141.5 lbs)

Team/Association: Jiu-Jitsu For Life

Eric Phan Biography

Eric Cong Phan was born on August 14, 1995, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of Vietnamese immigrants.

Phan’s childhood was spent on the west end of Toronto, where he first discovered martial arts, first through taekwondo, as a 10-year-old, and later also adding muay Thai, karate and boxing prior to finding jiu-jitsu.

At the age of 14, Eric moved to the east side of Toronto – Scarborough and it was there, in July 2010, that Phan first tried jiu-jitsu, after a few local friends told him about the benefits of Brazil’s grappling style. Toronto BJJ was Eric Phan’s first BJJ home, one that immediately embedded in Eric the desire to compete – his first tournament taking place 3 weeks into his tuition, Phan’s first gold medal.

At Toronto BJJ Eric’s first instructors were Eduardo Dib and Oscar Dewindt, who ran the teens program at Toronto BJJ, later adult team coach Jorge Britto took over Phan’s development.

During his purple belt days, Eric spent time also training with Elliot Bayev of Open Mat MMA, for whom Phan conquered the IBJJF European Open back in 2014. He returned to Toronto BJJ later that year, earning both his brown and black belts from Jorge Britto, the latter in July 2017.