Enrico Cocco

Enrico Cocco is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Marcos and David Avellan, who specialized in the no-gi facet of the sport who was particularly successful competing in the North American circuit. Cocco was regarded as a grappling prodigy as a teenager, a reputation earned through his repeated victories in adult divisions of local and national tournaments. More recently Enrico Cocco became the head instructor and founder of the Zen Jiu-Jitsu Academy, as well as a role model and active spokesperson for the benefits of plant-based diets in our sport.

Enrico Cocco Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Enrico Daniel Cocco

Nickname: “Teenage Phenom” a name often used to describe Cocco during his early jiu-jitsu days.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Francisco Mansor > Joe Moreira > Ricardo Teixeira > Marcos/David Avellan > Enrico Cocco

Main Achievements:

• #1 Ranked Fight 2 Win 170lbs (2019)
• 1st Place ADCC US Trials (2009 / 2011 / 2014)
• 1st Place Grapplers Quest Pro Stars (2009)
• 2nd Place Pan Championship NoGi (2014)
• 2nd Place Sapateiro Invitational (2016)
• 3rd Place World Championship NoGi (2014)

Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard

Weight Division: Peso Médio (82kg/181lbs)

Team/Association: Zen Jiu Jitsu / Fight Sports

Enrico Cocco Biography

Enrico Cocco was born on October 8, 1987, in Miami, Florida – United States.

His parents owned a taekwondo school since 1985, and instilled in Enrico a love for martial arts from early on, formally introducing him to structured classes at the age of 4. Cocco would go on to be an assistant instructor at the academy as a child and earn his black belt in TKD as a teenager.

When Enrico was 13 years old, one of the Avellan brothers started dating his older sister. Through that relationship Cocco was introduced to jiu jitsu, starting his grappling classes at Avellan’s Freestyle Fighting Academy.

The Avellan brothers were both former high school wrestlers who transitioned to shootfighting (a form of mixed martial arts [MMA]) while training under Randy Ibarra. Highly versed in grappling, the brothers also sought out formal jiu-jitsu instruction, finding it in Ricardo Teixeira. The man who promoted the Avellan’s to black belt.

By the time he was 15 years old, Enrico was already being pointed as a future star in the sport of grappling, thanks to his competitive accolades. It was also around that time that Cocco started coaching jiu-jitsu at the Avellan brother’s gym, a job he held until his 21st birthday – 2007. The same year when Enrico earned his black belt.

Around 2009 Enrico Cocco opened the doors of his own academy – Zen Jiu-Jitsu, distancing himself from the Freestyle Fighting Academy. Working almost exclusively with his own students, Cocco conquered some important wins in prestigious tournaments such as the ADCC US Trials.

In 2013, after losing a 0-0 referee decision to Vagner Rocha at the ADCC North American trials. Enrico was invited by Vagner, to come and train at Fight Sport’s pro class, a group supervised by Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. Enrico accepted the invitation and was pleased with the group, starting a relationship with the team that led Cyborg to offer Cocco his IBJJF black belt certificate.

Enrico Cocco feature film

Enrico Cocco vs Jason Hayden