Richie Martinez

Richie Martinez, also known as “Boogeyman” is a jiu jitsu black belt under Eddie Bravo and one of the top 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Academy representatives in grappling’s current competitive no-gi scene. An EBI and Onnit Invitational tournament runner-up, Richie is also the brother of another accomplished jiu jitsu competitor, Geo Martinez, the two being known as the “Freak Brothers” among the sport’s fans.

Richie Martinez Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Richard Martinez

Nickname: “Boogeyman” is a name Martinez used throughout his breakdancing career, which he carried to his fighting vocation.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie (Senior) > Hélio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Júnior > Jean Jaques Machado > Eddie Bravo > Richie Martinez

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place NAGA Phoenix, AZ (2014)
• 1st Place NAGA Las Vegas, NV (2014)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World No-Gi Championship (2016 Master 1)
• 2nd Place EBI I Invitational (2014)
• 2nd Place Onnit Invitational (2015)

Favorite Position/Technique: Japanese Necktie, Omoplata

Weight Division: 77kg/170lbs

Team/Association: 10th Planet

Richie Martinez Biography

Richie Martinez was born on the July 28, 1984 in Oceanside – California, United States of America.

Raised by a single mother, a former Mexican actress and Miss Los Angeles, Richie and his younger brother Geo Martinez soon gave way to their creative side by participating in B-boying tournaments throughout California’s breakdancing scene, becoming well known in the circuit.

Grappling caught Richie’s attention back in 2011. After watching his brother Geo (who was 3 months into his training) tap every opponent at the Gracie Nationals tournament in the blue belt division, Richie decided to join his sibling at the 10th Planet Vista academy. The classes being taught by Sean Bollinger.

During his first year of training jiu jitsu, Martinez lived in Los Angeles, too far from the academy to pay regular visits. Instead he would travel to the Bollinger’s gym once per week and spend the rest of his free time drilling the positions learnt in class with his girlfriend at home, an unusual method that paid dividends by taking Martinez to a blue belt standard.

Midway into his blue belt career, Richie started training directly under the guidance of 10th Planet head coach Eddie Bravo, at the team’s headquarters. Bravo developed Richie’s game tremendously for grappling and mixed martial arts (MMA) a sport in which Martinez debuted in 2013, competing for the Xplode Fight Series.

The two brothers (Richie and Geo) became known in the grappling circuit as the “Freak Brothers” due to their B-boying association. Their recognition in the jiu jitsu world would lead them to open their own 10th Planet Freaks gyms, Richie in San Diego and Geo in Oceanside – California. It was at the grand opening of the San Diego academy, on January 3, 2015, that Richie would be awarded his black belt by instructor Eddie Bravo.