The mats at USC were packed with energy on Saturday as students from the Californian, collegiate Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) scene gathered at the Physical Education Building for the university’s first-ever intercollegiate open mat.
What started as an idea to build relationships between jiu-jitsu clubs quickly turned into a landmark event, bringing together over 50 grapplers from USC, UCLA, CSULB and UCI for two hours of nonstop rolling.
For Thomas Seli, the event’s organizer, this was more than just another training session — it was about shaping the future of collegiate Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
“I organized this open mat because I wanted to continue building relationships amongst California college jiu-jitsu clubs and show that intercollegiate jiu-jitsu is a growing sport with a bright future,” Seli said.
The turnout proved that the interest was there. With 75 RSVPs and mats so crowded that some participants had to take turns, the event quickly turned into a fast-paced exchange of styles and strategies.
Unlike traditional classes, where instruction and drilling come first, open mats are purely about sparring — or “rolling” — as practitioners call it. For Matthew Tsui, a USC student and MMA hobbyist, this kind of environment was exactly what he was looking for.
“I wanted to expose myself to different styles of grappling beyond my home gym and the MMA club,” Tsui said. “I have never had an open mat experience with so many people before, so there was no shortage of high-quality training partners.”
Grappling refers to any sort of fighting which involves holding or gripping the opponent.
With no structure or coaching, the rolls became a test of adaptation and creativity. Tsui, who primarily trains MMA, quickly noticed a key difference: in BJJ, playing from the bottom isn’t a disadvantage—it’s an opportunity.
“In MMA, staying in the top position is much more favorable since the threat of strikes makes being on bottom a scary prospect,” he said. “But in BJJ, where there are no strikes, people can work submissions from the bottom more freely. I got many chances to train in those positions, and my inexperience in them often led me to get submitted.”
For many participants, the open mat wasn’t just about testing skills, it was about connecting with the wider grappling community.
“The combat sports community is actually really small, so it was cool meeting other people in it,” said Tyler Pak, a USC student who attended the event. “I know I’ll run into these people at other open mats and competitions, so it was nice to meet them.”
Given the amount of participants in attendance, space became a challenge, forcing participants to wait their turn to roll. But instead of being a downside, the breaks became an opportunity for conversation.
“There was a queue of people waiting to step on,” Pak said. “At a normal training session, I’d have the opportunity to roll the entire time, but here, we rolled for about five minutes at a time before waiting in line again. That was actually great because it gave us a chance to talk to people from other schools and get to know them.”
Pak compared learning BJJ to learning a language — both a process of understanding and responding to an opponent in real time.
“When you roll with someone, it’s like having a conversation, and you’re instantly connected with them,” he said. “Yeah, it’s a bit intimidating because it’s a contact sport, but the community is awesome, and you’ll learn how to defend yourself.”
The success of USC’s first intercollegiate BJJ open mat is just the beginning. Seli and the USC BJJ club plan to host more open mats and compete at an intercollegiate tournament at CSUN on April 12, where 10 USC students will attempt to qualify for the first-ever National Collegiate Grappling Championship.
For those unfamiliar with BJJ, Seli says open mats are a great introduction to the sport.
“An open mat is an exciting way to get an introduction to jiu-jitsu by watching experienced athletes spar,” he said. “Plus, they’re free and accessible on campus, making them a cool way to see fellow students grapple.”
With BJJ’s growth in collegiate sports and self-defense training, USC’s intercollegiate open mat is likely the first of many. Whether for competition, fitness, or simply community, grappling at USC is proving to be more than just a sport, it’s a shared experience.