His fingers dig into his opponent’s gi as they roll across the mat. As he shifts his weight, he feels the opponent weaken under his hold and locks in the choke.

Every muscle in his arms arches, his lungs burn, and his ears redden. He waits with his heart pounding until his opponent taps in surrender.

The match is over, and freshman Caleb Tannler steps off the mat with no idea that the victory will soon make him a national jiu-jitsu champion.

Tannler’s first competition win occurred during the 2023 Good Fight Sub-Only World tournament, held at the Spooky Nook Sports Arena in Pennsylvania. At the time, Tannler was 12 years old and faced six opponents in his division at one of the largest competitions he had ever entered.

Tannler first stepped onto a martial arts mat when he was 4 and began to learn karate. When he was 8, Tannler’s interest in jiu-jitsu sparked after watching a basic demonstration from jiu-jitsu professors. 

“I got crazy interested in [jiu-jitsu] and ever since then, I’ve been doing it five days a week,” Tannler said. “I prefer jiu-jitsu because it is really the only martial art that works on the ground. [The sport] is submission-based, and in [mixed martial arts], anything that happens on the ground [is basically] jiu-jitsu.”

Following the demonstration, Tannler started training at Valle Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, where he dedicated himself to learning the sport’s techniques and strategies. He trains for three hours per lesson and practices various skill sets, moves, and sparring techniques. His coach, Professor Lucas Valle, has trained in jiu-jitsu for more than 20 years and has guided Tannler through every step of his growth.

“[Professor Lucas] knows exactly what to say to motivate you, and he is not like ‘oh you did this perfectly,’” Tannler said. “He’s constructive in the best way possible, because he tells you what you did wrong, how to do it better, and he does that every day without a break. He is the best coach I could ever have asked for.”

From the start, Tannler’s dedication and skill impressed his coach, Valle, who said he has “had the privilege of working with Caleb.”

“Caleb has achieved remarkable success in Brazilian jiu-jitsu,” Valle said. “He has consistently shown outstanding performance, discipline, and passion for the sport. He’s not only a talented athlete but also a dedicated student with a very promising future in jiu-jitsu. I’m extremely proud of his hard work and commitment.”

Under Valle’s coaching, Tannler began entering competitions across the region, where he tested his skills against opponents. Over time, he competed in over 20 tournaments, but his biggest breakthrough came in Pennsylvania. Tannler had to compete in six matches in his division.

“I remember being crazy nervous,” Tannler said. “Some of my friends, I think they threw up like three times. Then, when my actual match started, I was sweating like crazy before we even started fighting. Once it actually started, though, it was pretty simple.”

Despite the nerves, Tannler’s determination carried him through all the matches until he faced his final opponent. Before the match began, his professor informed him about how his opponent fought and the strategies to use.

“It’s taken a lot of getting used to, but I really like to force myself onto the mat and actually fight,” Tannler said. “After that first match, all the nerves go away, and it just becomes excitement. I was crazy pumped, and because [my professor] was there, I was a lot more confident in myself, which was really nice.”

After watching Tannler’s earlier matches, the last opponent grew “terrified to fight again” and tried to tell the referee to forfeit. After his final match, Tannler did not check the official results, so it was not until about 20 minutes later that he learned he had won first place.

“It was a crazy feeling,” Tannler said. “I was watching my friends fight and then, once I actually figured out I won, I felt a feeling of crazy excitement.”

This victory held particular significance for Tannler because it came after the challenges and tough losses he faced in his early competitions. At his first world competition in New Jersey, when he was 10, he reached the final match, but lost.

“I got second place, but that last match crushed me,” Tannler said. “The guy was 15 pounds bigger than me and had a few more years of experience. [The match] was not even close, and I was completely destroyed. It kind of crushed my spirits for a little while.”

Because of this loss, Tannler did not compete in tournaments for a while, but he eventually bounced back after getting into the habit of practicing jiu-jitsu consistently. 

“[Losing] destroys your confidence, and to lose like that was devastating,” Tannler said. “So, it took a lot of training until I actually felt confident. I started with more local tournaments, and once I qualified for the bigger [competitions], I went to those.”

Looking ahead, Tannler is focused on the future and the opportunities jiu-jitsu will bring him. He is training toward bigger competitions in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation and the NAGA Fighter No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Tournament.

“I just love the sport so much that I’ve never wanted to completely stop,” Tannler said.  When I have [taken a break], I always have friends there to keep me going. I will take it easy for a few weeks, and then I am always ready to get back into practicing jiu-jitsu.”