Nick Rodriguez went from D3 college wrestler at Ferrum College to ADCC silver medalist as a blue belt in under two years. At the 2019 ADCC World Championships, he defeated three black belts (Mahamed Aly, Orlando Sanchez, and Cyborg Abreu) to earn the nickname “The Black Belt Slayer.” He co-founded B-Team Jiu-Jitsu with Craig Jones, won $1 million at the 2024 Craig Jones Invitational by submitting all four opponents, and beat Kaynan Duarte at WNO 27 in 2025. His instructionals teach the wrestling-based no-gi system behind all of it.
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1. Rody Lock: The Nick Rodriguez Body Lock System (Guard Passing Mastery)
Price: $194 (BJJ Fanatics) – Runtime: 6 parts (approx. 5.5 hours)
Summary: The signature “Rody Lock” body lock passing system that Rodriguez used at ADCC and CJI. Covers the full body lock sequence: grips and pressure initiation, forcing half guard, beating the legs with knee slides and leg pummeling, countering underhook recovery and sumi gaeshi sweeps, and finishing to side control, mount, or back mount.
Why It’s Great:
- Specific passing routes – covers knee slides from body lock, leg pummeling sequences, and pin-and-pass methodology borrowed from wrestling
- Works for all body types – pressure principles apply whether you’re 150lbs or 250lbs
- Battle-tested techniques – everything Nick teaches, he actually uses in ADCC competition
- Counters to common problems – specifically addresses underhook recovery attempts and sumi gaeshi sweeps that stop most body lock passers
- Wrestling-BJJ hybrid – blends wrestling pins with BJJ passing in a way that pure BJJ or pure wrestling instructors rarely achieve
What Reviewers Say:
- BJJ World: “Rodriguez blends wrestling philosophies perfectly with BJJ tactics” – praised the wrestling-BJJ hybrid approach
- BJJ World noted the teaching is “organized but lacks cohesion, sharing stuff similar to how wrestlers do, but not really connecting the big picture dots”
- BJJ World rated it best for blue to brown belts: “Too complex for beginners but will lack substance for black belts, especially those that have seen Gordon Ryan’s body lock passing DVD”
- Positive angle: “Given Nicky’s wrestling background, this might actually be the better option compared to Gordon Ryan’s body lock instructional” for wrestlers and athletic grapplers (BJJ World)
Best For:
- Intermediate players (should understand basic guard concepts first)
- Physical grapplers transitioning from wrestling to BJJ
- Anyone struggling with loose or overly complex passing systems
- Competitors wanting pressure-based guard breaking
🚀 Get Rody Lock: Body Lock System now and start crushing guards!
2. Takedowns to Back Control (Wrestling for BJJ Blueprint)
Price: $194 (often on sale ~$97) – Runtime: ~4+ hours (4–6 parts)
Summary: Nick’s first instructional and the exact system he used as a blue belt to defeat three black belt world champions at ADCC 2019. Four volumes covering snap downs (including his “S-Snapdown”), arm drags to rear body locks, fundamental shots and leg attacks, and unconventional entries like the cartwheel pass.
Core Content:
- Snap-downs and front headlocks with back take finishes
- High-tension arm drags leading to single legs
- Ankle picks and traditional doubles with immediate back attacks
- Misdirection shots and explosive scramble techniques
- Wrestling-to-submission transitions for maximum points
Why It’s Great:
- Perfect for BJJ players without deep wrestling backgrounds
- Fundamental approach – no fancy throws that don’t stick in grappling
- Complete system – covers setup, shot, and immediate back attack
- Smart wrestling emphasized over pure power and athleticism
- Pairs Danaher system with wrestling – Rodriguez developed this while training under John Danaher at Renzo Gracie Academy, combining Danaher’s back attack methodology with D3 college wrestling
What Reviewers Say:
- BJJ World: Rodriguez “breaks things down very well” and the instructional “provides a lot more than just a few techniques stringed together”
- BJJ World highlighted the “crazy shin Whizzer” as a standout technique worth the price alone
- Rated suitable for white to black belt – rare range for a takedown instructional
- BJJ World: “Whether you follow his system or learn details to fix your own holes, this provides tremendous value”
Best For:
- Beginners and white belts with little wrestling experience
- BJJ players who want to stop pulling guard immediately
- Intermediates looking to sharpen their standing game
- Anyone wanting to emulate Nick’s ADCC blueprint: takedown → pass → back take
🎯 Master takedowns to back control – grab this foundational course now!
3. Nicky Rod’s Slay the Hand Fight (Offensive & Counter-Offensive Mastery)
Price: $194 – Runtime: 4-part series (approx. 2–3 hours)
Summary: The often-neglected foundation of Nick’s success – controlling wrists, biceps, and head position to create openings for takedowns and guard passes.
Key Techniques:
- Offensive hand fighting for standing exchanges and transitions
- Pummeling for inside control and dominant positioning
- Countering opponent grips and tie-up attempts
- Sneaky foot sweeps and snap-down combinations
- Kazushi (off-balancing) directly into scoring opportunities
Why It’s Great:
- Fills the grip-fighting gap that many no-gi players struggle with
- Win the hand fight first – dictate pace like Nick does against world-class opponents
- Immediate applicability – users report better setups for shots and passes
- All skill levels benefit from proper hand-fighting fundamentals
- Competition-proven details from ADCC-level exchanges
Best For:
- Intermediate grapplers with basic takedown knowledge who lose hand-fighting battles
- Wrestlers entering BJJ who need submission grappling adaptations
- Beginners building good habits early (pair with takedown instructional)
- Competitors preparing for no-gi or ADCC-rules events
💪 Dominate the hand fight – learn Nicky Rod’s grip secrets here!
4. Defending No-Gi Takedowns (Neutralize Aggressive Wrestlers)
Price: $194 – Runtime: 4-part series (approx. 2 hours)
Summary: For BJJ players who worry more about getting taken down than taking others down. Nick’s defensive system teaches you to shut down wrestling-heavy opponents.
Defensive Arsenal:
- Head position concepts and drills – the foundation of takedown defense at ADCC level
- Energy-efficient sprawls that redirect momentum
- Snap-downs as defense turning opponent’s shots into your front headlock control
- 4 distinct double leg defense techniques plus counters to deep doubles and slick singles
- Counter-attacking off sprawls – spin behind for back takes or snap opponents down
Why It’s Great:
- Addresses biggest no-gi fear – facing strong wrestlers
- Experience-based instruction from someone who’s defended against elite grapplers
- Doesn’t require extraordinary athleticism – proper positioning over pure speed
- Jiu-jitsu approach to wrestling defense using angles and leverage
- Confidence builder for guard players who prefer bottom positions
Best For:
- All skill levels but especially BJJ practitioners with limited wrestling
- Guard players who need to not concede takedown points
- Anyone getting overwhelmed by wrestlers in the gym
- Competitors wanting well-rounded stand-up defense
🛡️ Stop getting taken down – learn Nick’s defensive secrets!
5. “Get Off Me Son!” EBI Back Escapes (Survival Mastery)
Price: $197 – Runtime: 4 parts (approx. 1.5 hours)
Summary: The escape system that made Nick nearly unsubmittable, showcased when he repeatedly slipped out of Gordon Ryan’s back control attempts. Learn to survive and escape the worst position in grappling.
Escape Fundamentals:
- Hand-fighting strategies to address immediate choke threats
- “Bell down escape” – preventing the body triangle before it locks
- Escaping the High Ball Ride – specific escapes from this dominant back control position
- Body triangle escapes from both topside and belly down positions
- EBI overtime escapes from fully locked positions
- Transition opportunities to guard or top position after escape
Why It’s Great:
- Confidence in bad positions – no more freezing when back is taken
- Proven at the highest level – Rodriguez used these escapes at ADCC 2022 against Gordon Ryan and at UFC Fight Pass Invitational events under EBI ruleset
- Step-by-step methodology – proper sequence prevents panic reactions
- Wrestling-influenced escapes using momentum and explosiveness
- EBI-specific scenarios that translate to general back defense
Best For:
- All levels – everyone needs reliable back escapes
- Beginners who frequently end up with backs taken
- Competitors in EBI or submission-only formats
- Anyone who refuses to tap without a fight
🆘 Never get submitted from the back again – master these escapes!
6. Control and Submissions: EBI Back Attacks (Finishing Mastery)
Price: $197 – Runtime: 4 parts (approx. 1.5 hours)
Summary: The offensive counterpart to back escapes. Learn to maintain crushing back control and finish submissions under EBI rules (or regular grappling).
Attack System:
- Optimal starting posture for back control with sophisticated upper body controls
- EBI-style armbar from back when chokes are defended
- Rear naked choke details against hand-fighting defense
- Body triangle application and maintenance – keeping the position locked
- Offensive cycles that exploit predictable escape attempts – building traps from their reactions
Best For:
- Intermediate and advanced practitioners with existing back games
- Competitors under any ruleset, especially submission-only formats
- Back attack specialists wanting to increase finishing rates
🎯 Finish from the back like a killer – get the back attack system!
8. “Slay The Wrestle-Up Guard” Series (Counter Modern Guards)
Price: $194 each – Runtime: ~2 hours each (two-part series)
Summary: Specialized counters for the “wrestle-up guard” where bottom players come up to wrestle from butterfly or half guard. Nick teaches you to shut down these modern guard tactics.
Available Versions:
- Vs Standing Opponent – Counter when you’re standing above guard
- Vs Kneeling Opponent – Counter when you’re kneeling in guard
What Reviewers Say: BJJ World notes this addresses “a specific aspect of grappling that many BJJ practitioners struggle with – wrestling effectively from the bottom position.” They highlight the counter-grappling as the real value: “covering how to make the most out of defensive actions that you force your opponent into making.”
Counter Strategies:
- Sprawling and front headlock entries when opponents shoot from guard
- Cross-faces and underhooks to flatten wrestle-up attempts
- Immediate counter-attacks – spinning to back or front headlock control
- Fake guard pull to takedown – going all the way down to guard and re-launching into takedowns
- 2-on-1 wrestling sequences from bottom position and counter-grappling from forced defensive reactions
Best For:
- Advanced BJJ players and competitors dealing with modern open guards
- Purple belts and above who face evolving guard meta regularly
- Top players who love pressure passing but fear guard wrestling
7. EBI Overtime Bundle (Back Attacks + Escapes + Armbar Defense – 9/10 BJJ World Rating)
Price: $197 (bundle) – Runtime: Approx. 5 hours total (3 instructionals)
Summary: Three instructionals sold together covering EBI overtime positions: back attacks (control, body triangle, strangle setups), back escapes (bell down escape, High Ball Ride escapes, body triangle escapes from topside and belly down), and armbar escapes (early/mid/late stage defense, the stack method). Includes narrated rolls showing techniques in live application.
What Reviewers Say: BJJ World gave this bundle a 9/10 expert rating, calling it approximately 5 hours of material covering “positional retention, submission setups, finishes, escapes, and counters, along with lots of narrated rolls.”
Best For:
- Competitors in EBI-rules events who need specific overtime position training
- Anyone wanting a complete back position package – attacks, defense, and armbar escapes in one purchase
- Note: John Danaher’s Back Attacks: Enter The System remains the gold standard for systematic back attacks, but Rodriguez’s EBI material covers the specific overtime format that Danaher doesn’t address
Get the 9/10 rated EBI Overtime Bundle here
9. Strength & Conditioning with Nicky Rod (Athletic Development)
The Perfect Lifting Workout
Price: $115 – Summary: Build the “Nicky Rod engine” with grappling-specific training programs designed by an ADCC medalist.
Program Features:
- Pain-free training – users report squatting without knee pain for first time
- Grappling-specific adaptations – explains how each exercise applies to BJJ
- Champion’s blueprint – literally how an ADCC medalist trains
- Beginner-friendly lifting instruction with proper form emphasis
💥 Build an ADCC-level engine – get Nick’s perfect lifting program!
Final Recommendations: Which Should You Get?
Beginners (White/Blue Belt):
- Start: Takedowns to Back Control for wrestling foundations
- Add: Defending No-Gi Takedowns if wrestlers dominate you
- Essential: Get Off Me Son! Back Escapes for survival
Intermediates (Purple Belt/Experienced Blue):
- Priority: Rody Lock Body Lock System for elite guard passing
- Enhance: Slay the Hand Fight for superior clinch work
Advanced (Brown/Black Belt, Competitors):
- Refine: Rody Lock for body lock details
- Finish: EBI Back Attacks for submission improvements
- Counter: Wrestle-Up Guard series for modern meta
Physical Development Focus:
- Foundation: Perfect Lifting Workout for strength without injury
Personal Take & Bottom Line
Rodriguez’s biggest strength as an instructor is that everything he teaches is battle-tested at the highest level. The takedown-to-back-control system is literally the blueprint he used to beat three black belt world champions as a blue belt. The Rody Lock body lock passing is what he used to reach ADCC finals twice and win the CJI.
The honest weaknesses: BJJ World noted that Rodriguez “still lacks in the teaching department” on Rody Lock, and that the material is “organized but lacks cohesion.” His more recent releases (EBI Overtime Bundle, Slay The Wrestle Up Guard) show clear improvement. If you want more systematic instruction with tighter conceptual frameworks, Gordon Ryan’s body lock passing goes deeper for advanced players, and John Danaher’s Feet to Floor provides a more structured takedown system for any body type. For pure wrestling depth, Henry Cejudo’s wrestling instructionals on BJJ Fanatics go further than Rodriguez on the wrestling side.
The gap in his catalog: Rodriguez covers takedowns, passing, back attacks, and EBI escapes, but nothing on guard playing, submission systems from bottom, or leg locks. If you need those areas, look at Craig Jones or Lachlan Giles instead.
Where Rodriguez is the clear best choice: If you want a wrestling-based takedown system that flows directly into back control, nobody teaches that specific chain better. And the EBI Overtime Bundle (rated 9/10 by BJJ World) fills a niche that almost no other instructor covers.
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