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The BJJ Story
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Enrico Daniel Cocco

No-gi black belt, Zen Jiu-Jitsu founder and three-time ADCC North America Trials champion.

Biography

Marcos and David Avellan promoted Enrico Daniel Cocco to black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. His competition history is concentrated in no-gi events. The account of his early career and part of the results summary depends chiefly on BJJ Heroes. Cocco first trained in taekwondo through his family's school before taking up grappling at the Avellan brothers' Freestyle Fighting Academy. He began coaching jiu-jitsu while still a teenager and received his black belt in 2007. Digitsu reports that Cocco founded Zen Jiu-Jitsu Academy in 2009, combining competition with work as its head instructor. That same year, ADCC's event report named him the welterweight champion at the USA East Coast Trials. The 2009 victory became part of a three-trials run. In a 2019 Fight 2 Win profile, Cocco described himself as a three-time ADCC North America Trials champion; the recorded winning years are 2009, 2011 and 2014. His listed 2014 results also include silver at the Pan No-Gi Championship and bronze at the World No-Gi Championship. Across three editions, he repeatedly earned his route into ADCC through the trials.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes, “Enrico Cocco.”(opens in a new tab)

    • Marcos and David Avellan awarded Cocco his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt; his competitive record centers on submission grappling without the gi.

      Where in the source: Marcos/David Avellan lineage; specialized in no-gi

      Accessed:

    • Cocco began grappling at the Avellan brothers' Freestyle Fighting Academy after first training taekwondo through his family's school.

      Where in the source: starting his grappling classes at Avellan’s Freestyle Fighting Academy

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes says Cocco began coaching jiu-jitsu as a teenager and received his black belt in 2007.

      Where in the source: started coaching ... 2007 ... earned his black belt

      Accessed:

    • BJJ Heroes lists his three ADCC US Trials victories in 2009, 2011 and 2014, alongside 2014 silver at the Pan No-Gi Championship and bronze at the World No-Gi Championship.

      Where in the source: ADCC US Trials (2009 / 2011 / 2014)

      Accessed:

  • Digitsu, “Enrico ‘Teenage Phenom’ Cocco BJJ Record, Stats & Bio.”(opens in a new tab)

    • Cocco founded Zen Jiu-Jitsu Academy in 2009, combining his roles as competitor and head instructor.

      Where in the source: In 2009 ... founded the Zen Jiu-Jitsu Academy

      Accessed:

  • ADCC News, “ADCC USA East Coast Trials Champions,” 12 June 2009.(opens in a new tab)

    • ADCC's contemporary event report names Cocco as the welterweight champion of the 2009 USA East Coast Trials.

      Where in the source: Welter Champion: Enrico Cocco

      Accessed:

  • Fight 2 Win Promotions, “Fight 2 Win 106 Competitor Profile – Enrico Cocco,” 29 March 2019.(opens in a new tab)

    • In a 2019 Fight 2 Win profile, Cocco described himself as a three-time ADCC North America Trials champion with more than eighteen years in grappling.

      Where in the source: grappling for over 18 years ... 3 time ADCC North America trials champion

      Accessed:

Lineage

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Open lineage