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Matt Arroyo

Matt Arroyo turned a brief UFC career into a teaching life, building jiu-jitsu programs on the mat and online under Rob Kahn's lineage.

Biography

Matt Arroyo's brief UFC career became the opening chapter of a longer life in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The American, born in 1982, competed on *The Ultimate Fighter 6* and later in the UFC. His six-fight professional record lists three wins, all by submission. After UFC 94 in 2009, Arroyo chose to focus on jiu-jitsu. He had trained under Rob Kahn for five years, and Kahn awarded him his black belt later that year. In a 2011 interview, Arroyo said the promotion helped him start and grow Gracie Tampa South, where he redirected his time toward teaching. A January 2011 MMA Mania article described another extension of that teaching work. Arroyo and Kahn had turned their BJJ Manifesto into the No Gi Library, a planned twelve-week remote program. Its design called for students to submit training videos and receive individualized video feedback. The announced format was designed to carry the exchange between instructor and student beyond the academy. Arroyo's current official sites present him as a retired UFC fighter, black belt under Kahn, academy coach, and online instructor. Erin Harpe's academy biography provides a concrete student relationship behind that coaching role: it identifies her as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Arroyo and Kahn.

Sources for this profile

  • Wikipedia contributors, “Matt Arroyo”, English Wikipedia, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Matt Arroyo was born in the United States in 1982.

      Where in the source: Infobox, Born field (year and U.S. birthplace).

      Accessed:

    • The same biography identifies Arroyo as American.

      Where in the source: Opening biographical paragraph, nationality.

      Accessed:

    • Arroyo competed on The Ultimate Fighter 6 and later in the UFC; his six-fight professional record listed three wins, all by submission.

      Where in the source: Infobox MMA record summary and Mixed martial arts career; full Mixed martial arts record table, headers and all six rows.

      Accessed:

  • Thomas Myers, “Where is Matt Arroyo? Inside the No Gi Library”, MMA Mania, 26 January 2011.(opens in a new tab)

    • After UFC 94 in 2009, Arroyo chose to focus on jiu-jitsu after five years under Rob Kahn; Kahn awarded him a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt later that year.

      Where in the source: Article body after UFC 94: decision paragraph, training account, and black-belt ceremony paragraph.

      Accessed:

    • Arroyo said earning the black belt helped him start and grow Gracie Tampa South, where he redirected his time toward teaching after his UFC run.

      Where in the source: Article body, Arroyo's account of starting Gracie Tampa South after the promotion.

      Accessed:

    • The January 2011 MMA Mania article described Arroyo and Kahn's twelve-week remote No Gi Library program, based on their BJJ Manifesto, as a planned course in which students would submit training videos and receive individualized video feedback.

      Where in the source: Article body, BJJ Manifesto and No Gi Library paragraphs; final registration and February 2011 start notice.

      Accessed:

  • Matt Arroyo Online Academy, “Meet Your Instructor”, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • On his current official academy page, Arroyo identifies himself as a TUF 6 veteran, an ADCC competitor, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Rob Kahn and a practitioner since 2003.

      Where in the source: MEET YOUR Instructor, Matt Arroyo biography.

      Accessed:

  • Matt Arroyo, official website, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Arroyo's current official site presents him as a retired UFC fighter, black belt and coach who runs both a large physical MMA academy and an online teaching platform.

      Where in the source: From the Cage to the Classroom and Built in the Cage sections.

      Accessed:

  • Gracie Apollo Beach, “Professor Erin Harpe”, accessed 9 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • Erin Harpe's academy biography identifies her as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Matt Arroyo and Rob Kahn.

      Where in the source: Certifications and first-person Biography, black-belt instructors.

      Accessed:

Lineage

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