In the world of an ever-increasing number of Jiu-Jitsu Gear companies, it’s difficult to find one that is better, that is different…
Not „just“ in terms of product quality, though. But also when it comes to values they stand behind and the vision they’re aiming for as a brand.
Which is exactly what makes Epic Roll stand out from the rest.
EPIC ROLL: NOT JUST ANOTHER BJJ COMPANY
Built „by grapplers, for grapplers“, Epic Roll was originally founded by Matt Wahlstrom – a serial entrepreneur and a BJJ black belt under Tom DeBlass.
Wahlstrom wanted to create the most durable, comfortable, and light Jiu-Jitsu gear possible.
The brand chased perfection and reached it in record time, which is why Wahlstrom partnered with two of his Jiu-Jitsu friends: Zoltan Bathory and Heather Grace Gracie.
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Heather Grace Gracie also runs „Gracie Worldwide“, a management company for athletes.
She is the granddaughter of Carlos Gracie Sr., as well as a member and advisor for VETPAW – an anti-poaching organization operating on the African continent.
Zoltan Bathory, who is the founder and guitarist of the world-famous Five Finger Death Punch rock band, is a lifelong martial artist as well – and an actively competing Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Mica Cipili and Royler Gracie.
Bathory explained what makes Epic Roll different from other brands:
One of the things I really love about Jiu-Jitsu is the community. I constantly travel the world, and when I see someone wearing a Jiu-Jitsu shirt or a patch, I nod, and there is this immediate camaraderie.
Most likely, we’d engage in a conversation about where we train, how long, then we fist bump and go on our ways.That acknowledgment is very unique to Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve never seen that in any other community.
I’m pretty sure most of the people who read this have experienced what I’m talking about.Epic Roll was inspired by and born from this brotherhood. It was created by grapplers for grapplers, and at first, it wasn’t a commercially available brand.
It was just gear by us, for us. It was sort of an insider’s thing.
Things started evolving fast soon after, with Epic Roll forming a unique community:
Even the way I became a partner was that I kept randomly running into high-level Jiu-Jitsu guys rocking Epic Roll.
Literally, just one after the other, so of course, it caught my attention.Soon, I realized that all these guys knew each other, and even though they were not from the same lineage of schools, not even from the same cities or states, yet somehow, they were all connected.
It was a tight-knit community within the community. It was a tribe which I became a part of.
Bathory soon met the brand’s founder and found out just how different of a brand Epic Roll is:
Eventually, I met Matt Wahlstrom, the OG of Epic Roll, and we were talking about how weird it was that we are all connected through this gear…
And in the second, we see someone wearing it, there is an immediate conversation of: “Who you know?” and “How are you connected?”So, this means something! Somehow this brand isn’t just another gi or another rash guard…
And that is an anomaly, that’s something truly unique.
It’s a “if you know, you know” sort of a thing:
That was the spark for me, that’s why we (me and Heather Gracie) partnered up with Matt.
The rest is history, but an interesting fact that as the company is rapidly growing this unique “thing” is not diluting.I just went to Jiu-Jitsu Con and I don’t even know how many people I fist bumped just because they were wearing Epic Roll.
It’s like a “wink”. If you know, you know…
He further emphasized the role of the Epic Tribe:
We created co-branded custom equipment for notable figures such as Rayron Gracie, Jeff Glover, Chewjitsu, McDojo, Tom DeBlass, Harley Flanagan…
And you may run across Dana White, Roger Gracie, Mike Beltran and others wearing the gear, supporting the brand…The tribe is growing. Beyond that, we also manufacture for schools and entire school networks. This is how we managed to create a community around the company… The Epic Tribe.
A tribe that gets together and actually hangs out and trains.
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EPIC TRIBE: A UNIQUE JIU-JITSU COMMUNITY
Epic Roll is committed to spreading their love for Jiu-Jitsu and the impact the sport has on people around the world…
And they’ve built quite a community along the way – which you can become a part of, too!
Their Epic Tribe members, among others, are: Jeff Glover, Rayron Gracie, Bobby Maximus, referee Mike Beltran, Sean Patrick Flannery, Michael Kroeger (Nickelback), and Harley Flanagan (Cro-Mags)!
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So, if you want to become a part of the Epic Tribe and get your hands on some of the best Jiu-Jitsu gear on the planet, then check them out on this link.
