Jason Shirley, who is a defensive tackle in his regular job, participated in the 2017 IBJJF Pan Jiu Jitsu Tournament on March 17, in Irvine, CA.
The 330-pound, six foot five inch free agent claimed victory in the adult white belt ultra heavyweight class, according to FloGrappling‘s by Blanca Marisa Garcia.
Throughout his career as a football player, Shirley played for various teams, such as the Seattle Seahawks, the Washington Redskins, and the Cincinnati Bengals.
When he was signed to the Carolina Panthers, Shirley completed two and a half sacks, one forced fumble, and four tackles.
The fact that athletes like Shirley take the time to learn BJJ and compete in tournaments reflects the wide appeal of the sport. Someone of Shirley’s physical stature is not likely to need jiu-jitsu for self-defense; therefore, he obviously gets some deeper level of satisfaction from training.
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