Chris Ranger nearly quit Jiu Jitsu. His mates made sure he didn’t.

In Episode 3 of the EJO Invitational Podcast, we meet the Head Coach of Rhino BJJ as Chris prepares to step onto the mats for his first-ever invitational - after 16 years of training and competing in Jiu Jitsu.

This is an episode about what can happen when the right people are around you at the right time.

Chris shares the story of reaching a point where he was ready to walk away from BJJ, and the friends and teammates who supported him and helped keep him on the mats.

Today, he's the Head Coach of an academy that has become far more competitive than he ever imagined when Rhino BJJ began — and he's now helping develop the next generation of competitive BJJ kids.

We talk about the rewards of coaching young athletes, friendship and community, and Chris's own ambitions, which are far from finished.

He's lost 14kg over the past year, continues to develop his own Jiu Jitsu and has a clear goal in his sights: becoming European Champion.

And after 16 years in the sport, there's still room for another first.

Chris Ranger is making his Invitational debut at EJO.

A conversation about friendship, coaching, competition, ambition — and the people who keep you going when you might otherwise have stopped.

EJO INVITATIONAL

Saturday 17 October 2026

Basildon Sporting Village

From approximately 2pm

Follow https://www.instagram.com/essex_jiujitsu_open/ for match announcements, event news and updates.

FOLLOW CHRIS

https://www.instagram.com/danger14ranger/

https://www.instagram.com/rhino_bjj/

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EJO INVITATIONAL PODCAST is a UK BJJ Podcast hosted and produced by Lou Temlett of JIU JITSU LOU @jiu.jitsu.lou.

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