Tim Spriggs - BJJ World Champion and Guillotine Expert

1. Tim Spriggs Details

2. Tim Spriggs Biography

Timothy Michael Spriggs, also known as Trim Spriggs is a BJJ Black Belt who made his name in the heavyweight division. He was born in Maryland USA on 10 October 1991. He won various major competitions in his colored belt and Black Belt career. He represented Crazy 88 academy which is affiliated with Lloyd Irvin’s academy.

2.1. Interest in Sports

Tim Spriggs was fond of sports from his childhood. He started his sports career with football. But he could not continue this sport as a career and focused on Martial Arts. 

2.2. Practise Karate

At the age of 16, Tim Spriggs was interested in martial arts. His interest in martial arts increased after watching the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter (TUF)”. In this show, various types of martial arts fighters participated.

Among various martial arts, Tim joined Karate. After 1 year of Karate practice, Tim changed his interests, he wanted to learn some type of martial arts that also ensures defense in real-life situations like street fights.  

2.3. Joined BJJ

After one year of Karate practice, Tim decided to leave Karate and joined BJJ. He had a BJJ school near his house. He decided to give it a try. When he joined BJJ school, he was the only teenager in the academy. 

Tim’s academy was named Crazy 88 and the first coach was named Julius Park. Crazy 88 academy is affiliated with Lloyd Irvin academy. This academy became the first and last academy of Tim’s BJJ career. Tim received all his belts from his first coach, Julius Park. 

2.4. Dedication to BJJ

Tim Spriggs was very dedicated to BJJ. He passed school and joined college and university, but he never left BJJ. After graduating from university, Tim again started 4 sessions a day to become the best grappler. In his college life, he was a Blue Belt who competed in international competitions. He visited various countries to compete.    

2.5. BJJ Pro Combats

World Expo Grand Slam Champion

Tim Spriggs became a prominent name among the BJJ fighters of America after winning a tough championship of World Expo GP in 2013 in the Brown Belt division. He faced the top Brown Belts in this championship.

In the final, he showcased a great performance against a tough competitor, Thiago Sá Fortes. This was the time, Tim became one of the top grapplers in America. 

Promoted to Black Belt

In 2014, Tim Spriggs won the Pan American Championship in both weight and absolute divisions. After his fabulous victory as a Brown Belt, Tim Spriggs was promoted to Black Belt by his coach, Julius Park.

Tim Spriggs received his Black Belt in August 2014. This ceremony was hosted by the leader of Crazy 88 academy, Lloyd Irvin. 

Second Degree Black Belt

Lloyd Irvin Jr. granted Tim Spriggs his second strip on his Black Belt on 23 December 2022. Lloyd Irvin Jr. and Tim Spriggs himself announced the promotion through his social media account.

Tim Spriggs who is multiple times world champion in Gi and NoGi championships was associated with Lloyd Irvin’s affiliated gym since his teenage. He was also promoted to Black Belt in the ceremony organized by Lloyd Irvin.  

Champion in Various Major Tournaments

Tim became champion in various major championships in his colored belt division. He became World No-Gi champion, Pan American Champion, and European Open Champion in his Purple Belt division. While in the Brown Belt division, he won the World Championship and Pan Championship.

In the Black Belt division, he became champion in World No-Gi, ADCC East Coast Trials Five Super League, WNO Championship, and IBJJF NY Spring Open. He is also a Bronze winner in the World Championship of 2014 and 2016 and the Pan American Championship in 2015 and 2016.  

3. Tim Spriggs’s Historic Fights

3.1. Tim Spriggs Vs. Kaynan Duarte

In the 2021 WNO final, Tim Spriggs faced Kaynan Duarte. Both fighters started the match with high energy. At the start of the match, both competitors executed some BJJ moves.

After a few minutes, Kaynan Duarte applied a pulling guard and that was changed into a single leg lock. Spriggs did his best to escape his strangled legs but Kaynan was very persistent with his position.

Duarte took Tim into danger with his Heel Hook and Calf Slicer. But finally, Spriggs escaped excellently, and again stood up and was ready for another try. Duarte again applied a pulling guard. Tim tried a Knee cut pass and then stepped back.

At the end of the match, Tim tried for Leg Lock. Kaynan also countered with Leg Lock. Tim strangled Kanan with a Heel Hook. Kaynan Duarte could not tolerate that heel hook and gave a submission. 

3.2. Tim Spriggs Vs. Matheus Diniz

Tim Spriggs faced Matheus Diniz in IBJJF Summer Open 2013. Tim Spriggs took down Matheus Diniz at the start of the match and scored two points for his fantastic takedown. He mounted Diniz and strangled him strongly.

Diniz did his best to escape but Spriggs again took him down and scored four points. Diniz tried to push away Tim but Tim resisted. And again mounted him completely. Tim scored another four points for full mount.

After great efforts, Diniz stood up and tried to escape from full guard. Tim rapidly applied the arm bar. Diniz resisted this armbar. After a few minutes. Diniz found a loose grip around his arm and rapidly went for a takedown.

At the end of the match, Tim applied a triangle and then full guard. Tim Spriggs won the match with Points.  

3.3. Tim Spriggs Vs. Inacio Neto

Tim Spriggs and Inacio Neto faced each other in a match of the IBJJF New York Open 2013. Both fighters are tough competitors of their weight class. Tim is various times a champion in major tournaments while Neto was runner-up in Pan American the same year.

Tim Spriggs started the match with an excellent takedown. He completely mounted Neto and scored four points. Neto tried to escape but Tim again mounted him and scored four points. Inacio abruptly changed the situation and took the top position and scored points.

Tim applied full guard. To escape from the full guard, Neto stood up and escaped from the grip of Tim’s legs. Inacio again applied a pulling guard. But he did not persist in his guard and Tim swept his guard. Tim actively tried to take Inacio’s back.

Inacio also moved actively and did not let him strangle him from the back. At the end of the match, Tim Spriggs won the match by points. 

4. Tim Spriggs’s Main Achievements

4.1. Tim Spriggs Achievements in International Tournaments

Year	Event	Weight division	Position
2012	IBJJF Pan Championship	Heavyweight	1st
2012	IBJJF European Open	Absolute	1st
2013	World Expo Grand Slam	Heavyweight	1st
2013	IBJJF World NoGi Championship	Heavyweight	1st
2013	IBJJF Pan American Championship	Heavyweight	1st
2014	IBJJF World Championship	Heavyweight	1st
2014	IBJJF Pan American Championship	Heavyweight/Absolute	1st
2015	IBJJF NY Spring Open	94kg	1st
2015	FIVE Super League	Absolute	1st
2018	IBJJF World Championship	Absolute	1st
2018	ADCC East Coast Trials	99kg	1st
2021	WNO Championship	Absolute	1st

4.2. Tim Spiggs’s Black Belt Achievements

Year	Event	Belt	Position
2014	IBJJF World No-Gi	Black Belt	3rd
2015	IBJJF NY Spring Open	Black Belt	1st
2015	FIVE Super League	Black Belt	1st
2015	IBJJF Pan American Championship	Black Belt	3rd
2016	IBJJF World Championship	Black Belt	3rd
2016	IBJJF Pan Championship	Black Belt	3rd
2017	IBJJF NY BJJ Pro	Black Belt	2nd
2018	IBJJF World No-Gi	Black Belt	1st
2018	ADCC East Coast Trials	Black Belt	1st
2021	WNO Championship	Black Belt	1st

4.3. Tim Spiggs’s Colored Belt Achievements 

Year	Event	Belt	Position
2012	IBJJF Pan American Championship	Purple Belt	1st
2012	IBJJF European Open	Purple Belt	1st
2013	IBJJF World No-Gi Championship	Purple Belt	1st
2013	IBJJF Pan American Championship	Purple Belt	1st
2013	World Expo Grand Slam	Brown Belt	1st
2014	IBJJF World Championship	Brown Belt	1st
2014	IBJJF Pan Championship	Brown Belt	1st

5. Tim Spriggs Professional Record Breakdown

5.1. Tim’s Professional Record Break

98 Matches	66 Wins	32 Loses
By Submission	18	8
By Points	30	16
By Advantage	7	1
By Decision	10	5
By Penalties	1	1
By DQ	0	1

5.2. Tim’s Submission Methods

Method	18 Wins	8 Loses
Kata Gatame	3	0
Guillotine	2	0
Bow and Arrow	2	0
RNC	1	3
Arm Triangle	1	0
Heel Hook	1	0
Choke From Back	3	2
Inside Heel Hook	2	2
Flying Guillotine	1	0
Arm in Ezekiel	1	1
Submission	1	0

6. Tim Spriggs Fight History

7. Top Fights Links

Photo Credit: @timspriggsbjj