Espen Mathiesen

From Egersund, a small town in Norway, Espen Mathiesen is one of the most technical jiu-jitsu practitioners of his generation, showcasing his skills not only on some of the sport’s biggest stages, but also through his savvy use of social media, where his videos often amass hundreds of thousands of views. 

Before Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Espen was an avid football (soccer) player, having played every day and compete from the age of five until he was 16. Then, as a teenager, he and a friend happened to watch a martial arts movie that featured grappling. He was instantly intrigued. They soon found a local academy, where the instructor showed them a couple of submissions on the first day. He was instantly hooked, and “jiu-jitsu eventually took completely over.”

Arizona. It was during this time that he won silver at the IBJJF World Championships in the purple belt division. The win made him realize that he could potentially make a professional career in jiu-jitsu. 

However, he considers the highlight of his career to have come years later, when as a black belt he won the IBJJF Europeans and the AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro. “Both of them are major titles to have at black belt, and it felt really good to finally achieve my dreams.” These achievements could not have been possible without his view on what makes a champion: “You don’t make excuses. You don’t let setbacks put you down, but rather motivate you. You are able to be think freely and view things in a different way. You dare to follow your own unique path.”

Some of Marlon’s top accomplishments include: 

• Polaris Veteran
• 2nd – IBJJF European Championship 2024
• 1st – IBJJF European Championship 2022
• 2nd – AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro 2021
• 1st – AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro 2018
• 3rd – IBJJF World Championship 2018

Marlon's Favorites Products:

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Did You Know?

Favorite Match: Mikey Musumeci vs. Lucas Pinheiro, Pan 2016

Person of Inspiration:  AThe Miyao brothers inspired me to develop my open guard and berimbolo game.

Hometown: Egersund, Norway

Started Jiu-Jitsu in:  2010

Current Team: Mavericks

Training Routine:  Mainly been jiu-jitsu and stretching, but recently added in strength 2–3 times a week.

Favorite Post-Competition Meal: In-N-Out — burgers, fries, and milkshake.

Pre-Fight Ritual: I don’t really have any rituals, just trying to be in the moment

Greatest Victory So Far: AJP World Pro and IBJJF Europeans

Dream in Jiu-Jitsu: IBJJF World Champion

If I weren’t an athlete, I’d be...: an engineer

Quote that represents me: “Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” — Lao Tzu. It is not something I’m necessarily very good at, but it is something I aspire to be"

Favorite Kingz Gi: Ultralight 2.0

One piece of advice for beginners: Tense less — it is one of the most common mistakes I see among beginners.

Given his time at AOJ, it comes as no surprise, then, that Espen often favors the berimbolo. However, he is probably better known for his matrix guard, which he – along with his training partner Tommy Langaker – are credited with having developed. “I like both those moves as they allow me to work around strength and achieve what I consider to be the best position in BJJ: namely the back.”