BJJ Purple Belt Jacob Cochenour Interview

Jacob Cochenour is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt that trains out of Meta MMA in Fayetteville, AR.  He's been in the sports for nearly a decade now and is not only a competitor, but is also a NoGi instructor at Meta MMA.  We recently were able to catch up with him.  Check out the interview here:

Jitzilla:  Can you give everyone a little information about yourself and your time in Jiu-Jitsu and what it is that brought you to the sport?

Cochenour:  Hi, I am Jacob Cochenour.  I live in Van Buren, AR.  I train at Meta MMA in Fayetteville, AR.  I've been there for a little over 2 years.  I started at a little gym in downtown Van Buren. That was 7 years ago.  I received my Purple Belt 6 months ago or so.  I took up coaching No Gi grappling over a year ago.  I teach and train using the methods and style of 10th Planet.  Every time I travel outside of Arkansas, I try to find a new place to train.

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What got me into the sport?  I needed to stay active after my gym closed.  At the time I did basic strength training with weights.  I fell in love with Jiu-Jitsu in the first class.  I have made many friends.  UFC was not my motivation to join.  Jiu-Jitsu was the sport I needed when I was struggling to find the motivation to exercise and stay in shape through a sport I was passionate about and the rest is history.

Jitzilla:  Where do you train and what is it that attracted you to that academy/gym?

Cochenour:  I train at Meta MMA and Kickboxing.  The head instructor, Nate, let me come in for a week a few years back.  I started going regularly about 2 years ago.  My gym at the time in my hometown was struggling to come back from COVID-19.  They had health concerns that were causing them to be hesitant to reopen fully.  I went to another local gym.  It was just not the right fit for me.  Meta quickly felt like home and the other members became family.  A big attraction to Meta is that we did not pay for other gym coaches to come in for special training to get a promotion.  I did not have to pay an extra amount for someone else (who is not my coach I am working with and knows if I am ready or not) to come give me a stripe or belt.  Nate just gave it to you when he felt you had proven yourself ready.  Now when I got my Purple Belt he told me to pick the day and let me have my family there.  This was cool and made it feel even more like home and family.

Jitzilla:  What is the one thing you have been most proud of that you have accomplished in Jiu-Jitsu?

Cochenour:  I would have to say coaching Thursday nights at Meta. It has allowed me to mold the new and younger students. I have coached students during tournaments and before tournaments.  It's been a privilege to watch them use the skills I taught them to earn Silver and Gold in tournaments. 

Jitzilla:  Are there any Jiu-Jitsu athletes you look up to and why? 

Cochenour:  I look up to a lot of athletes.  Matt Wallace at Revolution Combat Sports is one. I've never met him but he will help me out anytime I need it.  He's talked me through questions and strategies more than he knows.  Then there are your normals of  Eddie Bravo such as; Curtis Hembroff from 10P ATX and Tony Oviedo from 10p Mount Pleasant.  Those guys are down for me to come down and train any time.  I might not be in their gyms as much as I like, but I know they are following my journey and support me whenever possible.  I thank them.

Jitzilla:  What are some goals you have in 2024?

Cochenour:  To keep training and leading the team at Meta. I hope to compete about 4 times this year.  That will be a big step.  I only did one super fight last year.  That was the first time competing in almost 4 years.  If I ever show up to a Gi class, I hope for a stripe or two by the end of 2024.  Also hope to lead my guys and gals to a podium finish.

Jitzilla:  When can we see you back on the mats competing again? 

Cochenour:  I am hoping to show up to AGF and Sub only comps. this year.  I will apply to be at Raw Iron again this year.  I want to put my name out there for some more super fights.

Jitzilla:  Thank you for the time, any last words for everyone out there? 

Cochenour:  Keep up the grind. People can always reach out to me on IG.  We can just chat or go over moves that you might be messing up on or want to just polish.  I just want the community to grow.

Thank you for having me