Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News

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Robert “Degle” Diggle

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Robert Diggle, commonly known as Robert Degle, is a jiu-jitsu black belt under Brandon Bennett of the Renzo Gracie Academy, who worked extensively with coaches such as John Danaher, Gregg Depasquale, and Milton Regis. Diggle made a name for himself in the sport, competing almost exclusively in no-gi grappling in the New York circuit, gaining national notoriety after his flawless performance at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) American National Championship of 2021, where he submitted all his opponents.

Robert Diggle Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Robert Anthony Diggle

Nickname: In the sport of jiu-jitsu, Robert is mostly known as “Robert Degle”. The confusion regarding his real family name (Diggle) was addressed by the black belt when questioned by BJJ Heroes for the purpose of his bio, in August 2021. According to Robert, after he finished his bachelor’s degree at Queens College, City University of New York, he started applying to Ph.D. programs. As he did not want the universities he was applying for to find out his alternative lifestyle, he opted to change his tag name on social media. In an unexpected twist of circumstances, his social media started gaining traction soon after and more professional opportunities appeared for him in jiu-jitsu’s pro-circuit during this period. As fans already knew him has Degle, he opted against changing the social media presence back to his real family name.

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Renzo Gracie > Brandon Bennett > Robert Diggle

Main Achievements:

  • 1st Place IBJJF American Nationals (2021 brown)
  • 1st Place IBJJF Atlanta Open NOGI (2021 brown)
  • 12x Grappling Industries Champion (2018-2020)

Favorite Position/Technique: Heel Hook

Weight Division: Peso Leve (73.5 kg / 162.5 lbs)

Team/Association: Renzo Gracie Academy

Robert Diggle Biography

Robert Diggle was born on February 13, 1992, on Long Island, New York where he grew up. Although born and raised in the USA, Robert is a dual citizen (Italian-American) by way of his grandfather.

As a child, Diggle was a football (soccer) fan and practitioner, playing the sport extensively but merely for recreational purposes. Later, at the age of 13, Robert added wrestling to his daily activities, competing extensively in this ancient combat sport up until 10th grade when a broken clavicle bone forced him away from the mats.

During his formative years, while watching mixed martial arts (MMA) develop, Diggle became growingly invested in the sport, taking a particular interest in athletes such as BJ Penn and Shinya Aoki who had strong jiu-jitsu backgrounds. Although curious to try BJJ, Diggle struggled with the cost of tuition in the area. At the age of 18, however, Robert found a part-time job that granted him the funds to start training jiu-jitsu, first with Chris Schlesinger and later at Kioto with coach Milton Regis.

Having been a great fan of philosophy since his early teens, Diggle joined Stony Brook University, in New York, after high school, to pursue a degree in philosophy. While spending time at Stony Brook, Robert started training at the university’s mat room, where a few students trained under the guidance of Krishna Mirjah, this included one special practitioner that would become an influential figure in Diggle’s evolution in the sport at a later stage, Mr. Eddie Cummings.

The experience at Stony Brook, however, was short-lived. Diggle was focussing more on gi work at the time and for that reason, he decided to join Vitor Shaolin’s gym in Manhattan, one of the prime BJJ academies in the country, while also training with Gregg Depasquale, who promoted Diggle to purple belt.

Being a big fan of MMA, a sport that Robert experimented with between 2014-2015, led Diggle to Masakazu Imanari. The Japanese fighter’s flamboyant combat style fascinated the young New Yorker, particularly his creative leg-lock game. This sparked the interest in lower-limb submissions in Robert, ultimately leading him to join the Renzo Gracie Academy of leg-lock expert coach John Danaher. At RGA Robert became re-acquainted with Eddie Cummings who was, at the time, one of Danaher’s prime students.

At the time of Diggle joining Danaher’s training room, the New Yorker was completing his undergraduate bachelor’s degree in philosophy at CUNY Queens College, after which he started applying for Ph.D. programs. Understanding the grappling potential held by Robert, RGA team member Brandon Bennet, and coach John Danaher greatly incentivized and helped Diggle pursuit a career in jiu-jitsu instead of philosophy.

Diggle earned his brown belt from coach Danaher, but as John relocated to Puerto Rico with many of the team’s pro-athletes, Robert remained in the New York area, earning his black belt from Brandon Bennett on August 09, 2021.

Robert Degle Grappling Record

55 WINS
  • BY POINTS
    8 (15%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    0 (0%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    46 (84%)
  • BY DECISION
    1 (2%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    0 (0%)
  • BY DQ
    0 (0%)

46 SUBMISSIONS WINS

#214eb8
Inside heel hook
65
30
#86e620
Heel hook
11
5
#5AD3D1
Outside heel hook
7
3
#d1212a
RNC
4
2
#fad11b
Submission
4
2
#f58822
Aoki lock
2
1
#224aba
Reverse triangle
2
1
#ff9124
Mikey lock
2
1
#bf1f6c
Kneebar
2
1
46
(100%) SUBMISSIONS
9 LOSSES
  • BY POINTS
    3 (33%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    0 (0%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    3 (33%)
  • BY DECISION
    1 (11%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    2 (22%)
  • BY DQ
    0 (0%)

3 SUBMISSIONS LOSSES

#214eb8
RNC
33
1
#86e620
Inside heel hook
33
1
#5AD3D1
Footlock
33
1
3
(100%) SUBMISSIONS

Robert Degle Fight History

ID Opponent W/L Method Competition Weight Stage Year
27482Deandre CorbeDeandre CorbeLPts: 2x0Newbreed71KGF2021
27740D. GrootLPts: 2x2, PenGI Amsterdam70KGRR2021
28374Kamil WilkLReferee DecisionPolaris 1770KGSPF2021
28783Emilio HernandezEmilio HernandezLPts: 0x0, PenADCC EC Trials66KGR22021
29783Ashley WilliamsAshley WilliamsLRNCGrapple Kings73KGSPF2021
31515Keith KrikorianKeith KrikorianLInside heel hookADCC WC Trials66KG8F2022
42690O. JonesLPts: 5x0ADCC EU Trials66KG8F2023
44006Vlad KuchmistyiLPts: 2x0AFG Open75KGF2023
47031S. RiquelmeLFootlockADCC EU Trials66KGR12024
27480Timothy JohnsonWInside heel hookNewbreed71KGSF2021
27485Omar LaneWInside heel hookNewbreed76KGSF2021
27486Deandre CorbeDeandre CorbeWPts: 4x2Newbreed76KGF2021
27736Jan BrandWInside heel hookGI Amsterdam70KGRR2021
27737Guillaume PradaWInside heel hookGI Amsterdam70KGRR2021
27738Jesse ComerWInside heel hookGI Amsterdam70KGRR2021
27739Bart DubbeldamWInside heel hookGI Amsterdam70KGRR2021
28414Davis GiadooWRNCG.I. Austin70KGRR2021
28415Sean BleamasterWHeel hookG.I. Austin70KGRR2021
28416Ryan RuizWRNCG.I. Austin70KGRR2021
28417Gabriel LitmanWHeel hookG.I. Austin70KGRR2021
28698Jose FernandezWSubmissionG.I. Boston70KGRR2021
28699Ben DeschenesWReverse triangleG.I. Boston70KGRR2021
28700R. ShaughnessyWInside heel hookG.I. Boston70KGRR2021
28770Jason ValleWInside heel hookADCC EC Trials66KGR12021
29686A. AuriemmaWPts: 10x0Grappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29687Joseph RonanWHeel hookGrappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29688Nathan RayWHeel hookGrappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29689Nicholas ToscanoWHeel hookGrappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29808Andrew AuriemmaWPts: 10x0Grappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29809Joseph RonanWInside heel hookGrappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29810Nathan RayWInside heel hookGrappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29811Nicholas ToscanoWInside heel hookGrappling Ind.77KGRR2021
29849Dylan SpyerWPts: 7x0NAGA Austin72KG4F2022
29850Jay LittleWMikey lockNAGA Austin72KGSF2022
29851Zade AnbarWInside heel hookNAGA Austin72KGF2022
30172Angel CruzWReferee DecisionF2W 19373KGSPF2022
31468Jordan WirthWInside heel hookADCC WC Trials66KGR12022
31483Dillon DrewberryWPts: 3x0ADCC WC Trials66KGR22022
31499CJ MurdockWInside heel hookADCC WC Trials66KGR32022
32835Linus TefkeWInside heel hookADCC Sweden66KGR12022
32836Isak HelinWInside heel hookADCC Sweden66KG4F2022
32837Pontus AgrenWInside heel hookADCC Sweden66KGSF2022
32838Aziz MakhmudovWInside heel hookADCC Sweden66KGF2022
36996M. KuznetsovWPts: 9x0Siam Cup73KG4F2022
36997Ben BoyleWPts: 2x0Siam Cup73KGSF2022
36998Denny SistiWInside heel hookSiam Cup73KGF2022
36999Paul LimWInside heel hookADCC SG77KG4F2022
37000Glen LeeWInside heel hookADCC SG77KGSF2022
37001Maher AseeriWInside heel hookADCC SG77KGF2022
37035Alik KhadartsevWInside heel hookADCC SEA66KG4F2023
37036Hayden BaldwinWOutside heel hookADCC SEA66KGSF2023
37037Hisyam OsmanWInside heel hookADCC SEA66KGF2023
40606B. KarymbayWOutside heel hookAIGA70KGNA2023
40608Henrique CordeiroWInside heel hookAIGA70KG4F2023
40610Sejlhan BohatekWInside heel hookAIGA70KGSF2023
42664Nikola MitevWInside heel hookADCC EU Trials66KGR12023
42665Mateusz OkurowskiWInside heel hookADCC EU Trials66KGR22023
42680Huseyn AbaszadaWInside heel hookADCC EU Trials66KG16F2023
44003Phatiphan AtrhinWSubmissionAFG Open75KGR12023
44004Chris KennedyWOutside heel hookAFG Open75KG4F2023
44005Suwijak KuntongWKneebarAFG Open75KGSF2023
45121Bento TjongWInside heel hookADCC IDN70KG4F2023
45122Stephanus IvanWAoki lockADCC IDN70KGSF2023
45123Felipe NegochadleWPts: 2x0ADCC IDN70KGF2023
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