About
Will Coggin is a brown belt, Army combat veteran, undefeated MMA fighter, and cofounder of the Veterans Mat Collective at Charlotte Jiu-Jitsu Academy.
Before Jiu-Jitsu, Will served in the U.S. Army and trained in Army Combatives as a member of the Fort Bragg Army Combatives team. He won the 82nd Airborne Division Combatives Championship at welterweight in 2015, and at the US Armed Forces Combatives Championship he took silver at welterweight and bronze at middleweight in different years. He transitioned to MMA competition, where he went 3-0 as an amateur welterweight. He brought that fighting background to CJJA three years ago and it translated fast. Will won gold at the ADCC US Open in Charlotte, submitting both opponents at Master 2 Intermediate, and followed that up with gold at the Tap Cancer Out Charlotte BJJ Open at brown belt heavyweight. When Will finishes a match, it's by submission.
Will cofounded the Veterans Mat Collective in 2026 alongside a fellow Army combat vet, building a free monthly open mat for veterans in Charlotte. VMC meets the second Friday of every month at 0645 at CJJA. No experience needed. No gear day one. Just show up. The Jiu-Jitsu is the reason to show up. The tribe is the reason to stay. Learn more about the Veterans Mat Collective.
Off the Mat
Off the mat, Will runs on dad strength and Peruvian neckties. He's also a big fan of giving hugs, specifically the ones that make you tap.
Train with Will Coggin.
Your first two classes are free, with grappling focused on submissions from a brown belt and Army combat veteran. No credit card. No commitment.
Book Your Two Free Classes