We are looking to add new grapplers to our sponsored team in the cities of Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Oklahoma City.

From our start, slinging t-shirts out of my mom’s basement in New Jersey, Inverted Gear has approached the sport and its business in a nontraditional way. When we first began making products, the trend was more tattoo-style art with big angry dragons and maybe some rhinestones mixed in. And then here comes Nelson with an upside-down panda on a minimalist gi.

We gravitate toward the side of the sport that doesn’t take itself so seriously. We love jiu-jitsu for the challenge it presents, but more than that, we love the communities it can build. Jiu-jitsu, in our minds, is best with good people and good laughs.

And that’s how we approach our sponsored team as well. When we look for new people to sponsor, we don’t just look for the baddest, meanest competitors we can find. Sometimes, we aren’t even looking for competitors at all.

So, if you know a grappler, purple belt or above living and training in Cincinnati, St. Louis, or Oklahoma City, here are the traits we are looking for:

• Incredibly active in the sport as a coach, a competitor, or a mix of both
• A laidback personality and a big heart for his or her students, training partners, and community
• Active in the online BJJ scene

Do you know someone who fits this description? They could get a care package courtesy of Inverted Gear, and we will cover some competition fees (to be discussed with the winners based on their goals).

Go to our Reddit thread to make your nomination!