Jacob Rodriguez, aka Jay Rod, has handed the jiu-jitsu world a simple lesson in how not to keep a low profile.
He posted a clip from a gym security camera showing himself throwing a training partner. When followers asked where it had been filmed, Jacob Rodriguez claimed the footage was old.
That explanation collapses the moment you actually watch the video.
The entrance clearly shows a foot wiper with the Simple Man Martial Arts logo, and a Simple Man Martial Arts flag hangs on the wall behind the action. The gym did not operate under that name until after Jacob Rodriguez had already been removed from the organization.
The video also carries a timestamp watermark reading 12-10-2025, placing the recording in December last year well after the gym completed its rebrand from B Team to Simple Man Martial Arts.
In other words, the idea that the footage was “old” doesn’t survive even basic scrutiny.
BJJDOC previously reported, based on multiple independent tips, that Jacob Rodriguez had been seen training at Simple Man Martial Arts after hours.
After that report was published, coach Damien Anderson issued a carefully worded response.
“Jay Rodriguez is not a member of Simple Man Martial Arts, is not part of our team or programs, and does not train during public classes or member hours. Our zero tolerance policy regarding conduct and member safety remains in place. Any limited use of the facility has occurred outside of public hours and does not involve participation in classes.”
Sources now say he has also appeared at morning sessions at SMMA.
Jacob Rodriguez was expelled from B Team in May 2025.
Former B Team member Payton Leiser later disputed how Jacob Rodriguez described the situation publicly and shared additional details about troubling behavior during their relationship.
In the months following his expulsion, Jacob Rodriguez addressed the controversy publicly, blaming the situation on adult content he had been consuming. But nobody has really put him on the spot about other awkward allegations made against him. The picture Leiser put out there shows there’s quite a bit more to it than just doppelganger pictures.
In July 2025 Craig Jones stepped away from the organization, citing the difficulty of managing a gym remotely.
Craig Jones and Seth Belisle exited B Team, leaving Nicky Ryan and Damien Anderson to guide the gym through its rebrand as Simple Man Martial Arts. The move was meant to signal a reset and a more family friendly culture.
Jay Rod was recently spotted cornering his brother Nick at UFC BJJ. But the situation around SMMA suggests the gym still prefers distance from the baggage attached to his name.
Letting Jay train there would be one thing. Having footage from inside the gym surface while insisting he is not training there is another entirely.
