Tom DeBlass

Tom DeBlass (born May 14, 1982) is an American Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, submission grappler and mixed martial artist currently signed to ONE Championship.

He has competed in the middleweight division for Bellator and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

DeBlass was a county champion long jumper at Central Regional High School, from which he graduated in 2000.

He went on to graduate Monmouth University in 2004 with a degree in Special Education and Elementary Education.

DeBlass was known primarily as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor winning such titles as Pan American and World Championships.

He then fought professionally in Ring Of Combat.

In only a year and a half, DeBlass captured two titles and got called up to fight in the UFC.

In 2006 DeBlass opened his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy "Ocean County Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu".

He has been an instructor to notable BJJ practitioners such as Garry Tonon.

He is one of the only people in history to win the North American trials 3 times.

DeBlass was scheduled to face former IFL Light Heavyweight Champion Vladimir Matyushenko at Bellator 108 on November 15, 2013.

However Matyushenko was forced out of the bout due to a broken hand.

DeBlass instead fought fellow UFC veteran Jason Lambert at the event.

He won the fight via knockout in the first round.

Tom DeBlass was scheduled to fight Muhammed Lawal on September 5, 2014, at Bellator 123; however, Tom DeBlass suffered a knee injury and was forced off the card.

The bout with Lawal was rescheduled for Bellator 131 on November 15, 2014.

However, on November 1, it was announced that DeBlass had suffered a cut during training and had to withdraw from the bout.

In November 2017, Tom was elected as a Lacey Township board of education member.

After winning seven straight fights DeBlass was signed by the UFC and made his debut against Cyrille Diabate on one week's notice at UFC on Fuel TV: Gustafsson vs. Silva and lost by Majority Decision.

In his second UFC fight DeBlass dropped down to the Middleweight division to fight against Riki Fukuda at UFC on Fuel TV: Franklin vs. Le He lost by Unanimous Decision.

DeBlass announced his retirement from MMA after the bout with Fukuda stating, "After a lot of talk with my family and coaches, I have decided to retire from fighting and focus on my family, my academy and helping my students to achieve their goals. At this time, I feel it's best for me to give my time to others and spend more time with my family. The drive to keep fighting is not there any longer. I have an amazing academy and feel my students need my full attention."

DeBlass returned from his short-lived retirement and made his Bellator debut against Carlos Brooks at Bellator 95 and won by TKO at the end of the second round after the doctor decided that Brooks could not continue.

DeBlass worked as the head organizer for ADCC North American East Coast Trials from 2017 to 2023.

In November 2021, DeBlass released his biography and it quickly became a best-seller in the martial arts biography category on Amazon.

In it, he revealed that he had suffered sexual abuse as a child and explained how he was able to overcome that in order to succeed as a BJJ and MMA competitor.

DeBlass has also been open about his usage of Testosterone replacement therapy, and is a strong advocate for it.

DeBlass arranged to have a live discussion with Rener Gracie on April 14, 2023, which would be centred around a Brazilian jiu-jitsu injury lawsuit that Gracie gave expert witness testimony in, resulting in a $46,000,000 payout.

DeBlass announced in February 2023 that he was working with other gym-owners across the United States in order to open a non-profit anti-bullying initiative, using Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

On May 17, 2020, DeBlass came out of retirement and signed with ONE Championship.

Tom DeBlass runs his own BJJ and MMA gym and has coached numerous students to a high level, including fellow MMA fighter and ADCC veteran Garry Tonon.

DeBlass lives in the Forked River section of Lacey Township, New Jersey.