In this episode of Keepers of the Mats, we sit down with Eric Strausser—coach, gym owner, and a lifelong student of combat sports whose path runs from high-school mat rooms to MMA fight camps to building a 10th Planet program in Bloomsburg. Eric’s journey is raw, funny, and brutally honest about what it really takes to grow through the game.
As a kid, Eric dreamed in suplexes and WWF storylines—until curiosity led him to underground fight DVDs, early UFC discs, and eventually a high-school “after class” crew trying to choke each other in the wrestling room. Mornings started at 6 a.m.; on day one he trained so hard he went home and slept through school. That spark never left.
Eric’s first Jiu Jitsu event was Battle of the Beach 2007. He locked a triangle, heard what he thought was the time call, let go—and got rear-naked-choked as the match continued. He woke up staring at the lights, learned a hard lesson about fighting to the whistle, and kept going.
Eric went 4–4 in MMA, with all four wins by submission. The losses taught even more: getting stuck in a crucifix and peppered until the ref stopped it; taking a real beating that fractured his orbital; a razor-thin split decision; and a final bout waved off by the commission while he was “out on his feet.” That last one became the turning point—time to pour himself fully into Jiu Jitsu and coaching.
Eric opened Mid-World Martial Arts as a purple belt, planning to rebrand under 10th Planet once eligible. The community loved the Mid-World identity, so it stayed as the umbrella while 10th Planet Bloomsburg became the Jiu Jitsu program. The early days were humble—rolling out old mats in a yoga studio, then moving into a tiny space right as COVID hit. A small overhead, loyal students, and sheer stubbornness kept the lights on. It wasn’t pretty, but it worked.
Coming from MMA, a clinch-based Jiu Jitsu made sense. Eric dove into Eddie Bravo’s material—Mastering the System, seminars, rubber guard—and never looked back. One takeaway he loves to pass on: naming positions matters. Shared language (Z-guard, meat hook, mission control) lets teammates “roll verbally,” troubleshoot, and improve faster.
Eric is candid about learning to channel frustration and ego. Jiu Jitsu gave him patience—on the mats and at home with his infant son. As a teacher, he tailors details to who’s in front of him and values drilling over collecting techniques. He’s taught multiple seminars with us (half-guard/butterfly, leg locks, rubber guard), and every time he highlights what he appreciates most about Tried & True: a respectful, playful room focused on learning—not proving.
He still competes and embraces pre-match anxiety as useful fuel—“powering up,” not falling apart. That perspective shift—your body is preparing, not quitting—has become a core lesson for his students.
“Don’t put yourself ahead of yourself.” Enjoy the belt you’re at; you don’t get to be there again. Compete early when the consequences are lower. And for gyms, be honest about who you are. World-class marketing means nothing if the culture isn’t world-class yet—build the base first.
Eric hosts Arena Grappling events at Mid-World and believes our region grows best when small gyms collaborate—cross-training, sharing ideas, and raising the level together. That’s the vision: more connection, less siloing, better Jiu Jitsu for everyone.
He’ll be the first to tell you he loves teaching more than “business.” But he’s leaning into it—asking for help, testing sponsorships, and turning ideas into action so his people have a place to train for years to come.
Click here to listen to the episode on our Spotify channel.
