Chris Bower is a respected figure in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), known for his accomplishments as a competitor and his expertise as an instructor. He is the Owner and Lead BJJ Instructor, 3rd Degree Black Belt under Professor Vicente Junior, BS Exercise Science Owner of Bowerhouse and its namesake.
Chris started Wrestling at the age of 6 in Pittsburgh, Pa, and also wrestled in the NCAA. He currently holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt under World Champion Professor Vicente Junior, and carries the distinction of being the first American to be promoted from White to Black Belt under Professor Vicente Junior's guidance. He is an IBJJF Black Belt World No Gi Medalist, 2x Pan American No Gi Champion, American National No Gi Champion, and Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Champion. He has won International Gold at Lightweight, Middleweight, Middle-Heavy, Heavyweight, Ultra Heavyweight, & Open Class.
Chris has competed all over the World, claiming International Gold in 15 different countries (USA, Brazil, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Thailand, Italy, Singapore, New Zealand, Germany, Greece, England, Peru, Spain, France) and finished 2021 as the #1 Ranked Lightweight in the IBJJF Master 3 World No Gi Rankings & #6 Overall (All Weights). Chris is also a frequent visitor to Brazil often training with the Legendary Ricardo De la Riva at the World Famous De la Riva Academy while in Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and with Team Vicente Junior in Maceio, Brazil. Chris has claimed Gold in Brazil 6x at the Rio International Open, Salvador Open, 3x at the Sul-Brasileiro Open.
Here's a list of some of Chris Bower's achievements:
- 2025 AJP Tour Madrid, Spain Master 4 Heavyweight Gi Champion
- 2025 AJP Tour France Master 4 Medium-Heavy Gi Champion
- 2025 IBJJF Sacramento Master 4 Open Class No Gi Champion
- 2025 IBJJF Sacramento Master 4 Medium-Heavy Gi Champion
- 2025 IBJJF Sacramento Master 4 Medium-Heavy No Gi Champion
- 2025 Dallas Master 4 Medium-Heavy No Gi Champion
- 2025 AJP Tour Seville, Spain Master 4 Middleweight Gi Champion
- 2025 IBJJF Okalhoma City Master 4 Medium-Heavy No Gi Champion
- 2025 AJP Tour Lima, Peru Master 4 Middleweight Gi Champion
- 2025 IBJJF Virginia Open Master 4 Medium-Heavy No Gi Champion
- 2025 IBJJF London, England Master 4 Medium-Heavy No Gi Champion
- 2025 AJP Tour Greece National Championships Master 4 Middleweight Gi Champion
- 2024 IBJJF Tampa Bay Master 4 Heavyweight No Gi Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour Portugal National Championships Master 4 Middleweight Gi Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour German National Championships Master 4 Middleweight Gi Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour New Zealand National Championships Master 4 Middleweight Gi Champion
- 2024 Singapore National Championships Master 4 Middleweight Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour Socal Master 4 Ultra-HWT Champion Carlsbad, California
- 2024 AJP Tour North America Continental Master 4 Middleweight Champion Miami, Fl
- 2024 AJP Tour Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Rome, Italy Master 4 Middleweight Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour South America Continental Balneario Camboriu, Brazil Master 4 Middleweight Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour Bologna, Italy Master 4 Middleweight Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour Bangkok, Thailand Master 4 Middleweight Champion
- 2024 AJP Tour Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Tokyo, Japan Silver Master 4 Middleweight
- 2022 CBJJ Sul-Braileiro Florianopolis Brazil Master 3 Middleweight Champion
- 2022 IBJJF Lisbon, Portugal International Open Master 3 Medium Heavy Champion
- 2021 IBJJF Nashville International Open Master 3 Middle Heavyweight Silver
- 2021 IBJJF Sul-Americano-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Master 3 Lightweight Silver
- 2021 IBJJF Indianapolis International Open No Gi Master 3 Lightweight Champion
- 2021 IBJJF Houston International Open No Gi Lightweight Champion
- 2021 IBJJF Austin International Open No Gi Lightweight Silver
- 2021 Rio International Open - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Master 3 Lightweight Champion
- 2021 IBJJF Sul-Americano Open - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Master 3 Lightweight Silver
- 2021 IBJJF New Orleans International Open Master 3 Lightweight Champion
- 2020 IBJJF San Jose International Open Middleweight & Open Class Silver
- 2020 IBJJF New Orleans International Open No Gi Open Class Silver
- 2020 CBJJ Sul-Brasileiro, Sao Jose, Brazil No Gi Champion Master 3 Lightweight
- 2019 IBJJF World No Gi Championships Bronze Master 3 Middleweight
- 2019 IBJJF Salvador Brazil International Open No Gi Champion Black Belt Master 3
- 2019 IBJJF Amsterdam Netherlands International Open Gi Champion Black Belt Master 3
- 2019 IBJJF Amsterdam Netherlands International Open No Gi Champion Black Belt Master 3
- 2019 IBJJF Pan American No Gi Black Belt Master 3 Middleweight Silver
- 2019 IBJJF American Nationals No Gi Champion Black Belt Master 3 Middleweight
- 2018 IBJJF Dublin Ireland International Open Champion Black Belt Master 2 Middleweight
- 2018 IBJJF Dublin Ireland International Open Silver Black Belt Master 2 Open Class
- 2018 IBJJF Pan American No Gi Master 2 Black Belt Open Class Bronze
- 2018 IBJJF Pan American No Gi Black Belt Master 2 Middleweight Bronze
- 2018 IBJJF American Nationals Silver Black Belt Master 2 Middleweight
- 2018 IBJJF New York Open Champion Black Belt Middleweight Master 2
- 2018 IBJJF New York Open Bronze Black Belt Open Class Master 2
- 2017 Fight to Win Pro Pittsburgh Co-Main Event
- 2014 IBJJF Pan Am No Gi Champion Black Belt Master 2 Middle Heavyweight
- 2014 IBJJF Pan Am No Gi Champion Black Belt Open Class Master 2
- 2010 Grapplers Quest No Gi National Champion Advanced Middleweight
| Year | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | IBJJF Pan Am No Gi | Champion (Master 2 Middle Heavyweight) |
| 2014 | IBJJF Pan Am No Gi | Champion (Master 2 Open Class) |
| 2018 | IBJJF Dublin Ireland International Open | Champion (Black Belt Master 2 Middleweight) |
| 2019 | IBJJF World No Gi Championships | Bronze (Master 3 Middleweight) |
| 2021 | Rio International Open | Champion (Master 3 Lightweight) |
| 2022 | CBJJ Sul-Braileiro Florianopolis Brazil | Champion (Master 3 Middleweight) |
His lineage is: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlson Gracie Sr.
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An internationally-ranked jiu-jitsu champion has shared footage of the moment he grappled with a man who he claimed tried to rob him shortly after he arrived in New Zealand. US-based Chris Bower, 46, was taking a sightseeing walk around Auckland on August 30 after flying in for a tournament when he said the flannel shirt-wearing man approached him and demanded he give him money for his son.
The black belt walked away but claims the man followed him for more than a kilometre - even when he broke out into a jog and unsuccessfully asked members of the public to help - and so he went inside a café in an effort to diffuse the situation. 'He scared the s*** out of me since he was directly behind me. I could tell there was something wrong with him,' Bower told the NZ Herald.
When the man followed him inside the café, Bower said he had nowhere else to go and did not know if he had a weapon on him. The man then allegedly rushed at him 'swinging and attacking' so Bower said he 'did was he was trained to do' and confronted him.
The footage filmed by a bystander shows the pair as they wrestle on the coffee shop's floor before Mr Bower sat on top of the man, whose hands appeared tied with his own flannel shirt. Footage showed the pair grappling after Mr Bower claimed the man demanded money and followed him inside a café before lunging at him Mr Bower runs a martial arts academy back in the United States and is a jiu-jitsu black beltBower said: 'When he ran at me I took him down with a double-leg takedown'.
'I'm a trained fighter... I did everything I could to avoid the situation like running away... but I'm glad I ran into the store so others could see what was happening.'
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'Once I did I rendered him unconscious with the man's shirt in a rear neck choke, a common technique in Brazilian jiu-jitsu to subdue someone. I did that without hurting him or striking him and I got off of his back and sat on his chest and told people to call police.' When officers arrived they took the man away and later wrote to Mr Bower to tell him he had been referred to mental health support services and that no charges were laid.
Police confirmed the martial arts expert's recollection in a statement. 'Police responded to an altercation at a cafe on Gaunt St. A man had charged at the victim inside the business after approaching him on the street. The victim managed to hold the man to the ground before police arrival,' a spokesperson said.
'Once our staff arrived at the scene, they arrested a 45-year-old man. On reviewing the incident, no charges have been laid but the man was referred to appropriate agencies for assessment.' Fortunately, on this occasion no one sustained injuries as a result of the incident. Our advice to the general public is always to not take matters into your own hands.
In footage posted to his social media accounts, Bower’s detailed the moment and what unfolded as the two men tangled on the floor of the cafe. “After a 23 hour flight to Auckland, New Zealand, I decided to walk the city,” he wrote in the caption for the video.
“A deranged lunatic charged towards me demanding my money. Not knowing if he had a weapon, I backed away to create space. He started to chase after me. I asked many bystanders, hotel, staff, and bus driver to call Police as some man was chasing me trying to rob me. They were the only people to help. The man followed me into the coffee shop and attacked me.
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“I blast double legged him, secured top side control, took his back and then choked him unconscious with his flannel shirt.
“While he was unconscious, I placed him into the top mount position until the Police arrived. Many bystanders initially tried to pull me off the man.
“You will hear me telling them ‘I’m a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, I’m a trained fighter, I have control of the situation’”. Auckland police confirmed the 45-year-old man had been arrested with no charges being laid from the incident.
“Once our staff arrived at the scene, they arrested the 45-year-old man. On reviewing the incident, no charges have been laid but the man was referred to appropriate agencies for assessment,” a police statement read.
Techniques Used by Chris Bower:
- Double-Leg Takedown: Used to bring the attacker to the ground.
- Top Side Control: Secured to maintain a dominant position.
- Rear Naked Choke (using the attacker's shirt): Applied to render the attacker unconscious.
- Top Mount Position: Maintained until police arrived to ensure control.