Rex Bencivenga

Yellow Belt
Instagram: @rex_the_reaperbjj

I was born in 2012 at my home in Santa Rosa, where I still live today. When my mom was pregnant with me, she trained in kickboxing—so I guess you could say I was literally born with a fighting spirit.

Ever since I was little, I’ve been into Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. I used to watch Bruce Lee spinning nunchucks and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I even found my mom’s nunchucks and taught myself by watching YouTube videos.

One of my good friends, Malaya, trained in Jiu-Jitsu locally, and her parents always told mine that I should try it. In late 2019, when I was 8 years old, I finally joined the same gym as her. I knew right away that Jiu-Jitsu was my thing, so the nunchucks had to take a back seat. NorCal Fighting Alliance is where it all started for me, and at first, I trained only NoGi. They also had Muay Thai, wrestling, and boxing, and at one point I was doing all four. During the pandemic, when most gyms were closed, we’d sneak in through the back door like a group of grappling outlaws to keep training.

In February 2023, I switched to Kola Ajose BJJ, which is about an hour and a half from my old gym. At first, it felt too far, but after spending time there, my dad and I realized it was the right place. There’s something special about the way Coach K pushes us, believes in us, and creates such a strong, competitive, and supportive environment. My teammates push me to be my best, and I’m grateful for every single one of them.

Since joining, I’ve been winning tournament after tournament—but Coach K and Hyperfly both remind me that a record doesn’t define me. It’s not about the wins or the trophies—it’s about heart, courage, never giving up, and giving my all every single time. In the end, it’s not about winning or losing—it’s about having the heart to keep going, no matter what.

I’m proud to be part of the Hyperfly team, and I’m thankful for everyone who’s been part of my journey so far. Thanks for reading my story—I hope it inspires you to chase your dreams, too.