“It’s About Testing Ourselves”: Eddie Avelar Brings Decades of Jiu-Jitsu to the Mat Against Ray Bell

HOUSTON – For Eddie Avelar, jiu-jitsu has always been about more than competition—it’s about passion, learning, and pushing limits.

“We do get down, and we’re willing to go compete and test ourselves,” says Avelar, who trains and coaches at Ground Dwellers and will face Ray Bell in a 205-pound black belt NoGi match.

Avelar has been on the mats since 1999, witnessing firsthand how the sport has exploded in popularity. “I started jiu-jitsu back in 1999. Jiu-jitsu, I guess, has been a sport for a while, but the popularity just keeps growing and growing and growing,” he explains.

Events like Submission Hunter Pro have become the perfect platform for athletes like him. “Usually Submission Hunter Pro has a lot of super matches—a lot of submissions going on—a lot of fun, though. It’s not out of hatred; it’s not a fight, you know?” Avelar says. “That’s why we’re not calling it fights—they’re matches. Each one of us that’s competing at this event got their own little different style, so it’s just about going out and having some fun and testing ourselves.”

As both a competitor and a coach, Avelar balances his training with running his academy, where the daily grind comes with its own challenges. “The goal is to continue to stay healthy and continue to teach,” he says. “As for the academy, you know, it’s a day-to-day type thing. Business is kind of up and down, and then there’s a lot of emotional concepts. All these things add up, and it just gets difficult to worn over. So it’s hard to say—you know, as long as it stays steady, I’m happy with that.”

Avelar may have decades on the mat, but he’s as eager as ever to step out and test himself once again.

Submission Hunter 98 will take place on Friday, July 25th, 2025, and can be viewed on UFC Fight Pass, or in-person at Bayou City Event Center in Houston, Texas. Get your tickets at https://www.subhunterpro.tv/buy-tickets