Randolf, the Coach shaping the next wave of Grapplers
From Jakarta to Bali and beyond, Randolf has become one of Indonesia’s most respected emerging grapplers, not just for his achievements on the mats, but for his impact as a coach. Training under Hardianism and leading Adler Jiu-Jitsu, he represents a new generation of athletes shaping the country’s grappling .
In this interview, he shares his journey, philosophy, and hopes for the future of Indonesian Jiu-Jitsu.
Q1. Can you kindly introduce yourself?
Hi, my name is Randolf. I’m a grappling athlete and coach from Indonesia, training under Hardianism.
Q2. How did you start training in BJJ?
It actually happened by coincidence. Back in 2012, my boxing coach learned a bit of grappling and started teaching me. Since I loved watching professional wrestling like WWE, I thought it looked similar, so I became more interested in grappling and eventually met Coach Hardian.
Q3. What drew you to the gentle art?
It’s the pursuit of endless learning. You constantly discover new things, meet amazing people with their own specialties, and feel the warmth of a welcoming community.
Seeing my students grow even faster than I did brings me so much happiness.
Q4. What is the Jiu-Jitsu scene in Indonesia like?
It’s much better now in terms of public awareness and is growing rapidly, especially in Jakarta and Bali. Some people prefer training with the Gi, others like No-Gi, but either way, more and more people are getting to know Jiu-Jitsu and grappling here.
Q5. What do you think it would take to accelerate the growth of BJJ in Indonesia?
More competitions and better education about Jiu-Jitsu.
Q6. In terms of competing in Submission Grappling and Jiu-Jitsu, which ruleset do you favor most?
I prefer ADCC or EBI rules.
Q7. How do you find the training environment in Indonesia compared to other regions in Asia?
I don’t know much about other countries, but I think it’s quite similar. Each gym has its own specialties. Some are very competitive, others more relaxed. But that doesn’t matter. If we want to raise the overall level of Jiu-Jitsu in Indonesia, we have to work together and put aside our differences.
For example, Bali MMA consistently supports Indonesian athletes who take the sport seriously, and I really respect that.
Q8. If you could train at any gym for a prolonged period of time, where would it be and why?
Absolute MMA — I’d love to learn from Lachlan, and I also love Melbourne.
Or if Jozef Chen ever opens his own gym anywhere in the world, I’d definitely train there haha.
Q9. What is the most influential or biggest achievement in your career so far?
I wouldn’t say there’s anything huge, but I’ve won Indonesia’s biggest grappling tournaments multiple times, the national Jiu-Jitsu championship (Gi), and a few ADCC, AJP, and Grappling Industries events.
But honestly, my biggest accomplishment is watching my students grow from barely being able to do front rolls — or even joining grappling by mistake thinking it was Muay Thai — to winning local tournaments and becoming great human beings. That means the most to me.
Q10. Do you have a personal preference between Gi or No-Gi?
No-Gi. Gi is fine too, but I hate doing the laundry after.
Q11. How would you evaluate the current trends in Jiu-Jitsu? What do you think about its future in Indonesia?
The game is evolving really fast with so many new training methods. But I believe mat time doesn’t lie — just keep learning and training.
I hope my team and I continue to evolve technically and become a strong influence on the future of Indonesian grappling.
Q12. Which country do you think is growing the fastest in grappling in Asia right now?
Countries like Japan and Kazakhstan are already strong and well developed in combat sports, but Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia are catching up quickly.
If I had to choose, I’d say Malaysia is one of the fastest growing.
Q13. What does your typical training schedule look like — weekly or daily?
I train Jiu-Jitsu almost every day, plus two to four strength and conditioning sessions per week.
Q14. How did Adler Jiu-Jitsu start?
It actually just recently became “Adler Jiu-Jitsu.” For years, people called my gym “Sportpackers,” which was a great place to train, but the name sounded a bit odd.
So, we decided to rename it “Adler,” which means eagle in German — symbolizing strength and courage.
Q15. How do you approach your coaching?
A bit of drilling, more situational sparring, and a lot of free sparring.
Q16. From your experience coaching at Adler, what’s the fastest way to develop students’ skills?
It’s a coach’s job to simplify complicated techniques and make them easy to understand — not the other way around.
Once students grasp concepts, they can adapt and modify them on their own.
Q17. Who do you draw inspiration from as a coach and competitor?
Coach Hardian shaped me into the grappler I am today.
I also admire Veron — even though he’s a bit of a fool (just kidding) — his spirit to keep competing on the world stage motivates me, and I wish to support him.
And of course, Jozef Chen! That kid is unreal. I’ll keep supporting him and I believe he already became one of the best grapplers in the world.
Q18. What are your future plans?
To win at least the ADCC Asia Trials and compete on bigger stages.
And to keep expanding the sport — helping develop and produce more world-level grapplers from Indonesia.
Q19. Lastly, who would you like to thank?
My dad, mom, and sister who have supported me from the very beginning.
Coach Hardian, for his technique and wisdom.
My Malaysian friend Nini, for the constant support.
My students and training partners from Hardianism — love you all.
And last but not least, thank you, Mac, for this opportunity. 🙏🏼❤️
Grapple Asia 