Joel Bane: Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More!

By Benjamin Strusnik, November 12, 2021

Who is Joel Bane?

Joel Bane is the founder and head coach of Snake Pit U.S.A., one of the worlds largest catch wrestling associations with over 24 schools worldwide. Snake Pit HQ, known as Razors Edge, is also an affiliate of the Rigan Machado Jiu-Jitsu Association, a well-known and respected organization.

Who is Joel Bane?

Brutal Catch Wrestling Leg Riding and Hammer Locks by Joel Bane

Joel is a retired member of the United States Military and holds black belts in several martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. He has nearly 25 years of experience around various styles which also include freestyle & greco wrestling, traditional boxing, muay thai and kickboxing. His biggest focus, however, is catch wrestling, which he has worked to rebrand as “Catch Can” in an attempt to bring catch back to the forefront of combat sports.

In addition to his time coaching civilians, Joel Bane has spent a significant portion of his time training service members in wrestling as well. He was a heavyweight wrestler at the Air Force academy before eventually being named captain. Later, he was named as the assistant coach of the USAF Wrestling team.

His biggest contribution to martial arts has been the management of Snake Pit U.S.A., which is now the world’s premier catch wrestling promotion. They have managed to amass a huge following of over 255,000 followers on the Snake Pit U.S.A. Facebook page. Joel’s organization has 24 schools both around the country and internationally. Countries such as Australia, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, the UK, Chile, and Germany all now have dedicated catch wrestling schools available to their citizens.

Snake Pit has been a success not only in the world of catch wrestling, but in the larger MMA landscape as well. The affiliation has produced several professional competitors and champions across many of combat sports’ most noted promotions, such as Bellator, the UFC, The Ultimate Fighter, Strikeforce, Elite XC, NAGA, Grapplers Quest, IBJJF, Fight to Win, and Pan American Championships. Clearly, Snake Pit has proven that they are here to stay.

Wrestling For BJJ by Jeff Glover

How Old is Joel Bane?

Joel Bane is 42 years old as of 2021. He was born in 1979.

Joel Bane Family

Information about Joel Bane’s family is not currently available.

How Much is Joel Bane Worth?

Joel Bane’s net worth is not public information.

How Tall is Joel Bane?

Catch wrestling does not require fighters to measure their height, so Bane’s is not available.

How Much Does Joel Bane Weigh?

Joel Bane is around 220 pounds and routinely competes as a heavyweight, at 100 kg and over.

Joel Bane Fight List

Joel Bane spent over 20 years in the Air Force teaching hand-to-hand techniques, while also becoming a sharpshooter and small-arms handling expert. His experience in competition began while in the military but has continued since his retirement. Below is a combined list of his accomplishments both while serving his country and while competing to represent himself.

U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant: three tours in Afghanistan, one in Iraq, two others
2005: Krav Maga Personnel Security Detail Certified - Afghanistan
2008-2011: Self Defense Instructor to U.S. Army Instructors
2013 Grappling World Team Trials - Silver (100 kg)
2013 U.S. World Team Heavyweight Alternate - Greco Roman
2013-15: Captain of The United States Air Force “All Air Force Wrestling Team”
2016-17: Assistant coach of The United States Air Force “All Air Force Wrestling Team”
MMA Veteran of both Reality Fighting and Combat in the Cage
Top 3 finishes in : NAGA, Grapplers Quest, U.S. Grappling, Mission Submission, Good-fight, and USA Wrestling’s U.S. Open & Armed Forces Wrestling Championships

Joel Bane's Best Fight of All Time

Many of Bane’s fights were before the time of constant video recording, although YouTube still has record of a 2008 bout between Joel Bane and Ronnie Allen. Both fighters were able to make it out of round one largely unharmed. As the bell rang for round two, Bane swarmed Allen and began dirty boxing from clinch range. The much heavier Allen took the fight to the ground, but Bane was able to escape bottom position, take his back, and choke him out in the second round.

Who Did Joel Bane Lose To?

The 2014 Armed Forces Championships was dominated by the Army athletes, but Joel Bane was representing the Air Force at the 130 kg weight. He and David Arendt, of the Marine Core, were matched up at the tournament, and Arendt was able to dominate on the score cards, winning the bout 8-0.

Joel Bane Record

Joel Bane’s overall record has not been published. He has competed in military and civilian tournaments at both the amateur and professional levels.

Joel Bane Injuries

Bane has not been public with any period of injury in his career. He has openly discussed the psychological difficulty that many combat veterans face when returning to a civilian world. From PTSD, to depression and other issues, Bane believes that speaking openly about these traumas is a path to healing.

Is Joel Bane Retired?

Joel Bane is now retired from both competition and from active military duty. He spends his time coaching other athletes to achieve their own personal goals, while also devoting a significant portion of his time to the promotion of catch wrestling, through his ownership role in Snake Pit U.S.A.

Bane has also broken down some basic aspects of his catch wrestling system in order to help jiu-jitsu and traditional wrestling athletes learn the fundamentals. He’s teamed up with BJJ Fanatics to produce “Brutal Catch Wrestling Leg Riding and Hammer Locks”. As the name suggests, Joel covers details that teach you how to grind and bring the pressure like a true catch wrestler.

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