Matt Heafy – Trivium Frontman & BJJ Black Belt: My Backstage Experience
For almost two decades, I’ve been a dedicated fan of Trivium and their iconic frontman, Matt Heafy. His music, stage presence, and passion for his craft have been a big part of my own musical journey as a listener. Naturally, following him on Instagram was a given — what I didn’t expect was that it would lead to a friendship. Matt eventually followed me back, under my handle abelbjj, after coming across my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu videos, particularly my leg lock technique clips. To my surprise, he was genuinely interested in my work on the mats. Over the next two years, we started exchanging messages — not about music at first, but about BJJ techniques, training tips, and the art of grappling. He supported me from the beginning, even sharing some of my videos with his own followers. It was surreal to see someone I admired for so long encouraging my work. Then came an unforgettable moment — Trivium’s tour stop in Frankfurt. A few days before the show, Matt messaged me with an invitation I’l...
