Oct. 8, 2025
Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu
Photos by Abbie Lankitus

At night, when the University of Missouri campus is quiet, Nick Arnel can often be found on the mat grappling, working through drills and testing himself against teammates. These techniques are the foundation of Brazilian jiu-jitsu — a combat sport and martial art built on grappling, where leverage matters more than brute strength.

For this Mizzou junior, a native of Port Chester, New York, the challenge of competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu is as mental as it is physical. Every match feels like solving a puzzle in real time — reading an opponent’s movements, anticipating their strategy and staying calm under pressure.

That curiosity on the mat inspired him to further explore how the mind works. He’s now pursuing a degree in psychology at Mizzou’s College of Arts and Science.

This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou. 
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