Team USA wrestling member Emma Bruntil has recently come out with abuse claims against her former fiance and standout BJJ athlete Jacob Couch. Jacob has confirmed these claims and posted a public apology.
Get the full details on this unfortunate case of abuse involving Jacob Couch below.
Bruntil Speaks Out About Abuse
Team USA wrestling member Emma Bruntil recently made some startling claims about being abused by top pro grappler Jacob Couch. Below is Bruntil’s full statement on Couch’s abuse and death threats made against her.
“In the beginning, there were warning signs with Jacob. He was extremely controlling. He didn’t want me going out, using Snapchat, dressing in certain ways, wearing make up, or posting certain things on my social media…
Leading into worlds, there were certain scenarios that became quite serious. The night after Final X, my ex and I were staying at a friend’s house before we were set to fly to Boston to film a BJJ Fanatics video. At 2am, he woke me up yelling and throwing pillows because some of my guy friends and training partners had texted me to congratulate me on making the world team. He made me block all of their numbers immediately after. I almost broke up with him, but then we had to get on a flight the next day and put on a smile for the cameras…
After the world championships, I was finally able to get the neck surgery I so desperately needed. It was also then when the isolation truly began to set in. Any friends of mine that were independent, or if they didn’t like Jacob, were deemed a threat by him. I was told I’d be disrespecting him if I hung out with them. Being that he had my location and he checked it 20 times a day, if I wanted to go see a friend that he didn’t like, I would have had to leave my phone at home and lie about my whereabouts. I don’t like to lie. It goes against everything I believe in. So I pulled away from my friends, until the only people I talked to were my brother, my parents, and my then financè.
Once he could tell I was fully isolated, and therefore fully invested in the relationship, things started to change. The love bombing and nice spells became shorter. He didn’t need to apologize for his behavior anymore, once he could sense that I wouldn’t leave him. After ADCC West Coast Trials, he went out with his friends to a night club on the Vegas strip. I wouldn’t have cared, except for the fact I hadn’t been able to so much as see most of my friends for months. He had expressly forbid me from going out our entire relationship, only to do that exact thing himself. I told him that I didn’t want to live by his rules anymore. I started to fight back against them. And that’s when sh*t started to get truly crazy.
To keep me under his control, he started using threats. He told me he’d get on a plane and find me if I ever cheated on him. He told me he’d k*ll me. He started repeating these threats multiple times per week. When I confronted him about it, he said maybe he wouldn’t k*ll me, but that he’d get on a plane, convince my parents everything was okay, fly to my home state, and stab my childhood dog. Or he would say that I was criticizing him to the point where he’d k*ll himself.
The more he felt his control of me slipping, the crazier and more escalated he was willing to become. Even to the point of bursting in the room and yelling with his finger in my face when I was hanging out with one of my friends, all because he thought that individual was bisexual. Slowly, almost every aspect of my life was under his control. It was incredibly scary.
Finally, on a trip to Mount Vernon to visit him, We broke up. He woke me up one morning by kicking the pillows again, and I knew he was angry. I walked out into the living room, to him telling me “youre done”, with the crazy look in his eyes that I had began to associate with pure insanity. I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong, but I realized at that moment that it didn’t matter if I had. It was all about if he thought I had done something wrong. When I saw that look in his eyes, I knew that no amount of reasoning with him would help.
He was a 210 pound BJJ black belt that had been telling me for weeks that he would kill me. And here we were. In that moment, I shut down. When he was yelling, I told myself I would do or say whatever it took to make it out of there in one piece.
Luckily, I did manage to do that.”-Emma Bruntil.
Jacob Couch Confirms Abuse Claims
After Bruntil’s claim was posted, Jacob Couch was quick to respond and confirm the abuse claims. In an Instagram post, the Daisy Fresh ace seemed ashamed of his actions and gave a public apology.
“The only thing that really matters is my actions. I let myself get to a bad place. I’m ashamed of the way I acted. My Grandma, my Mother and my sister as well as my current girlfriend I’m sure are all disappointed in me too.
Regardless of whatever caused me to get there I still acted like a child and I really don’t much deserve to be forgiven.
With that being said I just wanted to share Emma’s story. Our story. She deserves that.
Even though this happened some time ago I’m sure it’s still just as hard for her now as it was when it happened.”- Jacob Couch.
Couch Defends Daisy Fresh
On the heels of Bruntil’s post, some started verbally attacking Daisy Fresh for allowing the abuse to take place. In Jacob Couch’s post, he also defended his BJJ academy and put all of the blame on himself.
“My team doesn’t deserve any hate. Heath is a good man. He’s done so many things for people and asks for nothing in return ever. I just don’t want anyone cutting them down for my actions.
I know it doesn’t make things right. I know it doesn’t change the past. I hope Emma finds the healing she needs and I wish her the best.
I’m sorry to her, her supporters who were there for her (because I added stress and hurt to their lives too). My team and everyone else it hurt.
I’ll continue trying to be a better man and a better example now and in the future.”- Jacob Couch
Since this story has come out, Jacob Couch has been highly criticized and has lost his sponsorship with Inverted Gear.
Bobby is martial artist for almost 20 years with a BJJ black belt under Professor Sergio Miranda. He is also a karate black and former combat sports athlete, who loves all things grappling.
