A vegan Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is drawing fresh attention online after adding another title to his résumé — and using the moment to make a broader point about plant-based living.
A recent Instagram post about Max Urschl focused not only on his newest championship result but also on his ongoing advocacy for animals.
What happened?
In the multi-image post, Plant Based News said Urschl had been vegetarian for 13 years before becoming fully vegan in 2018. The outlet reported that his latest victory at Germany's NAGA Grappling Championship makes him the current NAGA titleholder in Europe, Germany, and Brussels.
The account said Urschl "views his athletic platform as a vehicle for advocacy."
The most striking line in the post came from Urschl himself: "The only thing I regret is that I haven't switched to a vegan lifestyle sooner."
Why does it matter?
For years, one of the most persistent myths about vegan eating has been that it is incompatible with strength, endurance, or elite athletic performance. High-profile victories like this do not settle every nutrition debate, but they do offer a visible counterexample to the claim that athletes need animal products to compete at a high level.
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Choosing more plant-based foods can reduce demand for resource-intensive animal agriculture, potentially leading to lower pollution, less strain on land and water resources, and fewer animals raised in industrial systems.
What are people saying?
Although some commenters under the post pushed back on the idea of vegan eating, others were quick to show their support for the athletic achievement.
"Vegan power!" one said.
"Excellent example of an excellent vegan athlete," another user wrote.
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