Brazilian jiu-jitsu, often abbreviated to BJJ, is a self-defense martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting, and submission holds. It is primarily a ground-based fighting style and focuses on taking one's opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks, chokeholds, or compression locks.
Submission grappling, also known as submission wrestling, submission fighting, no-gi jiu-jitsu or simply grappling, is a fighting style and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates elements of various martial arts such as various wrestling styles, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Submission wrestling is practiced both as a competitive sport and as a training method for self-defence and mixed martial arts (MMA).
Marcelo Garcia is a Brazilian submission grappler and a 4th degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach. A highly decorated competitor, Garcia is widely considered to be one of the best grapplers in the world and arguably the best pound for pound submission grappler. Holding 5 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and 4 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship titles, Garcia is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame and the third BJJ athlete to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame.
Robert Lewis Drysdale is a Brazilian-American Brazilian jiu-jitsu 4th degree black belt under Léo Vieira, a retired undefeated mixed martial artist and an instructor at his own BJJ academy. Having won multiple World Championships, he was referred to by Vice magazine as "America's jiu-jitsu superhero", regarded by BJJ Heroes as "the most accomplished American grappler of his generation" and as the best Submission Wrestler in the World by Gracie Magazine.
Braulio de Oliveira Estima is a 4th degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. on January 4, 2004. Throughout his grappling career, he has won in many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments across the world, such as the Mundials, ADCC, Pan American Championship, and European Championship. His long list of accomplishments has made him well respected among other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, such that some consider him one of the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world and one of the head coaches for Gracie Barra U.K.
Michael Lee Fowler is an American martial artist who is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. In addition to a number of major competitive achievements, Fowler is notable for the speed at which he attained the rank and is, according to some sources, the 3rd fastest American on record to do so. He is head instructor at North Shore Jiu Jitsu Club in Haleiwa, Hawaii.
Kron Gracie is a Brazilian and American mixed martial artist, submission grappler, and instructor.
Lloyd Irvin Jr. is a mixed martial arts (MMA) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt practitioner and coach. The founder of Team Lloyd Irvin, the first non-Brazilian team to take a world team title, he is the head coach to several champion grapplers.
Keenan Kai-James Cornelius is an American martial artist. His competitive achievements include what is called the Double Grand Slam in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, having won double gold medals at four major tournaments: the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Pan-American Championship, European Open Championship, and Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship - as a purple belt. He is also known for his creation of guard techniques such as the Worm Guard.
Leandro Pereira do Nascimento Lo, better known as Leandro Lo, was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor. A record holder with eight IBJJF world championship titles in five different weight classes, as well as multiple wins at every major international tournament, Lo is considered one of the most accomplished jiu-jitsu competitors of all time.
Lana Stefanac is an American mixed martial artist, grappler and black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and instructor. Stefanac is a World, Pan American, and US National Brazilian jiu-jitsu Champion in colored belts, she is a two-time black belt world champion and the first American woman to become world champion in both her weight class and in the Open class.
Garry Lee Tonon is an American submission grappler and mixed martial artist. He is a five-time Eddie Bravo Invitational champion, and has won titles at ADCC submission wrestling championship, IBJJF World and Pan American championships.
AJ Agazarm is an American submission grappler and mixed martial artist.
Ffion Davies is a Welsh submission grappler, mixed martial artist and a world-champion Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitor. She is a multiple winner of the IBJJF World Championship, including the no-gi championship in 2023 in both the 61 kg and absolute divisions.
Emily Kwok is a Canadian submission grappler. A 3rd degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) instructor and former mixed martial arts (MMA) competitor, Kwok is the first Canadian woman to receive a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the first to become world champion. As one of the first women to rise to prominence, Kwok is widely regarded as an early pioneer of the BJJ scene in North America.
Claire-France Thévenon is a French grappler, a 4th dan judo black belt and a 1st degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor and instructor. An IBJJF European Champion and World medallist at brown belt, Thévenon is a black belt World, Pan-American, European, AJP World Pro and AJP Grand Slam medallist as well as the 2022 Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship super-heavyweight silver medallist.
Amy Campo is an American submission grappler, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt athlete.
Roberto Jimenez is an American-born Ecuadorian grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt competitor.
Sayaka Shioda is a Japanese former mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, Sambo, submission grappling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt practitioner.
