# Levi Jones-Leary

> Australian black belt, IBJJF European and Pan champ, and ADCC Oceania Trials winner known for elite guard and berimbolo.

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- **Source site:** Ossmeta (https://ossmeta.com)
- **Last updated:** 2026-07-15

## Identity

- **Name:** Levi Jones-Leary
- **Full name:** Levi Jones-Leary
- **Nickname:** Xanadu / Levizão
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** Absolute MMA
- **Nationality:** Australia
- **Born:** 1997-03-13
- **Birthplace:** Bondi, Sydney, Australia
- **Weight class:** Lightweight (76 kg / 168 lbs)

## Biography

Levi Jones-Leary was born on March 13, 1997, in Bondi, Sydney, Australia. Competitive from a young age, he excelled in athletics—especially the 100-meter dash—and played football (soccer) before martial arts. His mother nicknamed him “Xanadu,” after a cartoon warrior; years later at Unity Jiu-Jitsu in New York, coach Murilo Santana also called him “Levizão” (“Big Levi” in Portuguese).

As a mid-teen, Jones-Leary became disenchanted with school and considered dropping out. The social program Links 4 Learning introduced him to mixed martial arts at 15, aiming to keep at-risk youth engaged through sport and creative outlets. He quickly shifted from MMA to Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Guilherme Neves at Garage Jiu-Jitsu, left school, and began teaching kids while pursuing competition as a career.

To reach the top level, he traveled to the United States before major IBJJF events, first training at Rubens Charles “Cobrinha” academy in Los Angeles. In 2015, when Unity Jiu-Jitsu opened in New York, he saved money working furniture delivery in Australia so he could train with Paulo and João Miyao and head coach Murilo Santana. His talent and work ethic earned him a permanent place on the team. After a dominant brown-belt year—including the IBJJF World title—Santana promoted him to black belt in June 2018.

As a black belt he broke through immediately: in 2019 he became the first Australian to win a major IBJJF black-belt title, defeating six-time world champion Lucas Lepri in the IBJJF European Open lightweight final, then winning the IBJJF Pan Championship and the Spyder Invitational Grand Prix the same year. His game is built on De La Riva, berimbolo, crab ride, and intricate lapel guards; Santana has described his guard as nearly impenetrable. After a knee injury around 2020 he adapted with more closed and half guard, then expanded leg locks and wrestling when he later joined Absolute MMA in Melbourne.

Around 2021 he returned to Australia and joined Absolute MMA, teaching classes and guard workshops while representing Australia internationally. He won the AJP Grand Slam Sydney (77 kg) in 2023 and the ADCC Oceania & Asia Trials (77 kg) in 2024—submitting and controlling his way to gold, including a final over teammate Jeremy Skinner—qualifying for ADCC Worlds. He withdrew from ADCC 2024 to compete at the Craig Jones Invitational, where he took second after a deep run (including wins over Roberto Jimenez, Tye Ruotolo, and Lucas Barbosa) before dropping a decision to Kade Ruotolo in the final. He also reached the Polaris 170 lb Grand Prix final in 2024.

Today Jones-Leary is a flag-bearer for Australian BJJ: an Absolute MMA standout known for world-class guard retention and back takes, a mentor to local talent, and a proven name across IBJJF gi titles, AJP Grand Slams, ADCC trials, Polaris, and CJI.

## Lineage

Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rickson Gracie > Marcelo Behring > Mario Yamasaki > Murilo Santana > Levi Jones-Leary

## Instructors

- Murilo Santana
- Guilherme Neves

## Signature techniques / game

- De La Riva guard
- Berimbolo
- Crab ride
- Lapel guard
- Back takes
- Choke from the back

## Major achievements

- 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2019)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2019)
- 1st Place ADCC Oceania & Asia Trials (2024)
- 1st Place Spyder Invitational Grand Prix (2019)
- 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, Sydney (2023)
- 2nd Place AJP Grand Slam, Abu Dhabi (2019)
- 2nd Place Craig Jones Invitational (2024)
- 2nd Place Polaris 170 lb Grand Prix (2024)
- 3rd Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2021)

## Colored belt highlights

- 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2018 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF European Open (2018 brown)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2018 brown, 2017 purple)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pans No-Gi Championship (2016/2015 purple)
- 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, Abu Dhabi (2018 brown)
- 1st Place AJP Grand Slam, Tokyo (2017 purple)
- 1st Place AJP North American Continental (2018 brown)
- 2nd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2015 blue)
- 2nd Place IBJJF Juvenile World No-Gi Championship (2014 absolute)
- 3rd Place IBJJF World No-Gi Championship (2016 purple weight & absolute)
- 3rd Place IBJJF Juvenile World No-Gi Championship (2014)
- 3rd Place AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro (2017 purple)

## Official / social links

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xanadugod/

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes — Levi Jones-Leary](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/levi-jones-leary)
- [Digitsu — Levi Jones-Leary](https://digitsu.com/people/levi-jones-leary)
- [FloGrappling — How Levi Jones-Leary Broke Onto The Black Belt Scene](https://www.flograppling.com/articles/6329693-how-newcomer-levi-jones-leary-broke-onto-the-black-belt-scene-in-a-big-way)

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