# Luke Griffith

> South African New Wave heavyweight, 2024 ADCC silver medalist, WNO Heavyweight Champion, and black belt under John Danaher.

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- **Last updated:** 2026-07-18

## Identity

- **Name:** Luke Griffith
- **Full name:** Luke Michael Griffith
- **Belt:** black belt
- **Team:** New Wave Jiu-Jitsu
- **Nationality:** South Africa
- **Born:** 2000-12-27
- **Birthplace:** South Africa
- **Weight class:** Heavyweight / Pesadissimo (+100.5 kg / +222 lb; ADCC +99 kg)

## Biography

Luke Michael Griffith is a South African professional submission grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under John Danaher. Born on December 27, 2000, in South Africa, he started jiu-jitsu at five with his father, Lloyd Griffith, a BJJ black belt. Bobby Karagiannidis was another key early coach, guiding Griffith through his formative ranks and promoting him to purple belt before Griffith's focus narrowed toward no-gi competition.

Griffith's international turn began after repeated attempts at ADCC Trials outside South Africa. In November 2021 he traveled to Austin, Texas, hoping to train around John Danaher's group after the former Danaher Death Squad relocation. Danaher invited him into the professional training group at Roka Training Centre, where Griffith became part of New Wave Jiu-Jitsu alongside heavyweight training partners such as Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, and Dan Manasoiu. Danaher promoted him to brown belt on June 25, 2022.

As a colored belt, Griffith quickly became an outlier: a purple and brown belt beating established professionals in no-gi rulesets. He won the ADCC European, Middle Eastern, and African Trials in 2022 to qualify for ADCC 2022 at under 99 kg, then returned to win the same trials again in 2023. That 2023 season also included a GrappleFest U100 kg title and a dominant IBJJF no-gi run at brown belt, with double gold at the European, Pan, and World No-Gi Championships and submissions across the major brackets.

His elite heavyweight breakthrough came in 2024. Griffith submitted reigning ADCC champion Kaynan Duarte at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 7, then moved up to +99 kg at ADCC 2024 and reached the final after submitting Mansur Makhmakhanov, Roosevelt Sousa, and teammate Dan Manasoiu. Felipe Pena submitted Griffith in the final, leaving Griffith with ADCC silver but a clear place among the division's leading contenders. In April 2025, shortly after a decision win over Victor Hugo at WNO 27, Danaher promoted Griffith to black belt.

By late 2025 Griffith had translated that momentum into a major professional title. At WNO 31 he submitted Felipe Pena by rear naked choke to win the vacant WNO heavyweight championship, avenging prior losses in their series and reinforcing his reputation as a back-attacking finisher. His official Instagram bio lists New Wave Jiu-Jitsu, Austin, Texas, WNO Heavyweight Champion, and co-owner of Cornerstone BJJ, while his competition identity remains built around New Wave's Danaher system: pressure, positional control, leg attacks, and high-percentage back finishes.

## Lineage

Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Renzo Gracie > John Danaher > Luke Griffith

## Instructors

- John Danaher
- Gordon Ryan
- Garry Tonon
- Bobby Karagiannidis
- Lloyd Griffith

## Signature techniques / game

- Rear naked choke
- Back takes and body-triangle control
- Inside heel hook
- Arm triangle choke
- Smother tap
- Guillotine
- Top pressure and systematic passing

## Major achievements

- Who's Number One (WNO) Heavyweight Champion (2025; submitted Felipe Pena by rear naked choke at WNO 31)
- 2nd Place ADCC World Championship (+99 kg, 2024)
- 1st Place ADCC European, Middle Eastern, and African Trials (99 kg, 2022 / 2023)
- GrappleFest U100 kg Champion (2023)
- 2nd Place UFC Fight Pass Invitational absolute tournament (2022)
- Notable superfight wins over Kaynan Duarte, Victor Hugo, Roosevelt Sousa, and Felipe Pena
- FloGrappling #2 no-gi heavyweight at the time of his black belt promotion (2025)

## Colored belt highlights

- 1st Place IBJJF World No-Gi Championship - brown belt ultra-heavy and absolute (2023)
- 1st Place IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship - brown belt ultra-heavy and absolute (2023)
- 1st Place IBJJF European No-Gi Championship - brown belt ultra-heavy and absolute (2023)
- IBJJF No-Gi Grand Slam leader at brown belt (2023), with World, Pan, and European No-Gi gold in weight and open class
- 1st Place IBJJF World No-Gi Championship - brown belt super-heavy (2022); 2nd Place absolute
- Professional ADCC and WNO success while still a purple or brown belt, including two ADCC Trials titles

## Official / social links

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

## Sources

- [BJJ Heroes - Luke Griffith](https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/luke-griffith)
- [FloGrappling - Luke Griffith promoted to black belt](https://www.flograppling.com/articles/14110902-luke-griffith-promoted-to-jiu-jitsu-black-belt-by-john-danaher)
- [FloGrappling - Felipe Pena submits Luke Griffith in ADCC +99 kg final](https://www.flograppling.com/articles/12786345-felipe-pena-submits-luke-griffith-in-99kg-finals-at-adcc-2024)
- [FloGrappling - Luke Griffith athlete page](https://www.flograppling.com/people/7759045-luke-griffith)
- [IBJJF - Luke Griffith athlete results](https://ibjjf.com/athletes/luke-griffith)
- [Jits Magazine - 2023 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds double gold](https://jitsmagazine.com/luke-griffith-wins-brown-belt-double-gold-at-ibjjf-no-gi-world-championship-2023/)
- [Instagram - Luke Griffith](https://www.instagram.com/luke_griffithjj/)

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