Dave Meyer Becomes One of the First Americans Awarded the Prestigious Coral Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

On Saturday, January 17, 2025, at a formal ceremony held at Northwest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Seattle, Dave Meyer will become one of the first Americans awarded a Coral Belt (7th Degree Black Belt) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). This rare honor places Meyer among an elite and historic group of pioneers now known as “The Gang of Eight”—the first non-Brazilian practitioners to reach this rank.

Meyer is already a member of “The Dirty Dozen,” the original group of non-Brazilians to earn black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a milestone he achieved in 1996. The Coral Belt represents more than technical mastery; it signifies decades of dedication, leadership, and contribution to the global evolution of the sport.

The Coral Belt will be forharmally awarded by Meyer’s longtime coach and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend, Rigan Machado, himself a former world champion and a member of the renowned Gracie family lineage that introduced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the United States and helped create the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

“Dave stands out for both his longevity and competitive accomplishments,” said Machado. “He still competes at the highest levels at age 63 and is universally respected throughout our sport.”

Meyer is far more than an elite athlete; he’s also a mentor and coach, having trained dozens of athletes in the sport over the course of his career. Notably, Meyer has trained with and coached numerous MMA and UFC champions, including Nick and Nate Diaz, Gil Melendez, Ricco Rodriguez and others. Along with John Will, another member of both the Dirty Dozen and the Gang of Eight, Meyer co-developed the grappling curriculum used by Chuck Norris for his international karate federation.

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to be recognized in this way,” said Meyer. “This sport has been a passion of mine since I was a young child. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to train with and learn from extraordinary coaches, teammates, and champions throughout my life.”

Meyer attributes his rare longevity in a physically demanding sport to disciplined training, his healthy diet, thoughtful recovery, and the wisdom of elite training partners and coaches.

In addition to his competitive achievements, Meyer recently launched a successful podcast, The Ageless Warrior Lab, where he shares lessons drawn from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts that apply to business, relationships, health, and purposeful living. He hopes that achieving this historic and rare Coral Belt milestone will allow him to inspire a broader audience with what is possible through consistency, humility, and lifelong practice.

Event Details

• Location: Northwest Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy, 942 N 95th St, Seattle, WA 98103
• Date & Time: Saturday, January 17, 2025, at 12:00 PM PT
• Media Availability: Dave Meyer and Rigan Machado will be available for photos and interviews until 2:30 PM PT

About the Gang of Eight
The Gang of Eight refers to the first non-Brazilian practitioners to ever receive a Coral Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The term was coined in 2025 by John Will during a discussion with Dave Meyer, intentionally echoing the historic naming of “The Dirty Dozen”—a phrase Will first coined in 1997 to describe the original group of non-Brazilians, including Meyer, who earned black belts in BJJ.

About Dave Meyer
Dave Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, eleven-time world champion, nonprofit founder, and philanthropist. He is the current world champion in his age and weight division in no-gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Beyond martial arts, Meyer co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, growing it into the world’s largest nonprofit pet adoption platform and helping save millions of animals before its acquisition by Mars Inc.

Today, Meyer is President & Co-Founder of Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, where he focuses on farm animal welfare, sustainable food systems, and public health. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers and has helped raise and deploy more than $160 million in philanthropic capital.

In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Meyer earned his black belt under Rigan Machado in 1996, becoming one of the first Americans to do so. In 1998, he became the first American to medal at the black belt level at the World Championships in Brazil. He continues to compete and win world titles decades later.

As an instructor, Meyer has taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal’s Tenshin Dojo, and co-created a globally adopted grappling curriculum with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris’s UFAF organization. He is the author of several books on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, including Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling. He also pioneered the weightlifting protocol known as “Meyer Interrupts.”

Meyer has also played a key role in post-Hurricane Katrina animal rescue efforts, co-authored books on pet care, and co-founded an orphanage in Haiti for children living with HIV—reflecting a lifetime dedicated to service, leadership, and impact both on and off the mat.

Contact Information

Rachel Stoczko

Communications

PR for Food System Innovations

Contact via E-mail