Ronda Rousey holds a 6th-degree black belt (Rokudan) in Judo, a rank she received in March 2018 at the Arnold Sports Festival, during her induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame. This promotion to 6th Dan acknowledges her significant achievements in judo, including her Olympic bronze medal, and is a testament to her mastery in the martial art, which forms the basis of her famous grappling skills in MMA.
Because of her mother, a 7th degree black belt and 1984 World Judo Champion, Ronda took up the sport. She had a hard time socializing with other kids and found that Judo gave her confidence. She holds a 4th degree black belt in the martial art. Ronda's Judo career is a storied one.
AJJF Dan Ranks (Black Belt Ranks)
Judan – 10th Degree Black Belts. Kudan – 9th Degree Black Belts. Hachidan – 8th Degree Black Belts. Shichidan – 7th Degree Black Belts. Rokudan – 6th Degree Black Belts.
Conor McGregor was promoted to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt by his coach John Kavanagh in September 2023, after years of dedication to the sport, marking a significant milestone in his martial arts journey alongside his striking skills. The promotion, announced by McGregor himself, celebrated his nearly two decades of training with SBG Ireland (Straight Blast Gym) and fulfilling a long-standing goal, showing his commitment beyond MMA striking.
Jim Carrey is a natural-born comedian – known for his humor, his ridiculous facial expressions, and his funky personality on screen. But, he's also an extremely skilled martial arts athlete and has achieved his brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Earning a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu is no small task.
Elon Musk trains with the 6th-degree BJJ black belt, John Danaher whereas Zukerberg trains with the multiple times IBJJF World Champion, Mikey Musumeci and MIT researcher and podcastor, Lex Freidman.
Mark Zuckerberg holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, earned in July 2023 under coach Dave Camarillo after several years of dedicated training, a significant step up from his initial white belt status and a testament to his commitment to the martial art, which he's pursued seriously, competing in tournaments and training with elite grapplers.
Did you know Jason Statham—the action star known for films like The Transporter, The Expendables, and Fast & Furious—is also a dedicated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner? 🥋 Currently a purple belt, he's been training for years behind the scenes while performing his epic fight scenes on screen.
The 10th Degree is only awarded to those martial artists who have given a lifetime to the furtherance of the martial arts and have demonstrated a lifetime of significant achievement.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ): 10 years
Known for being one of the hardest black belts to achieve.
They also presented Jackie Chan with an honorary black belt, recognizing his remarkable contributions to the development of martial arts values.
Norris has received many black belts. These include a 10th degree black belt in Chun Kuk Do (founded 1990 by Chuck Norris.
Scarlett Johansson trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for her role as Black Widow, earning a White Belt from renowned instructor Rigan Machado. While she trained extensively for the role, sources indicate she holds a white belt, often noted among many celebrities who train BJJ for movies, with her training focused on the fundamentals for the character.
Black belt after a decade. 🥋 Ashton Kutcher just earned his BJJ black belt — not for the spotlight, but for years of quiet dedication, sweat, and commitment on the mats.
Joe Rogan shares his personal experience with the challenging journey to a black belt in Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu, having spent eight years as a brown belt. >>
Elon Musk is reportedly a white belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), though he's trained with BJJ black belts like Lex Fridman and legendary figures like GSP and John Danaher, who praised his strength and quick learning, but emphasized his relative inexperience compared to trained competitors like Zuckerberg. Despite the buzz around a potential fight, Musk is still early in his BJJ journey, focusing on gaining foundational skills in the martial art he's trained in and discussed since the first UFC.
He eventually earned his black belt in karate at 18, and earned the rank of 2nd-dan black belt.
While some arts hand out belts like candy on Halloween, BJJ holds its black belt behind ten to fifteen years of sweat, setbacks, and silent battles. It's not just rare—it's elite. In the United States, only about 0.001% to 0.01% of the population ever reach that level.
JOHN WICK IS A BLACK BELT IN BJJ.
Belt Progression and Commitment. As of 2024, Jonah Hill holds a white belt with multiple stripes and is steadily progressing toward his blue belt. His consistent attendance and focused training sessions reflect a genuine commitment to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
A little-known fact is that Nicolas Cage is a 'black belt' and he trains with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the Ufc champ Royce Gracie.
Steve Irwin wasn't just the Crocodile Hunter — he was a grappler at heart. He trained in BJJ because it reminded him of handling crocs: timing, leverage, and total respect for power. “You gotta know when to hold on, when to let go, and when to ride it out.” That's Jiu-Jitsu.
Michael Jackson was the most famous Matt Fiddes martial arts Black Belt? He was a Black Belt before he met Matt Fiddes.