Who qualifies for this list?
Below we have listed everyone who has been awarded their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt or received a black belt degree as a member of CAZA BJJ. We have more black belts training with us, and others have come and gone over the years, but these are the members who received a black belt promotion from a CAZA head coach at one of our grading ceremonies.
You can learn more about CAZA owner and Noosa head coach Yoshi Hasegawa, Caloundra head coach Andrew Bailey, And Caza Hinterland BJJ head coach Cheyne Douglas on our coaches page.
Black Belt Count
(excl. head coaches)
Cheyne Douglas
Promoted: 15/12/2022
1st Degree Black Belt
Michael Pedersen
Promoted: 20/08/2022
1st Degree Black Belt
Andrew Flynn
Promoted: 12/12/2020
Black Belt
Bill Sykes
Promoted: 12/06/2021
Black Belt
Brady Jansen
Promoted: 12/06/2021
Black Belt
Steven Kelly
Promoted: 12/06/2021
Black Belt
Dan Rudledge
Promoted: 18/12/2021
Black Belt
Woogie Marsh
Promoted: 18/12/2021
Black Belt
John Bennett
Promoted: 25/06/2022
Black Belt
Matthew Smith
Promoted: 28/01/2023
Black Belt
Marc Jenkins
Promoted: 28/01/2023
Black Belt
Alex Watson
Promoted: 28/01/2023
Black Belt
How Long Does It Take to Get a BJJ Black Belt?
Becoming a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt generally takes somewhere between eight and ten years. This can be expedited somewhat if someone has previous experience in say Judo or another form of grappling martial art.
Under International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) rules there are minimum terms that someone must remain at a given belt colour. They are as follows:
- White belt - no minimum.
- Blue belt - 2 years.
- Purple belt - 18 months.
- Brown belt - 1 year.
While these minimums potentially mean that someone can technically be promoted to black belt in just 4 years and six months, this is rarely the case.
At CAZA BJJ, most people who train an average of three or four times per week spend a year or two at white belt. They then spend a couple of years at each of the blue, purple and brown belts. You can see why finally reaching black belt is quite an achievement.
CAZA's Lineage
Want to see the full line of BJJ legends that form the 'ancestry' of CAZA head coach Yoshinori Hasegawa? Visit our page on the lineage of CAZA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Almost all of the current CAZA black belts began training under Yoshi Hasegawa before he opened the CAZA headquarters in Noosa back in February 2017. Some of these guys have expressed an interest in opening a CAZA gym of their own in the future which is very exciting!
More Black Belts Coming
Absolutely! We have a bunch of hard working, hungry and dedicated brown belts currently working their way towards their black belt. All signs indicate that the list above should steadily grow over the coming years.
We are patiently waiting for our first female CAZA black belt, which will be an amazing moment for both the club and the member who takes this honour. There are several candidates that we are already keeping an eye on.
To find out when we've promoted a new black belt, keep an eye on the CAZA blog where we announce all new belt promotions.
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