John Danaher: The Professor Who Changed Leg Locks
John Danaher is widely considered the greatest BJJ coach in history. His systematic approach to leg locks and back control revolutionized submission grappling and produced the most dominant competitive team of the modern era.
Background and Philosophy
John Danaher was born in New Zealand and educated at Columbia University, where he earned a philosophy degree before discovering Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He began training under Renzo Gracie and quickly developed a reputation for extraordinary analytical depth. His philosophical background manifests in his approach to BJJ: he seeks to understand the principles underlying techniques rather than memorize movements.
Building the Danaher Death Squad
Danaher assembled a group of elite athletes in New York City — including Garry Tonon, Gordon Ryan, Craig Jones, and others — and applied his systematic methodology to their training. The result was the Danaher Death Squad, which dominated no-gi submission grappling for nearly a decade. DDS athletes won multiple ADCC titles and championship events using Danaher's leg lock system.
The Leg Lock Revolution
Before Danaher, leg locks were considered secondary submissions in most BJJ systems. He systematized the entire lower body attack game — creating a hierarchical framework of positions (ashi garami entanglements), entries, and finishes that could be learned progressively. His work made leg locks not just dangerous but teachable, and his influence is now felt throughout the grappling world.
Teaching and Legacy
Danaher produces exceptionally detailed instructional content that has sold millions of dollars and influenced hundreds of thousands of practitioners worldwide. His ability to explain complex mechanical principles in accessible language is unmatched in martial arts instruction. He relocated to Austin, Texas with the B-Team and continues coaching elite athletes.