When you think of Australian black belts, you often think of the likes of Craig Jones and Lachlan Giles. However, there is one man who is actually a lot more experienced than them when it comes to BJJ and martial arts in general. This man is Richard Nixon. Originally making a name for himself in the 70s and 80s, he worked in various Kung Fu movies as an actor and fight choreographer. Here, he has worked alongside the likes of Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan.
Over the years, Nixon has trained in Judo, Karate, Aikido, and Muay Thai amongst others. Overall, he’s probably best known for his Goju Ryu skills, as he’s also an 8th dan in the martial art. However, this doesn’t mean that he’s less skilled in BJJ either. In fact, Nixon is actually a 5th degree black belt in BJJ – which would make him one of (if not the) most experienced Aussie grapplers. He also teaches BJJ under his own banner.
Since entering show business, Nixon has acted in movies such as Mr. Nice Guy and Mad Max Fury Road. Interestingly, this film also starred Tom Hardy who would go on to represent BJJ on a global level.
