How Good Is Anderson Silva at Jiu Jitsu

What Belt Is Anderson Silva in Jiu Jitsu

Anderson Silva is a third degree Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt. His original black belt came from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in 2005, and he received his third degree from the same coach in January 2015 ahead of his UFC comeback fight against Nick Diaz.

His lineage runs through one of the deepest branches of BJJ history. Mitsuyo Maeda, Carlos Gracie, Carlson Gracie, Ricardo De la Riva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Anderson Silva.

Silva’s Coach and Training Home

Silva trained at Brazilian Top Team with Nogueira in the years around his move to the UFC. Nogueira is a legitimate BJJ black belt in the Carlson Gracie lineage and the same instructor who promoted him through the belts.

According to Andre Galvao, an ADCC champion and BJJ legend, Silva’s dream has been to compete in the BJJ World Championships at black belt level. That commitment to sport jiu jitsu is unusual among champion strikers.

How Silva’s Jiu Jitsu Worked in the Octagon

The defining BJJ moment of Silva’s UFC career was the triangle submission of Dan Henderson at UFC 82 in 2008. Henderson is a two time Olympic wrestler and was beating Silva up in the first round. In the second round Silva took him down, worked to a triangle from the bottom, and finished it. That fight cemented his middleweight title run.

He also submitted Travis Lutter (triangle armbar), Dan Henderson (triangle), and Chael Sonnen (triangle armbar in round five after being dominated for four and a half rounds). The second Sonnen finish, snatching a submission from near total defeat, is one of the most replayed grappling moments in UFC history.

Silva Compared to Other Middleweight BJJ Black Belts

Silva’s grappling reputation sits in a tier below pure specialists like Jacare Souza and Demian Maia, but above fighters with ceremonial black belts. His cage finishes are real and repeatable, and his triangle chain off his back remains a clinic for aspiring middleweight grapplers.

The Verdict on Anderson Silva’s Jiu Jitsu

Third degree black belt with Brazilian Top Team credentials and several signature UFC submission wins against elite opposition. Silva’s jiu jitsu was the hidden knife in a career that was marketed as pure striking.

Our rating, 8 out of 10. Elite legitimate black belt, not a sport BJJ specialist, but a UFC middleweight grappler of real historical significance.

Part of our ongoing series ranking the BJJ of every notable UFC fighter and BJJ practicing celebrity. See the full Fighter BJJ Profiles index.