Arya Esfandmaz

Arya Esfandmaz's journey to becoming a professional grappler and academy founder began long before he set foot on a BJJ mat — it was shaped by his father's own athletic legacy. Born in the United Kingdom and raised by a father who had competed as a wrestler in Iran before emigrating to Europe, Esfandmaz grew up in a household that treated combat sports as a vehicle for building character and resilience. When the time came to enroll his son in a martial discipline, the elder Esfandmaz found wrestling clubs scarce in London and turned to the next best option.

At just four years old, Arya was enrolled at the Budokwai — widely regarded as one of England's most prestigious judo institutions and recognized as the oldest Japanese martial arts club in Europe. That early immersion in such a storied environment left a permanent mark on his grappling identity. By age 20, he had earned his black belt in judo, a testament to both his commitment and the quality of his foundational training. The discipline's emphasis on takedowns, positional control, and physical conditioning would prove to be a durable asset throughout every subsequent chapter of his martial arts career.

Esfandmaz's martial arts development took a pivotal turn when he relocated to South Korea. Living there opened the door to taekwondo, adding striking to a grappling-heavy base already defined by years of competitive judo. South Korea also served as his gateway into mixed martial arts — the discipline that ultimately catalyzed his commitment to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Training MMA in Korea, Esfandmaz sparred regularly with Japanese grapplers whose mastery of groundwork and submission grappling made a lasting impression. Witnessing how a dedicated ground game could dominate in an MMA context, he became motivated to pursue structured BJJ instruction. Upon returning to London at 18, he acted on that motivation without delay, beginning his jiu-jitsu training under Luiz Tosta. The influence of his time in Asia never fully left his competitive life — Esfandmaz went on to earn a bronze medal at the IBJJF Asian Open in 2017, reach the podium at the IBJJF Tokyo Open in 2018, and compete at the UAEJJF Grand Slam Tokyo across multiple years.

Following his initial training under Luiz Tosta, Esfandmaz moved to Gracie Barra London Bridge, where he spent several formative years sharpening his game under competitive pressure. His progression through the ranks was steady and battle-tested. He later transitioned to the Gracie Barra Fulham affiliate, coming under the guidance of Lúcio Rodrigues — widely known as Lagarto — who had cultivated a close professional relationship with Roger Gracie through their shared work in London. That coaching connection placed Esfandmaz within one of the sport's most celebrated lineages.

His peak at brown belt arrived in 2015: he won the UAEJJF Grand Slam Tokyo and the IBJJF London Fall Open, then reached the final of the UAEJJF World Pro Championship — performances that signaled his readiness for the sport's highest rank. Lagarto formally promoted Esfandmaz to black belt in late 2015, recognizing both his technical development and competitive record. The promotion made him a dual black belt, holding the rank in both judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — a combination that reflects the full breadth of his grappling education. His association with Gracie Barra concluded in 2017, when he chose to pursue a new direction in his training.

Following his departure from Gracie Barra in 2017, Esfandmaz joined the academy of Roger Gracie in London. Training under one of the most decorated competitors in BJJ history gave him a refined perspective on the art and allowed him to continue developing his black belt game. During this period, he also took on coaching responsibilities at various gyms, steadily accumulating the experience and vision required to lead his own school.

In 2019, with the full approval and blessing of Roger Gracie, Esfandmaz founded Pure Jiu-Jitsu Academy in West London. The academy represents the natural culmination of a career that spanned multiple countries, two distinct grappling arts at the black belt level, and a lineage running through both Gracie Barra and the Roger Gracie tradition. It stands as the institutional expression of everything Esfandmaz absorbed across decades of training and competition on multiple continents.

Esfandmaz built his competitive reputation across two distinct circuits — the European IBJJF league and the Asian UAEJJF calendar — competing in the super-heavyweight division at 100.5 kg (222 lbs) in both gi and no-gi formats. His brown belt results laid the foundation, with a runner-up finish at the UAEJJF World Pro Championship in 2015 demonstrating the ability to perform at the sport's highest levels before even receiving his black belt.

After his promotion in late 2015, Esfandmaz carried that momentum into the European circuit, claiming gold at the 2016 IBJJF European Open No-Gi. His most productive year on the European stage followed in 2017, when he won both the 2017 IBJJF British Nationals and the 2017 IBJJF Copenhagen Open while also placing third at the IBJJF Asian Open. In 2018, he reinforced his standing as a consistent podium presence across both hemispheres — reaching the final of the 2018 IBJJF European Open and the UAEJJF Grand Slam Tokyo, while earning bronze at the IBJJF Tokyo Open. In 2019, an additional podium finish at the IBJJF European Open closed out a competition record defined by sustained excellence across two of the sport's most demanding international circuits.