Daisuke Nakamura

Born on May 7, 1979, in Japan, Daisuke Nakamura built his early athletic foundation through judo, beginning his training as part of his junior high school program and competing throughout high school. That commitment yielded a second dan black belt — a mark of genuine technical development and discipline during his formative years. After completing his studies, Nakamura stepped away from competitive judo, though his drive for physical refinement remained. In July 2005, he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a means to stay in shape, a decision that would ultimately redirect his competitive life and set him on a path toward becoming a decorated grappler and coach.

Nakamura began his BJJ journey at Grabaka Gym in Tokyo, an academy founded by Sanae Kikuta — the former king of Pancrase and one of Japan's most respected combat sports figures. His primary instructor, Yamazaki Takeshi, guided him through every stage of development from white belt through brown belt, instilling the technical rigor and competitive mindset that would define Nakamura's career.

In September 2009, Hayashi Shunsuke awarded Nakamura his black belt, completing a focused ascent through the ranks in just over four years. Hayashi Shunsuke's own story lends weight to the distinction of that promotion: a largely self-taught grappler whose exceptional technical eye earned him a black belt from the Japanese BJJ Federation under Yuki Nakai, he subsequently validated his credentials on the competition circuit with titles at the Asian Open in both his weight class and the absolute division. Nakamura's promotion through this lineage reflects the demanding, results-oriented culture that Grabaka instills in its practitioners.

Nakamura's qualities as an instructor emerged well before his black belt promotion. As a brown belt, he served as assistant instructor at the Nishi-Nakano branch of Grabaka Gym — an early signal of the trust Grabaka's leadership placed in him. Upon receiving his black belt in September 2009, he was appointed head coach at Grabaka's Akabane branch, a responsibility that reflected both his depth of technical knowledge and the confidence his mentors Yamazaki Takeshi and Hayashi Shunsuke had in his ability to lead. His coaching career carries forward the competitive and technical culture that defines Grabaka as one of Japan's premier BJJ academies.

Nakamura's competitive record tells a consistent story of excellence across divisions and career stages. Competing in the Pena weight class (70kg/154lbs), he established himself as a dominant force at brown belt by winning the JJJF All Japan Championship in both 2008 and 2009. A third-place finish at the IBJJF Asian Open in 2008 — also at brown belt — demonstrated his ability to perform on international platforms before even reaching black belt.

Black Belt Dominance and International Recognition

The transition to black belt brought no interruption in results. Around the time of his promotion in 2009, Nakamura captured the Ground Impact tournament title. He then assembled a landmark run at the JJJF All Japan Championship, claiming the black belt title in 2010, 2011, and 2012 in consecutive years — a stretch that cemented his standing as one of Japan's premier competitors in his division. His competitive career reached its broadest international stage when he won the IBJJF Masters World Championship in 2018 in the Master 2 division, a result that confirmed his sustained excellence well into the later chapters of his competitive journey.