Danilo Borovic

Danilo Borovic was born on April 23, 1992, of Serbian descent, and immigrated to the United States at the age of seven. Growing up in America with roots in Eastern Europe, Borovic channeled his competitive instincts early, taking up taekwondo and swimming during his elementary school years. These disciplines introduced him to the demands of athletic training and individual competition, building the physical and mental foundation that would later define his approach on the grappling mats.

The pivotal shift in his athletic trajectory came during his senior year of high school, when Borovic discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The leap from striking and swimming to grappling represented a complete change of discipline — yet it quickly became clear that he had found his sport. His multicultural background and early exposure to varied athletic environments cultivated a resilient, adaptable competitive mindset that would shape every stage of his development as a martial artist.

Borovic's path through the BJJ belt system was guided by a series of highly qualified mentors, each contributing meaningfully to a different phase of his growth. His first full-time coach, Mike Contrares, established the foundational grappling education that gave Borovic his early technical identity on the mat.

Scott Huston emerged as the central and most enduring figure in his development. Huston awarded Borovic both his purple belt and, years later, his black belt — serving as the primary architect of his long-term progression. Between those milestones, Rodrigo 'Comprido' Medeiros — a decorated world champion and one of the most respected instructors in the sport — awarded Borovic his brown belt. Comprido's involvement speaks to the caliber of mentorship Borovic sought out and the high-level environments in which he consistently placed himself.

On March 26, 2018, Scott Huston formally promoted Borovic to black belt, marking eight years since he first stepped onto the mats. The multi-coach path through Contrares, Huston, and Comprido reflects a deliberate, well-rounded development process — one defined by elite instruction at every stage of the colored belt ranks.

Blue and Purple Belt Highlights

Borovic's competitive record across the colored belt divisions demonstrated an early and sustained ability to perform at the sport's highest levels. At blue belt in 2013, he posted a runner-up finish at the IBJJF World Championship in the gi and claimed third place in the No-Gi Absolute at the IBJJF World Championship No-Gi — results that signaled genuine elite potential in a field full of accomplished young competitors.

His purple belt years delivered his most celebrated colored belt result. At the 2014 IBJJF World Championship No-Gi, Borovic captured gold in his weight division — a landmark achievement that placed him among the best no-gi competitors at that level globally. At the same event, he earned silver in the Absolute division, demonstrating both divisional excellence and the conditioning required to compete across weight classes. Both the gold and the silver were earned in the no-gi format, distinct from the gi World Championship. He extended his podium presence with a runner-up finish at the IBJJF World Championship in the gi in 2015, closing out another strong calendar year at purple belt.

Brown Belt and Submission Grappling Success

Also in 2015, Borovic won the Metamoris Challenger Championship, adding a submission-grappling title to a résumé already proving versatile across formats. His brown belt year in 2016 was equally productive: he swept the UAEJJF USA National Pro with gold in both the weight and absolute divisions, then added a third-place finish at the IBJJF Pan Championship. Across gi, no-gi, and submission-only competition, Borovic demonstrated the kind of podium consistency that separates dedicated competitors from truly elite ones.

As a black belt, Borovic competes out of 360 BJJ in the Meio Pesado division, representing a weight class of 88.30 kg (195.0 lbs). The transition to black belt competition did not diminish his appetite for tournament success. In 2019, he claimed gold at the IBJJF Chicago Spring Open and followed that performance with a dominant showing at the IBJJF Atlanta Spring Open, where he won both the weight division and the absolute — a double gold that reflected the same completeness he had demonstrated throughout his colored belt career.

These results reinforced a competitive identity built across many years and belt levels, defined by consistent podium appearances and an ability to perform across multiple competition formats.

Beyond his own competitive accomplishments, Borovic has built a significant professional profile as a grappling coach. His most prominent coaching relationship is with Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis, a former UFC lightweight champion. Working with a fighter of Pettis's caliber placed Borovic at the intersection of high-level BJJ and elite MMA preparation — an environment where grappling instruction must be practical, adaptable, and directly applicable to cage competition.

His role with Pettis highlights an ability to translate years of competition experience — across gi, no-gi, and submission-only formats — into fight-applicable instruction. This coaching relationship stands as a testament to the respect Borovic has earned within the broader combat sports community, extending his influence well beyond the BJJ mat.