Darson Hemmings

Darson Hemmings was born on September 22, 1989, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and relocated to London, Ontario, Canada at age three in 1991. From an early age, he demonstrated a natural affinity for martial arts, joining the Kobra Karate school at age nine. That formative experience instilled the discipline and technical curiosity that would define his athletic trajectory.

During his high school years, Hemmings broadened his training base significantly, adding wrestling and mixed martial arts to his foundation. This multi-disciplinary approach proved instrumental in shaping his grappling identity. His formal introduction to No-Gi jiu-jitsu came through coaches Sam Zakula and Misha Cirkunov at the Xtreme Couture gym in Ontario — a pivotal chapter that began his development as a submission grappler and set the stage for the competitive career to follow.

Building the Foundation

Hemmings' path through the belt ranks was defined by purposeful coaching relationships and a willingness to seek out elite training environments. After leaving Xtreme Couture, he began training under ADCC veteran Rob Dicenso, who recognized his potential and awarded him his purple belt.

The Ryan Hall Partnership

Seeking to accelerate his development, Hemmings made the decisive move to travel to the United States and train full-time with ADCC veteran Ryan Hall. The partnership proved transformative on multiple levels — Hall not only sharpened his competitive edge but also introduced him to gi jiu-jitsu, adding an entirely new dimension to his game.

The investment paid off in historic fashion. In October 2012, competing as a purple belt, Hemmings won the ADCC North American Trials, earning qualification for the 2013 ADCC World Championship in Beijing, China. The achievement made him the first athlete of Caribbean origin to compete at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship — a landmark moment for both Caribbean and Canadian grappling communities.

From Brown Belt to Black Belt

Following his ADCC campaign, Hemmings continued his development under Shawn Williams, who promoted him to brown belt. He subsequently returned to Canada and joined Toronto BJJ under head coach Jorge Britto, a move that ushered in the most decorated phase of his competitive career. On December 5, 2015, Jorge Britto awarded Hemmings his black belt — the culmination of over a decade of dedicated training across multiple countries and coaching lineages.

Dominating the Roosterweight Division

Hemmings' brown belt years at Toronto BJJ produced one of the most accomplished competitive campaigns of any Canadian grappler of his generation. Competing in the roosterweight division, he brought the technical precision and tactical composure that his diverse training background had built.

At the 2013 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, Hemmings claimed gold in the brown belt roosterweight division, announcing himself as a genuine force on the IBJJF circuit. That victory represented the first of two Pan American Championship gold medals — his two-time Pan American champion distinction reflects victories at separate Pan American Championship tournaments, underscoring his ability to perform at the highest level with consistency.

European Open Podium Finishes

His European performances reinforced that standing. At the 2014 European Open Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, Hemmings secured gold at brown belt, adding a major international title to his résumé. He returned the following year, earning silver at the 2015 European Open Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship — a result that demonstrated the consistency defining elite-level competitors. Taken together, his podium finishes at the Pan American and European Open Championships place him among the most accomplished Canadian brown belts of his era.

Darson Hemmings occupies a distinctive place in the history of submission grappling as the first athlete of Caribbean origin to compete at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. That distinction, achieved while competing as a purple belt — a rarity at a tournament where most qualifiers hold brown or black belt standing — speaks to both the breadth of his talent and the depth of his competitive drive.

Representing Canada internationally while carrying Jamaican roots, Hemmings embodies a cross-cultural sporting identity that has resonated with communities across both countries. His career arc — from Kobra Karate in London, Ontario, through training halls in the United States alongside coaches Ryan Hall and Shawn Williams, and ultimately to a black belt and multiple IBJJF titles under Jorge Britto — stands as a reference point for what Caribbean and Canadian grapplers can achieve on the world stage.

His collection of titles spanning the World No-Gi Championship, Pan American Championship, and European Open Championship affirms his standing among the most well-rounded and decorated Canadian competitors of his generation. His pioneering ADCC appearance ensures that his legacy extends well beyond the medals he has accumulated.