Gerard Labinski

Gerard Labinski was born on March 19, 1994, in Poland, into a household shaped by competitive grappling. His father, Przemyslaw Labinski, was a prominent figure in the Polish judo scene, and it was through him that Gerard first stepped onto the mats. Judo remained a constant presence throughout his childhood and well into his mid-teens, instilling core principles — grip fighting, balance disruption, and takedown mechanics — that would later enrich his Brazilian jiu-jitsu game in meaningful ways.

Labinski's discovery of BJJ came organically during his teenage years, sparked not by a coach or teammate but by online tutorials that captured his imagination. This self-driven introduction set the tone for his early development: proactive, resourceful, and hungry to learn. At 15, he formalized that passion by joining Warsaw's Copacabana Academy, an affiliate of Braulio Estima, marking the beginning of his structured BJJ journey.

During those formative years at Copacabana, Labinski pieced together his technical education through seminars and the guidance of more experienced practitioners, including Mieszko Maciejewski. The absence of a single dedicated instructor pushed him to seek knowledge broadly — a habit that would define his career trajectory as much as any individual mentor.

Building the Foundation Through Competition and Mentorship

Labinski's belt journey unfolded through a series of deliberate moves and meaningful mentorships. Braulio Estima oversaw all of his promotions through brown belt, providing a formative affiliation that grounded Labinski within the Estima network during his developmental years. Alongside his close training partner Filip Sadowski, Labinski traveled extensively across Europe, using competition as both a proving ground and a classroom — absorbing contrasting styles and sharpening his game against a wide range of opponents.

Training Under Robert Drysdale in Las Vegas

Seeking to elevate his game beyond what European training environments could offer, Labinski made the bold choice to relocate to Las Vegas, where he trained under Robert Drysdale at Drysdale's academy. The experience exposed him to a higher caliber of daily training and reinforced his commitment to pursuing the sport at its most demanding level. This willingness to uproot himself in service of his development became a defining theme in his story.

Black Belt Promotion Under Leandro Lo

The most pivotal transition came when Labinski moved to Brazil and joined New School Brotherhood under Leandro Lo. The move represented a clear statement of ambition — aligning himself with one of the most competitive teams in the sport. In June 2017, Leandro Lo promoted Labinski to black belt, a milestone that arrived at the culmination of a remarkable run on the colored belt circuit. That same year, Labinski had claimed gold at the IBJJF Pan Championship, the IBJJF South American Championship, and the IBJJF American Nationals at brown belt, while finishing runner-up at the IBJJF World Championship — a performance record that made his promotion feel both earned and timely.

A Standout Brown Belt Campaign

Gerard Labinski has established himself as one of the top European grapplers of his generation, a reputation built across both colored belt and black belt divisions through years of consistent international competition. His 2017 brown belt campaign stands as one of the most accomplished single-year runs by a European competitor at that level, with multiple continental and national titles underscoring a technical and competitive maturity well beyond his years.

Immediate Impact at Black Belt

The transition to black belt competition proved seamless. In 2017, Labinski claimed gold at the UAEJJF Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro, announcing himself at the highest level of the sport almost immediately after his promotion. He continued building on that foundation in subsequent years, adding IBJJF South Brazilian Championship gold and IBJJF Curitiba Summer Open gold in 2019, and earning a bronze medal at the 2020 IBJJF European Open — demonstrating sustained relevance across multiple competitive seasons.

Labinski competes in the Super Pesado division (100.5 kg / 222 lbs), representing New School Brotherhood on the global circuit. Known informally as "G," he embodies the international ambition and technical rigor that defines the New School Brotherhood brand — a Polish-born grappler who found his highest expression of the sport on Brazilian mats, under the tutelage of one of the sport's most celebrated black belts.