Hannah Griffith

Hannah Griffith is a South African Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete who trains at Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu under the direct instruction of John Danaher, one of the most influential coaches in modern grappling. Her development is further shaped by additional coaching from Gordon Ryan and Garry Tonon, placing her among a select group of athletes immersed in the Danaher instructional system at its source.

As a brown belt, Griffith represents an advanced stage of technical development within a training group widely regarded as the most competitive in the sport. The environment at Kingsway demands technical precision and high-level live training as the baseline of daily preparation — standards that have accelerated her growth alongside elite-level grapplers. Competing internationally under the South African flag, Griffith brings visibility to South African BJJ within a program otherwise defined largely by North American and Australian athletes.

Griffith has established herself as a consistent and accomplished performer in no-gi competition, earning titles at the highest levels of the IBJJF calendar. Her achievements include a first-place finish at the IBJJF No-Gi World Championship — the pinnacle of no-gi competition within the IBJJF — alongside three IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship titles, demonstrating sustained excellence rather than a single breakthrough performance.

These accomplishments carry particular weight given that they were achieved at brown belt level, reflecting a competitive standard that exceeds what is typical for her rank. Specific years and weight divisions for these titles are not documented in available records. Her overall record nonetheless positions her as one of the more decorated brown belts in no-gi competition to emerge from the Danaher training system.

In late December 2025, Griffith released a detailed public statement via her Instagram account (@hxnnah_jade) alleging she had been assaulted by Australian grappler Izaak Michell. The alleged assault occurred approximately one week before she was scheduled to compete at the World Championships, during a critical period of competitive preparation. Griffith credited her brother with encouraging her to speak publicly, and expressed gratitude toward her coaches at Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu for responding immediately upon learning of the allegations and for prioritizing her safety. Michell was expelled from Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu in the week before December 28, 2025.

In her statement, Griffith extended an open invitation to others who may have experienced harm to contact her confidentially for support, framing her disclosure as an act oriented toward the broader community as much as toward her own circumstances. Her words emphasized personal agency and resilience, with Griffith noting that her actions moving forward define her character and path.

The situation received coverage within the BJJ community, including discussion on the Simple Man podcast, co-hosted by Nicky Ryan alongside Nicky Rodriguez, Damian Anderson, and Ethan Crelinsten. On the podcast, Nicky Ryan stated that Michell had been removed from Kingsway after multiple women reported allegations to the police.