Ian Sanders

Ian Sanders was born on June 26, 1991, in Hacienda Heights, a suburban community within Los Angeles County, California. His early relationship with physical activity was limited, and organized sports held little appeal during his childhood. His first structured martial arts experience came through tae-kwon-do, which he practiced briefly before stepping away from combat sports entirely.

At the age of 19, Sanders found his way back to the mats through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — a discipline that would come to define his athletic identity. From the outset, his development was shaped by Rodrigo Freitas, who served as his first and only instructor, guiding him through every stage of his BJJ journey from white belt to black belt.

Sanders built his entire BJJ career within the Rodrigo Freitas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy. The bond between athlete and coach extended beyond competition — it was Rodrigo Freitas who introduced Sanders to grappling instruction, a role Sanders embraced as early as his blue belt years. That early passion for teaching developed in parallel with his competitive ambitions, revealing a practitioner committed not only to his own growth but to the sport itself.

Colored Belt Highlights

Sanders assembled a decorated competitive record across the lower divisions. At blue belt, he earned 3rd place at both the IBJJF Pan Championship and the IBJJF World Championship in 2013. As a purple belt, his results sharpened — back-to-back 2nd place finishes at the 2013 IBJJF American Nationals and the 2014 IBJJF Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship gave way to gold at the 2014 IBJJF American Nationals Championship, along with a 3rd place finish at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship that same year. At brown belt, he claimed gold at the IBJJF Pans No-Gi in 2015, signaling that his no-gi game had matured into a genuine competitive weapon.

On July 2, 2016, shortly after the IBJJF World Championship, Rodrigo Freitas promoted Sanders to the rank of black belt — a milestone that marked the culmination of a decorated colored belt career and the opening of a demanding new chapter.

Sanders announced his arrival at the black belt level with a decisive victory at the IBJJF No-Gi Pan Championship in 2016. The performance was more than a breakthrough — it was confirmation that his colored belt success in the no-gi format reflected a deeply developed skill set, not circumstance. His ability to control tempo, apply positional pressure, and finish in the absence of grips translated seamlessly into the sport's highest division.

Back-to-Back Pan No-Gi Titles

Two years later, Sanders returned to claim the IBJJF No-Gi Pan title again in 2018, becoming a two-time black belt champion of the event. Competing in the Peso Pena division at 70 kg (154.5 lbs), he also added a 3rd place finish at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship that year — a result that validated his standing among the elite on the international circuit. The back-to-back Pan titles, separated by two years, reflect the kind of sustained excellence that distinguishes a top-level practitioner from a one-time performer.

His trajectory across no-gi competition — from bronze at the World No-Gi Championship as a purple belt through consecutive Pan No-Gi gold medals at black belt — cements his identity as a no-gi specialist. Sanders represents Rodrigo Freitas Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as both a competitor and instructor, embodying the academy's competitive culture across both roles and standing as one of the standout American black belts of his generation.