Nobuhiro Sawada

Nobuhiro Sawada's journey to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began with two seemingly unrelated pursuits. Growing up in Japan, his father introduced him to karate at a young age, planting an early seed of martial arts discipline. At age 11, however, Sawada's focus shifted entirely when he discovered table tennis — a sport he pursued with genuine competitive seriousness through his early teenage years.

Though away from the mats, Sawada stayed close to the fight game as a dedicated fan of mixed martial arts. He followed major Japanese promotions like PRIDE FC with enthusiasm, where he encountered the grappling-heavy brilliance of fighters such as Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Watching Nogueira dismantle opponents through submission grappling revealed the depth and strategic sophistication of BJJ, reigniting Sawada's martial arts ambitions. At 18, he walked into the academy of Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa and took his first steps on the mats at Tri-Force.

Under the mentorship of Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa, founder of Tri-Force, Sawada developed into one of Japan's most formidable grapplers. His ascent through the colored belt divisions was defined by a string of standout results on the international IBJJF circuit. As a blue belt, he reached the IBJJF World Championship final in 2012. As a purple belt in 2014, he swept three major titles in a single year — the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, the IBJJF Asian Open, and the IBJJF European Open — signaling his arrival as a serious international force. He carried that momentum into the brown belt division, claiming gold at the IBJJF Pan Championship in 2015 and continuing to place among the sport's top competitors through 2016.

The discipline required to sustain that level of performance eventually led Sawada to a defining personal decision. In April 2017, he resigned from his position at a government office to dedicate himself entirely to jiu-jitsu. Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa recognized that commitment just months later, promoting Nobuhiro Sawada to black belt in a ceremony held in June 2017 — a milestone that arrived shortly after Sawada had made the sport his sole professional pursuit.

Sawada wasted no time making his presence felt at the black belt level. In 2017, among his first major appearances as a black belt, he claimed gold at the IBJJF American Nationals Championship and earned a bronze medal at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship — an immediate signal that he belonged among the elite in the lighter weight classes.

Peak Performance and World Title

2018 marked the pinnacle of Sawada's documented black belt career. He won the UAEJJF Grand Slam Tokyo title, reinforcing his standing as Japan's top competitor on home soil, and claimed the JBJJF All Japan Championship to cement his domestic dominance. The crowning achievement of that year — and his career — came when Sawada captured the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in 2018, defeating elite international opposition to claim the sport's most coveted no-gi title and confirming his reputation as a world-class grappler.

Sawada competes in the Peso Galo division (57.5 kg / 127 lbs) and represents Tri-Force on the international circuit. His career arc — from a childhood split between karate and table tennis to a world no-gi championship — reflects both the depth of his dedication to the sport and the enduring influence of Tri-Force as a development environment for elite Japanese grapplers.