Osamah Almarwai

Born on April 11, 1992, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Yemeni parents, Osamah Almarwai was registered as a Yemeni citizen in accordance with his parents' nationality. This dual cultural identity — shaped by life in Saudi Arabia and rooted in Yemeni heritage — would come to define his singular place in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Growing up in Jeddah, Almarwai gravitated toward martial arts during his teenage years, sampling various disciplines before the structured, technical demands of jiu-jitsu captured his full commitment. Over approximately seven years of training in Saudi Arabia, he built a steady BJJ foundation — developing the technical fluency and competitive instincts that would eventually carry him to the top of the global circuit.

Almarwai's seven years training in Saudi Arabia formed the backbone of his competitive identity. Far from the traditional strongholds of the sport, he cultivated the discipline and technical precision that would prove essential at higher levels of competition.

The defining shift in his trajectory came when he relocated to the United States and joined Atos JJ Headquarters in San Diego — one of the most accomplished academies in the world — training directly under André Galvão. One of the most decorated figures in BJJ history, Galvão provided Almarwai with elite-level coaching and a structured competitive environment that accelerated his development. In early 2022, Galvão promoted Almarwai to the rank of black belt, marking the formal culmination of a deliberate belt progression that spanned two continents.

Osamah Almarwai stands as the first black belt from the Republic of Yemen — a milestone that carries weight far beyond personal achievement. His path to that distinction was punctuated by a landmark performance at the brown belt level: in 2021, he won the IBJJF World Championship in the roosterweight division, becoming the first Yemeni citizen ever to claim an IBJJF World title.

That same year, he earned the No. 1 IBJJF Roosterweight No-Gi ranking at brown belt, captured gold at the IBJJF American Nationals in both gi and no-gi formats, and reached the final of the IBJJF Pan Championship. Taken together, these results placed Yemeni and broader Middle Eastern representation firmly on the global BJJ map — a testament to the fact that world-class jiu-jitsu can emerge from regions well outside the sport's traditional centers of excellence.

Almarwai wasted no time establishing himself among the elite after receiving his black belt in early 2022. Competing in the roosterweight — or Peso Galo — division at 57.50 kg / 127.0 lbs, one of the most technically demanding weight classes in competitive jiu-jitsu, he quickly distinguished himself as a force in the no-gi format.

2022 Season: A Landmark Year

In 2022, Almarwai claimed the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, the IBJJF Pans No-Gi Championship, and the IBJJF American Nationals No-Gi title — asserting himself as one of the premier no-gi competitors in his division on the planet. He also added the IBJJF World Master Championship gold medal to his résumé, demonstrating versatility across competition formats, and earned a podium finish at the ADCC Las Vegas Open. The breadth of that season underscored the sharpness and adaptability of his technical game.

Sustained Excellence

Almarwai carried that momentum into subsequent seasons, capturing the IBJJF American Nationals No-Gi title again in 2024 and further cementing his reputation as a consistent and dangerous competitor at the highest levels of the sport. His trajectory reflects not only elite technical development, but a competitive durability that defines the sport's best roosterweight practitioners.