Taylor Pearman

Born in October 1996 in Essex, England, Taylor Pearman began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in his early teens in Colchester under Alain Pozo of ZR Team. From the outset, he displayed a competitive drive that carried him through the IBJJF and AJP gi circuits during his colored belt years, building a strong record across international tournaments. A defining early result came at the 2013 IBJJF European Championship, where Pearman claimed gold in the juvenile division — a performance that signaled the ambition shaping his development in the years ahead.

Progressing steadily through purple and brown belt, he added further titles on both the IBJJF and AJP circuits before Alain Pozo promoted him to black belt in July 2020. Around that period, Pearman shifted his competitive focus toward no-gi grappling, a transition that would sharpen his identity as a submission-hunting specialist. As part of that evolution, he began training with the Los Bandidos workgroup in London — an environment that reinforced his technical development at the highest levels of no-gi competition. He continues to represent ZR Team as his primary affiliation.

Taylor Pearman has built his reputation on a leg-lock-heavy game, with heel hooks standing as his signature finishing weapon. Competing primarily in the ADCC -88 kg division and the IBJJF Meio Pesado category (88.3 kg / 195 lbs), he approaches matches with a submission-oriented mindset forged through his training within the Los Bandidos workgroup in London.

The clearest illustration of his finishing ability came at CJI 2 in 2025, where Pearman submitted Giancarlo Bodoni with an outside heel hook — a result that underlined both his technical precision and his willingness to pursue high-percentage leg entanglements against elite opposition. His evolution from a gi-focused competitor at colored belt to a no-gi leg-lock specialist at black belt reflects a deliberate and well-executed transformation in competitive identity.

Pearman's emergence on the international no-gi circuit accelerated significantly in 2024, when he won the ADCC Europe, Middle East & Africa Trials in the 88 kg division, earning direct qualification to ADCC 2024. At the world championship, he faced Elder Cruz and fell by referee decision — a valuable reckoning against elite competition at the sport's most prestigious no-gi event.

2025 Campaign

In 2025, Pearman continued to build his profile across multiple major platforms. At Polaris 31, he defeated Michael Perez by referee decision before falling to the highly regarded Devhonte Johnson in the same fashion — a result that nonetheless demonstrated his ability to operate at that level. At CJI 2 in 2025, he produced arguably his most eye-catching performance, submitting Giancarlo Bodoni via outside heel hook before drawing with Dorian Olivarez. His inclusion at the event followed his announcement as a wildcard for the Team Misfits Americas lineup on June 26, 2025 — a selection that reflected the growing recognition of his capabilities within the no-gi community.

Across these appearances, Pearman has established himself as a consistent presence at high-level no-gi events and a legitimate threat in the ADCC -88 kg weight class.