Vincent Nguyen

Vincent Nguyen was born on July 1, 1988, in Pont-à-Mousson, a small town in northeastern France. His early years were defined by frequent relocation, as his father's service in the French Air Force regularly moved the family between postings. This nomadic upbringing exposed Nguyen to diverse environments from a young age and cultivated an adaptability that would later become a hallmark of his BJJ journey.

Like many French children, Nguyen gravitated toward judo — a sport with deep cultural roots in France — beginning his training at the age of six. The sport's familiarity, however, did little to sustain his focus, and he eventually traded the mats for the soccer pitch. It was not until 2008 that martial arts re-entered his life in a lasting way. His brother-in-law — who would go on to earn a black belt under Thibaut Olivier — introduced him to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and in September of that year, Nguyen stepped onto the mats for the first time at an academy near Paris under coach Hakim Ait Ouaret. That first class set in motion a journey that would carry him across three continents.

Vincent Nguyen's path through the BJJ belt system was shaped as much by geography and circumstance as by talent and dedication. After one year under Hakim Ait Ouaret, his coach relocated to another city, and responsibility for his development passed to two of Ouaret's brown belts — Kader Lakhal and William Acquiayi. Even at this formative stage, Nguyen's potential was unmistakable: as a white belt, he claimed a silver medal at the IBJJF European Open in 2010, signaling his arrival as a serious competitor.

In September 2011, professional obligations brought Nguyen to Florida, USA, where he joined American Top Team (ATT) and trained under the skilled instructor Jonatas Gurgel, widely known as Tagarela. After a year under Gurgel's guidance, he returned to France, where Kader Lakhal awarded him his purple belt — a clear acknowledgment of the progress made during his time stateside.

Just two months after returning to France, Nguyen's company relocated him again, this time to California. The timing proved fortuitous: Rafael Mendes and Guilherme Mendes had just opened their Art Of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) academy, and Nguyen trained there from its earliest days. The Mendes brothers awarded him his brown belt in June 2014, and one year later, on June 4, 2015, promoted him to black belt at the AOJ academy — the culmination of a belt journey spanning France, Florida, and California.

Nguyen's tenure at Art Of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) in California stands as the most formative chapter of his technical development. Arriving during the academy's opening period, he earned the rare opportunity to train directly under Rafael Mendes and Guilherme Mendes — two of the most technically sophisticated competitors in the sport's history and central figures within Atos — from the very beginning of the academy's existence.

The immersive environment at AOJ sharpened every dimension of Nguyen's game, and his progression during this period was both swift and deliberate. The Mendes brothers recognized his commitment and consistency, awarding him his brown belt in June 2014 and his black belt on June 4, 2015. The promotion marked Nguyen not only as a skilled practitioner but as a direct representative of the technical philosophy the Mendes brothers had built their reputations upon.

Nguyen maintained his affiliation with Atos and AOJ until 2016, when he parted ways with the team for business reasons. The chapter nonetheless left a lasting imprint on his game and his standing within the global BJJ community.

The receipt of his brown belt in June 2014 coincided with a defining personal decision: Nguyen left his corporate career behind to commit himself entirely to jiu-jitsu. Returning to France and prioritizing both his passion and his family, he partnered with Arnaud Piété to co-found ONE Jiu-Jitsu, a BJJ academy based in Lyon. The school has grown into one of the premier BJJ academies in France, contributing meaningfully to the sport's continued development in the country.

Following his departure from Atos in 2016, Nguyen operated independently before joining GF Team in April 2017. The affiliation came through an offer by Mathias Jardin, recognized as the first French black belt under Julio Cesar, and represented a natural progression in Nguyen's integration into the upper levels of international BJJ organization. Through his academy, his competition career, and his team affiliation, Nguyen stands as part of a generation of French practitioners actively elevating European BJJ on the world stage.

Vincent Nguyen competes at Peso Galo (57.5 kg / 127.0 lbs), one of the most technically demanding and fiercely contested weight divisions in submission grappling. His competitive record traces a steady upward trajectory that began well before his black belt promotion.

Early Competition Results

The first clear indication of his competitive ceiling came at the IBJJF European Open in 2010, where Nguyen reached the final as a white belt and claimed a silver medal — a result that distinguished him from peers still finding their footing in the sport. His blue belt years sustained that momentum, highlighted by a third-place finish at the IBJJF Pan American Open in 2012, demonstrating his capacity to perform on international stages.

Brown and Black Belt Achievements

The brown belt period brought significant competitive validation. In 2014, training at AOJ under the Mendes brothers, Nguyen won the IBJJF American Nationals — a title that underscored his readiness for the black belt division. His transition to black belt competition proved seamless: in 2015, he won the IBJJF London International Open, and in 2016 he captured the CFJJB French Nationals title while also reaching the final of the IBJJF Paris International Open. That same year he placed third at the IBJJF European Open — a result he replicated in both 2017 and 2018, demonstrating the kind of consistent podium presence that defines elite-level competitors.

Across blue, brown, and black belt divisions, Nguyen's competition record reflects a practitioner who has performed with discipline and effectiveness at every stage of his development.