William Wilson

William Wilson — known in competition circles as Will Wilson — was born and raised in Napili, a small coastal community on the island of Maui, Hawaii. He first stepped onto the mats at age four, beginning his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey at Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Lahaina under the foundational instruction of Sensei Christian Grandi. From those earliest sessions, Wilson developed his technical habits and competitive instincts within the Carlson Gracie system — a lineage that would serve as the throughline of his entire career.

Hawaii's BJJ community, while passionate, has historically been smaller and more geographically isolated than mainland training hubs, making Wilson's rapid development within that environment all the more remarkable. Beginning training before most children start school, he absorbed the Carlson Gracie approach during the most formative years of his athletic development — building a technical foundation that would support his ascent through every subsequent stage of competition.

Wilson's progression through the youth ranks was defined by consistent, multi-format dominance. He accumulated multiple state, regional, and national titles across both gi and no-gi competition, including appearances in the North American Grappling Association (NAGA), which broadened his experience across different rulesets and exposed him to a wide range of opponents at an early age. He eventually reached green belt status — the youth equivalent of black belt within the IBJJF's junior ranking structure — establishing himself as one of the most accomplished young competitors in his age group.

The defining moment of his youth career arrived in 2022, when Wilson — then 17 years old — completed a landmark double-gold sweep at the IBJJF World Championships, capturing both the gi and no-gi world titles on the same stage. The performance stood as one of the most complete showings by a young American competitor in recent IBJJF history. That same year, he appeared at the 2022 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, gaining early exposure to elite-level adult competition. He continued building his résumé at the 2023 Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship, further testing himself against adult-division opponents as he prepared for the transition to black belt. During his brown belt period, Wilson also competed in the Jiu-Jitsu World League (JJWL) representing Carlson Gracie South Bay, earning a season championship — adding yet another title to a color-belt career that positioned him as one of the most decorated young American grapplers of his generation.

As Wilson's ambitions turned toward adult black belt competition, he made a deliberate move from his Hawaiian roots to train full-time at Carlson Gracie South Bay in Torrance, California. There, he came under the guidance of Professor Andre Vasconcellos — known within the Carlson Gracie network by his nickname "Alemão" — who assumed the central role in shaping Wilson's development as an adult competitor.

The move to Torrance gave Wilson access to higher-level training partners, structured competition preparation, and the coaching expertise required to compete at the top of the adult lightweight division. Crucially, the transition maintained full continuity within the Carlson Gracie system — the same lineage under which he had trained since age four in Lahaina. Rather than a break from his roots, the relocation to Carlson Gracie South Bay represented a natural extension of the path he had been on since childhood, now carried forward under Vasconcellos's direction with the explicit aim of making an impact at the black belt level on the world stage.

Wilson announced his arrival at the black belt level emphatically at the 2026 IBJJF European Championship, winning gold in the male adult black belt 76kg (lightweight) division. His run through the bracket was methodical and commanding. A 2×0 victory over Ethan Major in an earlier round showcased the disciplined, controlled approach that had defined his grappling throughout the color belt ranks. In the final, he faced Lucas Maquine in a high-scoring, closely contested bout, prevailing by an 8×6 margin — a result that demonstrated both his offensive output and his capacity to perform under pressure when a match stays competitive to the end.

The gold medal marked Wilson's first major black belt championship, a milestone reached at approximately 20 years old. The performance served as a statement win for one of American lightweight BJJ's most promising young talents, validating the years of development within the Carlson Gracie system and confirming that his youth dominance translated directly to senior-level competition.

Shortly after his European Championship victory, Wilson was selected to compete in a high-profile superfight at the 2026 IBJJF No-Gi Absolute Grand Prix — a booking that reflected his rapidly growing profile within the sport. His opponent was Cole Abate of Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ), one of the most accomplished and physically imposing young competitors in American BJJ. Wilson lost by advantage in a closely contested match, a margin that spoke to both the competitiveness of the bout and the adjustments required when stepping out of the 76kg lightweight format into an absolute no-gi context against a larger, well-established opponent.

The loss did nothing to diminish the significance of the booking itself. Being selected for a Grand Prix superfight at this stage of his black belt career underscored the organizational regard in which Wilson is held, and the performance against Abate provided a clear competitive benchmark against elite opposition — one that will inform his preparation as he continues to establish himself at the top of the lightweight division.