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James H. Clingerman

Black Belt

James Clingerman is the head instructor of Indiana Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy (IBJJA) in Greenwood, Indiana, and the founder of Team James Clingerman. He began Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1997 and holds a fourth-degree black belt under Master Anibal Braga, along with a brown belt in judo under the late Virgil Bowles. With more than 30 years in martial arts, his background also spans kickboxing and mixed martial arts. Early in his career Clingerman competed actively, winning the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Nationals and the America Judo Cup in 1999. Shortly afterward he survived being shot in the head in an unprovoked attack, an event that shifted his focus toward teaching. He has hundreds of matches in BJJ, judo, submission grappling and MMA, and several of the academy's coaches earned their black belts under him.