James Richard Boran

James Boran is the professor and founder of Boran's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Costa Mesa, California, opened in 2000, where he leads every class. A sixth-degree black belt certified by the IBJJF and USBJJF, he is one of the "Dirty Dozen," the first twelve Americans to receive a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He earned his blue and purple belts from Royce, Rorion and Rickson Gracie and his brown and black belts from Joe Moreira. Boran grew up in New York, played linebacker for Columbia University and was signed by the New York Jets in 1979. He earned a Tae Kwon Do black belt in college, moved to California in 1983 and studied Hapkido for four years before a private lesson with Rorion and Royler Gracie set him on the jiu-jitsu path. He has medaled at major IBJJF championships, holding Pan American, World Master and No-Gi World titles.