Marc Laimon - 5th Degree BJJ Black Belt & Nova Gym Coach

1. Marc Laimon’s Details

2. Marc Laimon’s Biography

Marc Liamon is a 5th-degree BJJ Black Belt under John Lewis. He is a well-known coach who trained big names in the MMA world. He is the owner of Cobra Kai BJJ academy. Marc also worked as an instructor at TUF (The Ultimate Fighter), a popular MMA show.

2.1. Started his BJJ Journey

Marc Laimon started his BJJ journey on 22 January 1996 with Gracie academy in Torrance, California. He was a big fan of Royce Gracie after his tremendous performance in the early UFC. He became one of the most famous and dedicated students of Royce and Rorion Gracie.  

2.2. Left Gracie Academy

In 1997, Marc showed distrust towards Gracie’s academy. According to him, he was not taught perfectly. He mentioned that his coaches were not giving technical knowledge to their students and also did not have a good portfolio. This was the reason Marc Laimon left Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

In 2006, Marc also appeared in a controversy against Gracie academy when he debated with a Gracie Academy’s Black Belt, Matt Serra in “The Ultimate Fighter”. Both exchanged harsh conversations when Marc talked about Royce Gracie.     

2.3. Joined Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club

After leaving Gracie Academy, Marc joined Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club as an instructor. In Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club, Marc got a chance to start his coaching career for the first time. Furthermore, he trained under big names of MMA and UFC Champion, Oleg Tatakrov, Bas Rutten, Marco Ruas, and Mark Kerr.   

2.4. Joined Nova Uniao’s American Team

In 1999, Marc Laimon switched to another academy and joined the most renowned powerhouse, Nova Uniao Jiu-Jitsu team. Here, Marc Liamon got a chance to train with multiple World Champions, Robson Moura and Vitor “Shaolin” Ribiero.    

2.5. Became Head Instructor at Nova Uniao

In 1999, the same year Marc joined Nova Uniao Academy, he was honored to become a head instructor at Nova Uniao Hawaii. After spending one year in Hawaii, Marc Liamon returned back to the mainland, Las Vegas, and continued his coaching career there.  

2.6. Started Teaching at JSECT

After returning to Las Vegas, Marc Laimon joined JSECT and started coaching there. He became the No-Gi specialist during his training and coaching in Las Vegas. Although he liked to wear Gi as a sign of BJJ.     

2.7. Started Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu School

During his stay in Las Vegas, Marc Liamon launched his own Jiu-Jitsu academy. In 2004, Marc Laimon put the foundation of Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu School. Cobra Kai Jiu-Jitsu school offers martial arts classes to men and women of every age. This school is producing big names in MMA and BJJ. 

2.8. Instructor at The Ultimate Fighter

Marc Liamon became head submission grappling coach in “The Ultimate Fighter” twice. The Ultimate Fighter show was a famous show which was on-aired on Spike TV. In 2004, he was selected for the first time as a grappling coach. In 2005 he was again selected as a grappling coach for season two of “The Ultimate Fighter”. 

2.9. Famous Students of Marc Laimon

Marc Liamon worked with various Black Belt champions and learned a lot of skills from them. Due to his long-term stay with big names, Marc Liamon has a significant number of fighting skills. Many big names like Sim Go and Chris Holdsworth trained under Marc.

2.10. Dedicated to Jiu-Jitsu

Marc Laimon is very passionate about Jiu-Jitsu. He wants to share his knowledge about Jiu-Jitsu with everyone who loves to learn BJJ.

“I want to work with people who enjoy jiu-jitsu, not fighters who dread coming to the gym,”

To fulfill his passion and dream, Marc Laimon stopped coaching at Cobra Kai JJ School and relocated to Wisconsin. Here he joined Nova Gym Martial Arts and Fitness and helped the team to be prominent in the world of Jiu-Jitsu.

Another reason he was shifted to Wisconsin was to attend to his father who was sick and passed away in 2020. Now Laimon wants to serve Jiu-Jitsu to his hometown locals along with Nova Gym and make them physically fit and mentally stronger.     

2.11. Joe Rogan’s Words for Marc Liamon

Joe Rogan is a highly influential podcaster, (JRE), UFC commentator and comedian. He expressed his honest views on Marc Liamon in the video.

“There is another underappreciated guy, Marc Laimon, the god damn encyclopedia of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I remember he had everything sort of written out. Like back in the day, most people just had moves in their heads but Liamon had things right I think he might have done it on his computer”.

2.12. Conflict Between Marc Liamon and Matt Serra

Everybody knows Marc Liamon’s past experience with Royce Gracie. In an interview, Marc Liamon used some disrespectful words for Royce Gracie. Marc’s words are

Matt Serra who was also a student of Renzo Gracie did not like his rude words against Royce Gracie. This whole scenario ended up in the form of a harsh conversation and a long conflict between Marc Liamon and Matt Serra.

He tried to express his respect to Royce Gracie and checked Marc for his poor behavior towards Royce. He also stated that Royce has a great impact on Jiu-Jitsu and is the reason behind Marc Liamon running his own Jiu-Jitsu academy.

Matt Serra tried to explain to Laimon that he is not expecting to be a fan of Royce, but should be respectful to a living legend of Jiu-Jitsu.     

2.13. Marc Laimon BJJ Pro Combats

Promoted to Blue Belt 

In 1996, Marc Laimon started his BJJ career in the coaching of Royce Gracie at Gracie Academy. He was promoted to Blue Belt by Royce Gracie the same year. 

Promoted to Purple Belt

In 1997, after leaving Gracie Academy, Marc joined Beverly Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club. Here Marc was promoted to Purple Belt by two big names, Marcus Viniusicius, and Joe Moreira.  

Promoted to Brown Belt

In Nova Uniao, Marc started training under John Lewis. After becoming Pan American Champion in 1999 as a Purple Belt, John Lewis promoted Marc to Brown Belt.

Promoted to Black Belt

In July 2001, Marc Laimon was promoted to Black Belt by John Lewis. He received his Black Belt after 5 and half years of BJJ training and winning multiple medals.  

Instructor of The Year

In 2005, Marc Liamon was honored to become “instructor of the year” by On the Mat. 

Inducted into the Grappling Hall of Fame

Marc Liamon has another achievement. In September 2005, he became the seventh person inducted into the Grappling Hall of Fame by Grappler Quest. 

Promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt

Marc Laimon was promoted to 5th degree Black Belt by Riagan Machado on 30 July 2022.

Rigan Machado visited Nova Gyms in Wisconsin to grant Marc Laimon the fifth strip on his Black Belt. He delivered a speech about Marc Laimon before granting him his five stripes Black Belt.

“I always follow people who are very passionate about this sport. For me, one of the guys I have been watching him growing and becoming a very good grappler was him (Marc Laimon). He was amazing and very interesting because he came up with his ideas”.

Rigan Machado also gave him the certificate of appreciation and further added:

“I do not give this to everyone. I give these to only special people for me. Who I respect. They have a generation. These are the certificates of appreciation by me for what they did for Jiu-Jitsu. This is a certification of appreciation”.   

3. Marc Laimmon’s Historic Fights

3.1. Marc Laimon Vs. Chris Brennan

Marc Laimon faced Chris Brennan in Grappler Quest 2000. Marc started the match with a pulling guard. After failing to apply full guard, Marc pushed Chris with his feet and did not let him overcome.

Chris tried again to take the top position but Marc grabbed him and turned the position ending up on top of Chris and overcoming him completely. In a few next minutes, Chris tried to escape but could not. At the end of the match, Marc submitted Chris with an Armbar.     

3.2. Marc Laimon Vs. Dean Lister

Marc Laimon faced Dean Lister in Grappler Quest 2000. Both fighters looked energetic and focused from the beginning of the match. Marc started the match with a pulling guard. But he could not grab and control Dean so he preferred to take the top position.

Marc scored two points for knee on belly. Dean tried to stand up but Marc took him down and scored two points for a takedown. 

Dean succeeded to escape after a few minutes and strangled Marc’s foot and dropped him on the floor and took the top position. Marc once again altered the situation by taking him down..   

In the next few minutes, both fighters tried their luck. At the end of the match, when Marc took the back of the Dean, the time ended. Marc Laimon won the match by points. 

3.3. Marc Laimon Vs. Jeff Monson

Marc Laimon faced Jeff Monson in Grappler Quest 2000. Both fighters started the match with great energy. Jeff Monson applied a single leg but Marc Laimon quickly countered with a guillotine. Marc crawled towards Jeff’s back and tried to grab his back.

But Jeff turned his body around. Marc countered by mounting Jeff. Jeff took a few minutes to escape and succeeded. Jeff took down Marc. Marc tried to get himself free until times up. Marc Lainmon won the match by points. 

4. Marc Laimon’s Main Achievements

4.1. Marc’s Main Achievements as Colored Belt

Year	Event	Belt	Position
1999	IBJJF Pan Championship	Purple Belt	1st
1999	Hawaii State Championship	Brown Belt	1st
2000	IBJJF Pan Championship	Brown Belt	3rd

4.2. Marc’s Main Achievements as Black Belt

Year	Event	Belt	Position
2001	ADCC USA Trials	Black Belt	1st
2001	Grapplers Quest GP	Black Belt	1st

5. Marc Laimon’s Fight History

5.1. Marc’s MMA Fight History

5.2. Marc’s BJJ Fight History

6. Top Fights Links

Photo Credit: @novagyms,@reddit& @Nova Gyms Team Services