Zak Maxwell (Gracie Humaita)

Zak Maxwell is a top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete from the Gracie Humaita camp, graduated black belt by Regis Lebre in 2010. Maxwell became one of the hottest prospects in American BJJ after winning the Mundial (World Championship) as a brown belt in 2009, he has since changed his status from prospect to certainty by winning the 2011 Las Vegas World Pro Cup Trials only a few months after receiving his black belt defeating a seasoned veteran (Marcelo Mafra “Lapela”) on his way to the podium.

Zak Maxwell in Detail

Full Name: Zachary Maxwell

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Royler Gracie > Saulo Ribeiro > Regis Lebre > Zak Maxwell

Main Achievements:

• Las Vegas World Pro Cup Trials Winner (2011 black);
• World Champion (2009 brown);
• 4x Pan American Champion (2006 blue – junior, 2008 purple, 2009 brown, 2010 brown);
• World Silver Medallist (2007 purple, 2008 purple absolute);
• World Bronze Medallist (2006 blue, 2008 purple);
• Pan American Bronze Medallist (2007 purple)

Weight Division: Peso Pena (70kg-154lbs)

Team/Association: Gracie Humaita

Zak Maxwell Biography

Zak Mawell was born on February 8th, 1989 in Philadelphia – PA, United States of America. He started training Jiu Jitsu under his father’s influence, Steve Maxwell, who is a “Strength & Conditioning” guru specialized in Kettlebell training and a dedicated BJJ practitioner – black belt under Relson Gracie.

His first coach was in fact his father, who instigated in young Zak the will to compete from a very young age. Zak Maxell’s first competition was in a tournament held by UFC referee and BJJ black belt Mario Yamasaki. Zak was 8 years old and won first prize.

It wasn’t until Maxwell reached his early teens that he started getting more serious about his training. By the age of 16 Zak already had a major tournament medal to his credit, the Pan American Gold medal in the blue belt division. Zak continued to impress from blue belt to brown winning several important tournaments at a National and International scale. He received his black belt by the end of 2010 and almost immediately he started making his mark, getting second place in the American Nationals and later winning the Las Vegas Trials for the World Pro Cup Final (held in Abu Dabhi).

Zak Maxwell vs Ryan Hall

Zak Maxwell vs Renan Borges

Zak Mawell at Nationals (2010)

Zak Maxwell at Nationals (2010 – 2nd fight)