Julian Espinosa

José Julián Espinosa Flores, commonly known as Julián Espinosa is a professional grappler from Costa Rica and a jiu-jitsu black belt under Arturo Wesson and Rolles Gracie who broke through as one of the most promising athletes in the sport back in 2022 as a brown belt when he conquered two important medals of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) league, the European No-Gi (gold) & World No-Gi (silver) Championships. Espinosa would maintain his good form in his debut year as a black belt (2023), cementing his status as an important figure on the global circuit.

Julian Espinosa Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: José Julián Espinosa Flores

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Renzo Gracie > John Danaher > Arturo Wesson > Julián Espinosa

Main Achievements:

• 1st Place IBJJF European Championship NOGI (2023 / 2025)
• 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2025)
• 1st Place IBJJF JJ CON NOGI (2023)
• 1st Place Finishers, Money In The Bank (2023)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2024 / 2025)
• 2nd Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2023)
• 2nd Place IBJJF American Nationals NOGI (2023)
• 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2023)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF European Championship NOGI (2022 brown)
• 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship NOGI (2022 brown)

Favorite Position/Technique: Lower Limb Submissions

Weight Division: Peso Pena (70,00 kg / 154.5 lbs)

Team/Association: Renzo Gracie Academy

Julian Espinosa Biography

Julian Espinosa was born on August 24, 2000, in Costa Rica, where he was raised, being the son of a Costa Rican and a Panamanian.

Espinosa played some volleyball at school as a child, but his love for sports only took over his day-to-day life once he discovered jiu-jitsu at 9. A sport that appeared in young Julian’s life through the influence of a family friend who practiced this martial art at the time.

Espinosa’s path in the sport started with Juan Barrantes’ kids’ program and, later, with Javier Valenciano. As a brown belt, Julian shifted training camps and moved to Arturo Wesson’s Renzo Gracie school in Costa Rica. Wesson graded Julian Espinosa to the black belt rank on December 16, 2022, in a promotion led by Arturo and Rolles Gracie.