Nolan Stuart

Nolan Stuart is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Dan Lukehart and a representative of the Brea Jiu-Jitsu Academy. Stuart won important titles in the kids and juvenile divisions of the sport but it was as an adult colored belt competitor that he truly broke through as one of the top athletes in the sport, earning several important medals from the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) circuit and conquering the #1 brown belt in America ranking of the federation before being promoted to the pro-level.

Nolan Stuart Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Nolan Patrick Braga Stuart

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Crolin Gracie > Alexandre de Souza > Bruno Paulista > Beneil Dariush > Dan Lukehart

Main Achievements:

• 1st place IBJJF Pan Championship (2025)
• 2nd place IBJJF World Championship (2025)
• 2nd Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2025)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st place IBJJF Pan Championship (2020 blue, 2023 brown)
• 1st place IBJJF American Nationals (2022 purple)
• 2nd place IBJJF World Championship (2023 brown)

Main Achievements (Kids/Juvenile):

• 1st place IBJJF World Championship (2018)
• 1st place IBJJF Kids International (2016)
• 1st place IBJJF American Nationals Kids (2018)

Favorite Position/Technique: De La Riva Hook Guard

Weight Division: Meio Pesado (88,30 kg / 195.0 lbs)

Team/Association: Brea Jiu-Jitsu

Nolan Stuart Biography

Nolan Stuart was born in La Mirada, California on July 14, 2002, the son of a Brazilian-American immigrant on his mother’s side and an American father. When he was 6 his parents separated and his mother relocated to Brea, California, where Nolan spent his formative years.

His mother’s family ran a farm in Minas Gerais (BRA) and when Nolan was young he would spend the summers there learning how to work the farm and connect with his heritage. This experience helped Nolan develop a strong bond with his mother’s Brazilian culture, leading him to other activities such as football (soccer), which he practiced for some years.

Stuart’s Brazilian grandfather, Plautino Braga, had been a vale tudo (no-holds-barred) fighter in his youth, which made the young American aware of cage-fighting and jiu-jitsu – a martial art associated with NHB since its inception. As such, when a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu studio opened within walking distance of his mother’s house, 10-year-old Nolan signed up and became one of the founding members of the kids class at Brea Jiu-Jitsu under Coach Dan Lukehart.

Lukehart became an instrumental part of Nolan Stuart’s upbringing, guiding him through all the kids’ and adult belts from white to black belt.

When Nolan was 11, Coach Dan started an after-school Jiu-Jitsu program that covered instruction on chess, trumpet, science, homework tutoring, video production, extra Jiu-Jitsu practice, match analysis, and practice in teaching Jiu-Jitsu, a service adhered to by Stuart which, by his admission in an interview given to BJJ Heroes on December 2023, helped further develop his skills.

Although mostly interested in guard pulling in BJJ as a kid, Nolan Stuart began wrestling during middle school at a local wrestling club as a long-term investment in his grappling career. Through this club, he met his eventual high school wrestling coaches Fergus McTaggart, Brian Schleuter, and Nick Weissinger. Additionally, he had contributions from Omar Gaitan early in his wrestling.

At 13, Nolan began participating in the adult BJJ classes and furthered his competitive success with the increased challenge that the adult class offered. Despite his growing competitive success, he was encouraged to only participate in a few tournaments per year to avoid burnout, and injury and sustain the effort for the long run. It was approximately at this age when he began strength and conditioning with Eric Arevalo.

At 18, Nolan graduated into the adult category and made his debut at IBJJF Pans and won 6 matches to earn gold. He quickly climbed the colored belt ranks, winning IBJJF Pans and taking silver at IBJJF Worlds in his brown belt year. Also, as a brown belt, Stuart kickstarted his coaching career at the Sekton Academy alongside Sean Roberts.

Nolan was promoted in June 2023 to the rank of black belt by his longtime coach, Dan Lukehart. In September 2023.