Pierre-Olivier Leclerc is a professional Canadian grappler and a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu under Firas Zahabi, as well as a representative of the Montreal, Quebec-based TriStar Gym. Leclerc has also worked extensively with John Danaher as well as the B-Team squad and was part of the well-known workgroup that pioneered the revival of the leg-lock game in professional grappling during the late 2010s.
Pierre-Olivier Leclerc Jiu-Jitsu
Full Name: Pierre-Olivier Leclerc
Nickname: n/a
Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Renzo Gracie > John Danaher> Firas Zahabi > Pierre-Olivier Leclerc
Main Achievement:
- 1st Place ADCC Dallas Open (2023)
- 2nd Place IBJJF European Championship NOGI (2024)
- 2nd Place ADCC Las Vegas Open (2024)
- 2nd Place KASAI Qualifier (2018)
- 3rd Place BJJ Fanatics GP (2021)
Main Achievement (Colored Belts):
- 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship NOGI (2019 purple, 2022 brown)
- 2nd Place IBJJF European Championship NOGI (2019 purple)
Favorite Position/Technique: Foot Sweeps & Heel Hooks
Weight Division: Peso Médio (82kg/181lbs)
Team/Association: TriStar Gym
Pierre-Olivier Leclerc Biography
Pierre-Olivier Leclerc was born in May 1993, in Longueuil, Québec, Canada, where he grew up.
Being in Canada, Winter sports were a part of Pierre’s upbringing, particularly Skiing and Ice Hockey, the latter of which, Leclerc competed in extensively for 10 years.
At the age of 18, Pierre-Olivier Leclerc relocated to Montreal, Longueuil’s neighboring city. While living in the largest city of the Québec province, POL gained an interest in mixed martial arts (MMA), partially influenced by Canada’s most popular cage fighter, George St-Pierre (GSP).
To help him get initiated in combat sports, Leclerc sought the gym that developed GSP, TriStar, in 2014. There, he met head coach Firas Zahabi, who became his mentor in this new endeavor.
The following year, 2015, the heel hook revolution was well underway in the sport of Jiu-Jitsu, led by American athlete Eddie Cummings and his training partners at New York’s famous Blue Basement workspace. Following the trend, coach Firas Zahabi brought Cummings and one of Eddie’s main colleagues, Gary Tonon, to help the TriStar team learn this segment of the game. The experience opened the eyes of Pierre-Olivier Leclerc and his close training partners Oliver Taza & Ethan Crelinsten to the power of this new school of grappling, which led the trio to focus on leg locks and entanglements.
Another one of Pierre’s TriStar colleagues, MMA fighter Tom Breese, was also interested in the teachings of coach John Danaher at the Blue Basement. He started making regular trips to New York and, at one point, while preparing for a cage match, Breese brought one of Danaher’s top students, Gordon Ryan, to be part of his training camp at TriStar. Ryan was a purple belt at the time, but his talent was already undeniable.
The experience of training alongside Ryan helped Leclerc and his friends develop even further in their leg-lock games. The enthusiasm led some of them to start making regular trips to New York, USA, to train at the aforementioned Blue Basement, including Pierre.
Although always a representative of TriStar throughout his career, Pierre spent extended periods with John Danaher during his purple and brown belt days. After Danaher’s workgroup split and some of John’s students formed the B-Team, Leclerc also spent much of his training with this squad in Austin, Texas.
Pierre-Olivier Leclerc was promoted to the black belt rank on January 14, 2023, by his instructor, Firas Zahabi.
REGARDING PIERRE LECLERC’S RECORD
Although BJJ Heroes traditionally accounts for adult black belt records only, as this is regarded as the professional division of the sport in the Gi, Pierre-Olivier Leclerc competed almost exclusively in No-Gi where waters are murkier, particularly in events outside of the major federations’ jurisdiction. As a purple belt, Pierre was already competing against black belts in events such as Kasai & the ADCC Trials, therefore, we also added his matches in these (and other) professional events in a time when Leclerc was still a colored belt, given the matches’ significance in his career.
Pierre Leclerc Grappling Record
-
BY POINTS
7 (20%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
1 (3%) -
BY SUBMISSION
23 (66%) -
BY DECISION
4 (11%) -
BY PENALTIES
0 (0%) - BY DQ
0 (0%)
23 SUBMISSIONS WINS
-
BY POINTS
14 (67%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
2 (10%) -
BY SUBMISSION
1 (5%) -
BY DECISION
2 (10%) -
BY PENALTIES
1 (5%) - BY DQ
0 (0%)
1 SUBMISSION LOSSES
Pierre Leclerc Fight History
ID | Opponent | W/L | Method | Competition | Weight | Stage | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15711 | Nick CalvaneseNick Calvanese | L | Points | Kasai Qualifier | 85KG | F | 2018 |
15876 | Felipe MotaFelipe Mota | L | Pts: 9x0 | Kasai Pro 2 | 84KG | RR | 2018 |
15879 | Richie MartinezRichie Martinez | D | --- | Kasai Pro 2 | 84KG | RR | 2018 |
15880 | Matheus DinizMatheus Diniz | L | Japanese necktie | Kasai Pro 2 | 84KG | RR | 2018 |
19802 | Athos Miranda | L | Points | Kasai 5 | ABS | SPF | 2019 |
23863 | John CombsJohn Combs | L | Points | 3CG Kumite III | 81KG | 4F | 2020 |
23900 | Andrew WiltseAndrew Wiltse | L | Points | Sub Spectrum | 84KG | SF | 2020 |
28062 | PJ BarchPJ Barch | L | Referee Decision | BJJ Fanatics | ABS | SF | 2021 |
28936 | William TackettWilliam Tackett | L | Pts: 5x0 | ADCC EC Trials | 77KG | 4F | 2021 |
31527 | Daniel Smith | L | Pts: 2x0 | ADCC WC Trials | 77KG | R4 | 2022 |
35043 | Z. Ghalayini | L | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC Vegas | 76KG | R2 | 2022 |
38096 | Richard Odgen | L | Pts: 4x2 | Dallas NGO | 79KG | 4F | 2023 |
38106 | Lukete SilvaLukete Silva | L | Adv | Dallas NGO | ABS | 4F | 2023 |
39385 | Martin Demers | L | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC CAN | 76KG | SF | 2023 |
39387 | Paul Grant | L | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC CAN | 76KG | 3RD | 2023 |
44423 | Mathieu Houang | L | Injury | European NoGi | 79KG | R1 | 2023 |
48363 | Harrison Woods | L | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC WC Trials | 77KG | R2 | 2024 |
52936 | Michael LieraMichael Liera | L | Pen | ADCC Vegas | 76KG | F | 2024 |
53300 | Amr Ghoneim | L | Pts: 11x0 | Toronto NGO | ABS | 4F | 2024 |
53968 | Max HansonMax Hanson | L | Referee Decision | Enigma Inv | NA | SPF | 2024 |
54161 | Fabyury KhrysthyanFabyury Khrysthyan | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | Euro NoGi | 79KG | F | 2024 |
54643 | Eduardo AvelarEduardo Avelar | L | Pts: 2x0 | NoGi Pan | 79KG | 4F | 2024 |
15707 | Jonathan Potts | W | Heel hook | Kasai Qualifier | 85KG | 4F | 2018 |
15709 | Steven Kasten | W | Pts: 7x2 | Kasai Qualifier | 85KG | SF | 2018 |
28057 | Mathias LunaMathias Luna | W | Inside heel hook | BJJ Fanatics | ABS | R1 | 2021 |
28060 | Aaron Wilson | W | Inside heel hook | BJJ Fanatics | ABS | 4F | 2021 |
28882 | Andrew Birnhak | W | Inside heel hook | ADCC EC Trials | 77KG | R1 | 2021 |
28910 | Paul Boudreaux | W | Inside heel hook | ADCC EC Trials | 77KG | R3 | 2021 |
28923 | Brett Pastore | W | Inside heel hook | ADCC EC Trials | 77KG | R4 | 2021 |
28931 | Daniel MairaDaniel Maira | W | Inside heel hook | ADCC EC Trials | 77KG | R5 | 2021 |
29384 | Dinu Bucalet | W | Referee Decision | GrappleFest | 80KG | SPF | 2021 |
31484 | Hunter Kollarik | W | Pts: 7x0 | ADCC WC Trials | 77KG | R1 | 2022 |
31501 | TJ Chavez | W | Inside heel hook | ADCC WC Trials | 77KG | R2 | 2022 |
31517 | Jeovanny Ortiz | W | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC WC Trials | 77KG | R3 | 2022 |
35042 | Victor Cortez | W | Anaconda | ADCC Vegas | 76KG | R1 | 2022 |
39376 | Zack Ghalayini | W | Outside heel hook | ADCC CAN | 76KG | R1 | 2023 |
39380 | Rory Connors | W | Pts: 11x0 | ADCC CAN | 76KG | 8F | 2023 |
39382 | Luca Martel | W | Pts: 7x0 | ADCC CAN | 76KG | 4F | 2023 |
41089 | Roman Corona | W | Referee Decision | ADCC Dallas | 75KG | R1 | 2023 |
41091 | Dylan Collins | W | Aoki lock | ADCC Dallas | 75KG | R2 | 2023 |
41094 | Troy Russell | W | Aoki lock | ADCC Dallas | 75KG | 8F | 2023 |
41097 | Derek Rayfield | W | Referee Decision | ADCC Dallas | 75KG | 4F | 2023 |
41100 | Ben Eddy | W | Pts: 2x0 | ADCC Dallas | 75KG | SF | 2023 |
41101 | Michael Sainz | W | Pts: 5x2 | ADCC Dallas | 75KG | F | 2023 |
41970 | Andrew Racine | W | Inside heel hook | Oshawa OP | 77KG | RR | 2023 |
41971 | TJ Laramie | W | Aoki lock | Oshawa OP | 77KG | RR | 2023 |
41974 | Kieran KichukKieran Kichuk | W | Straight ankle lock | Oshawa OP | 77KG | RR | 2023 |
43839 | Jeff Childs | W | Outside heel hook | ADCC ECTrials | 77KG | R1 | 2023 |
43857 | Anthony Salvatore | W | Outside heel hook | ADCC ECTrials | 77KG | R2 | 2023 |
52925 | Michael Hayden | W | Outside heel hook | ADCC Vegas | 76KG | R1 | 2024 |
52930 | Jonathan Wilson | W | Referee Decision | ADCC Vegas | 76KG | 4F | 2024 |
52935 | Francisco IturraldeFrancisco Iturralde | W | Inside heel hook | ADCC Vegas | 76KG | SF | 2024 |
54144 | D. Hondronikolas | W | Reverse triangle | Euro NoGi | 79KG | R1 | 2024 |
54153 | Mateusz Flaga | W | Aoki lock | Euro NoGi | 79KG | 8F | 2024 |
54155 | Tarik HopstockTarik Hopstock | W | Pts: 0x0, Adv | Euro NoGi | 79KG | 4F | 2024 |
54159 | Ellis Younger | W | Leaf clover | Euro NoGi | 79KG | SF | 2024 |
54638 | Caleb Isaacks | W | RNC | NoGi Pan | 79KG | 8F | 2024 |