Since the beginning of time one man saying to another some version of, “I think I could take you” has undoubtedly resulted in hundreds of millions (or perhaps even billions) of informal fisticuffs, or more friendly wrestling matches like the one that soon ensued. John got the much smaller and weaker man into a headlock and found that he could do nothing. The man hadn’t gained enough knowledge to escape but he did gain enough to keep himself safe before John gassed out a couple of minutes later and let go. John was marveled. He had to see this for himself. He became a student at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York City and four years later he became an instructor. John grew quite addicted. Renzo used to joke that no one was at the Academy more than John and if he kept it open on Christmas, John would undoubtedly show up. John Danaher never completed his PhD at Columbia, but he would go on to become perhaps the most famous Jiu Jitsu instructor on the planet.

John takes a very cerebral approach to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is able to articulate the art in a way that perhaps no one else can. While John is incredible to listen to, he has a perhaps unmatched ability to make the complex seem simple, make the difficult become easy - and it is this skill that speeds the learning curve like no other teacher on the planet.

The one thing that John is perhaps best known for though? The leg lock.