Maybe you heard about it and couldn't make it. Or maybe you're a no-gi grappler somewhere in Los Angeles trying to figure out whether Renzo Gracie LA is a room that takes no-gi seriously, or a gi school that happens to have a no-gi class on the schedule.
Either way, here's what happened when Levi Jones came to Hollywood Blvd in August 2024 to teach a no-gi seminar.
Short answer: we learned a lot, a lot of us got tapped, and the no-gi program is still working through his notes.
Short version: In August 2024, Levi Jones taught a no-gi seminar at Renzo Gracie Los Angeles covering guard passing built on posture, pressure and precision; his D'Arce choke and leg lock setups; escapes from bad positions using technique over strength; then a Q&A and open rolling with Levi. Our no-gi program, led by Professor Ilia, is folding the concepts into classes. More seminars are coming.
Who is Levi Jones?
Levi Jones is a no-gi competitor known for an inventive, fluid style and for results on the international competition circuit. He's the kind of grappler people study footage of. That's who we wanted on our mats, and in August he was here.
Why bring someone like that in? Because a good seminar isn't a highlight reel. It's a chance to have someone who's been tested at that level walk the room and fix what you're doing wrong, one grip at a time.
What did the Levi Jones no-gi seminar cover?
Three blocks of technique, then a Q&A, then rolling. Here's how it went:
- Guard passing. Levi opened with passing drills built on three things: posture, pressure and precision. He showed several ways to deal with different guards, with the emphasis on keeping control while you advance instead of rushing through and hoping.
- His signature submissions. D'Arce chokes and some unconventional leg locks. He broke down the mechanics and, more usefully, the setups: where the opening comes from and what your opponent has to give you before you commit.
- Escapes and defense. Getting out of common submissions and bad positions. The theme was staying calm and using technique instead of muscle, which, honestly, was the part most of the room needed most.
- Q&A and rolling. Questions about training philosophy, competition mindset and his own experiences. Then everyone who wanted to got to roll with him.
Why do the small details matter so much in no-gi?
Because in no-gi there's nothing to hold. No collar, no sleeve, no pant leg. Everything is skin and sweat, and grips slide the second they're slightly wrong. A pass that works in the gi by grabbing and stalling doesn't work here. You need posture that doesn't fold, pressure that stays connected and precision about where your hands and hips actually go.
That's what made the day useful. It was less about cool moves and more about why your version of a move stops working on someone good. Ever had a submission you were sure of just slide off a sweaty opponent? That's a detail problem, not a strength problem. Which is exactly why the technique-over-strength section landed the way it did.
What was it like in the room?
Loud, sweaty and focused. Levi was easy to talk to, which matters more than you'd think at a seminar. People ask better questions when they're not intimidated, and the Q&A got real because people actually asked instead of nodding along.
Then came the rolling. There's a particular feeling when a grip you've trusted for years just isn't there anymore, and you might be about to get caught in the exact choke you drilled an hour earlier. Ask anyone who rolled with him. People left with new techniques, sharper strategy and, in our experience, a healthier respect for what no-gi at a high level actually looks like.
What happens to a seminar after the seminar?
It goes into the classes. That's the whole point. Our no-gi program is led by Professor Ilia, and the concepts Levi taught (posture and pressure in the pass, setups before submissions, calm before escapes) are exactly what our members have been working into their own games in the weeks since. Expect a lot more D'Arce attempts in open rolling. Some of them will even work.
If you're trying to judge whether this is a serious no-gi room, that's the test. Not whether a big name visited once, but whether the room does something with it. This one does. And Levi isn't the first high-level competitor to teach or train here. Here's who else has been on our mats.
More seminars are coming
This one won't be the last. We'll keep bringing in people worth learning from, and we'll post the dates here and at the front desk once they're set. In the meantime, the no-gi work continues on the regular adult jiu jitsu schedule, gi and no-gi, from 7am to 9pm.
Thank you, Levi, for the time and the details. And thanks to everyone who showed up, drilled hard and then volunteered to get tapped by a guest.
Missed it? Don't miss the next one. And if you've never trained here, your first class is free with no contract. Book a free class and come see the no-gi room for yourself.
Questions people ask
Who is Levi Jones?
A no-gi grappler known for an inventive, fluid style and results on the international competition circuit. He taught a no-gi seminar at Renzo Gracie Los Angeles in August 2024 covering guard passing, D'Arce chokes, leg locks, escapes and competition mindset, then rolled with attendees.
Does Renzo Gracie Los Angeles have no-gi classes?
Yes. Adult jiu jitsu runs gi and no-gi from 7am to 9pm, and the no-gi program is led by Professor Ilia. Check the full schedule for current no-gi times; there are 53 classes a week across seven days.
Can a beginner attend a seminar like this?
In our experience, yes, as long as you've done a few classes and know how to tap. Levi broke things down in a way that made sense at every level, and nobody's going to make you roll with the guest if you'd rather watch that part.
How do I hear about the next seminar at RGLA?
Ask at the front desk, ask your coach, or check the blog. We post seminars and events once the dates are set. If you're already training here, you'll hear about it in class before it's anywhere else.
