JitsCast #45 features multiple-time IBJJF no gi world champion Gianni Grippo. Not only has he won several major titles, but Grippo has had an incredible level of consistency at the highest level of the sport. Ever since he first burst on to the scene as a talented young black belt over a decade ago, Grippo has been one of the best lightweights in the world. He’s shared the mats with pretty much all of the top competitors during that period of time and even beaten most of them, having well over 300 matches and counting since he first became a black belt.
Jits Magazine spoke to Grippo about his remarkable longevity in a weight class that is generally known for having younger competitors, and he shared some of the secrets to his success. He also spoke about the development that he’s made since he first became a black belt, including the major shift in training methodology that he made recently. Grippo is probably the most high-profile grappler to advocate for ecological training methods, so he explained what motivated this switch and how he feels after doing it. Grippo also shared the areas he aims to work on in the future as he prepares for another round of ADCC Trials as well.
We then spoke about his most recent big match against Max Hanson at WNO 29, where he lost an incredibly tight decision. Grippo was critical about his own performance even though he believes he did enough to win the match, and he has the chance for revenge very soon as both he and Hanson are in the EBI 25 lineup. Grippo shared how he’s been preparing for the event recently and also broke down some of his past experiences under EBI rules. Grippo also spoke about his preferences when it comes to the team grappling formats that are currently used, not long after he did his first such event at the AIGA Champions League Final 2025.
JitsCast #45 with Gianni Grippo is now available to watch on the official Jits Magazine YouTube channel, click here to subscribe for more or check out the interview below:
