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Rich Byrne: Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More!

Posted by Benjamin Strusnik on

Who is Rich Byrne?

Richard "Rich" Byrne is an American black belt under Renzo Gracie and a well known coach, competitor, and the 2021 IBJJF No Gi World Masters Champion. He is unique because of his successful background in business: Byrne was a banking executive at some of the largest companies in the world, including Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank. He appeared in a 2011 New York Times piece while acting as an executive for Deutsche Bank and training Mixed Martial Arts… at 50 years old! Most impressively, Rich Byrne donates 100% of the proceeds from his BJJ Fanatics products to help fight cancer.

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Who is Rich Byrne?

Richard "Rich" Byrne is an American black belt under Renzo Gracie and a well known coach, competitor, and the 2021 IBJJF No Gi World Masters Champion. He is unique because of his successful background in business: Byrne was a banking executive at some of the largest companies in the world, including Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank. He appeared in a 2011 New York Times piece while acting as an executive for Deutsche Bank and training Mixed Martial Arts… at 50 years old! Most impressively, Rich Byrne donates 100% of the proceeds from his BJJ Fanatics products to help fight cancer.

What this article covers

Born in New York, Byrne developed a passion for sports at a young age, and began practicing martial arts in his early twenties. After exploring various styles, he discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and was immediately drawn to its technical and strategic aspects.

Effortless Jiu Jitsu By Rich Byrne is available from BJJFanatics.com!

Byrne began his BJJ training in the late 1990s, and soon became a dedicated student of the art. He trained under the tutelage of legendary BJJ instructor Renzo Gracie, who recognized Byrne's potential and helped guide his development as a martial artist. After many years of hard work and dedication, Byrne earned his black belt in BJJ, a prestigious achievement that reflects his deep understanding and mastery of the art.

Alongside his BJJ pursuits, Byrne also pursued a successful career in the financial industry. He worked at several top-tier firms, including Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, before joining Deutsche Bank, where he rose through the ranks to become a managing director and global head of equities trading. Byrne was known for his strong leadership skills and his ability to build successful teams, and he was recognized with numerous awards and accolades throughout his career.

Despite his busy professional schedule, Byrne remained committed to his passion for BJJ, and continued to train and compete at a high level. He also opened his own academy in New York City, where he could share his knowledge and experience with others. The academy quickly became a popular destination for BJJ enthusiasts, and Byrne was known for his friendly and supportive coaching style.

In addition to his achievements in martial arts and finance, Byrne has also been active in philanthropy. He has worked with organizations that support veterans and their families, and has been recognized for his efforts to give back to the community.

Rich Byrne is the co-founder and financier of Kasai Elite Grappling Championships, one of the most prestigious professional grappling events in the world. The organization features some of the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling athletes, and has gained a reputation for its high-quality events and fair competition.

Foundations Of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu By Bernardo Faria is available now from BJJFanatics.com!

Kasai Elite Grappling Championships hosts regular events, including Kasai Pro and Kasai Pro 2, which are premier tournaments featuring elite-level athletes competing for significant prizes. Kasai Super Series is another event series that showcases up-and-coming talent, providing them with an opportunity to gain exposure and build their reputations in the sport.

Rich Byrne's dedication to growing the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been instrumental in the success of Kasai Elite Grappling Championships. The organization's commitment to providing a fair and competitive environment for its athletes has helped elevate the sport to new heights. With its growing popularity and success, Kasai Elite Grappling Championships has become a significant player in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Byrne's contributions have been essential to its growth and success.

Not content to sit on the sidelines and promote, Byrne entered the 2021 World No Gi Masters Tournament and took home gold, achieving a lifelong dream of a BJJ world championship.

Rich Byrne is a remarkable individual who has achieved success in multiple arenas. His dedication, hard work, and leadership have made him a respected figure in both the corporate world and the BJJ community, and his passion for martial arts continues to inspire and motivate others to pursue their own goals and dreams.

How Old is Rich Byrne? 

Rich Byrne’s age was quoted as 50 years old by the New York Times in 2011, when he gained notoriety for his dual passions of finance and fighting. That means that he’s about 63 at the time of writing in 2023. Rich’s instructional focuses on slowing down guard play for older practitioners.

Rich Byrne Family

Not much has been published about Rich Byrne’s family. He maintains a private life, preferring to focus on the sport when interviewed.

How Much is Rich Byrne Worth?

Rich Byrne’s net worth is not public information, but it’s significant. He worked his way to the highest ranks of the American banking system before dedicating his profits to philanthropy and BJJ.

How Tall is Rich Byrne?

Rich Byrne’s height isn’t public knowledge.

ARE YOU A BJJ FANATICS INSIDER? IF NOT, YOU’RE MISSING OUT!

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  • Private Lesson (Masterclass)
  • Preview of our Upcoming Daily Deals to better plan your purchases
  • Rolling breakdowns & more.

You’ll also get At Home Drills to work on, a Preview of our Upcoming Launches More!

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How Much Does Rich Byrne Weigh? 

Rich is a coach and a promoter, as well as a former executive in the banking industry. He’s also the featherweight champ of the 2021 World Masters No Gi tournament. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the featherweight division is for competitors who weigh up to 141.5 lbs or 64 kg.

Rich Byrne Fight List

Rich Byrne’s fight list is longer than most because he helped found the Kasai promotion and they put on a lot of fights! As a competitor, however, he doesn’t have a list of fights collected.

Rich Byrne's Best Fight of All Time

Details on Rich’s amateur fights are sparse, but the 2-1 record in his early days is out there. We can’t identify his best fight, unfortunately. 

In BJJ, he won the 2021 IBJJF World Masters No Gi tournament and achieved his dream of becoming a world champion at 61 years old.

Who Did Rich Byrne Lose To?

Rich Byrne had an amateur loss on his 2-1 amateur record as it was published in 2010, but we don’t have details.

Rich Byrne Record

We’re not sure what his record stands at but he’s competed at the highest levels of BJJ as well as in amateur MMA.

Rich Byrne Injuries

Rich Byrne hasn’t discussed injuries much, but obviously prioritized staying healthy in order to climb the ranks at work and continue training in his spare time. Like most athletes, he had a regular routine of strength and conditioning.

ARE YOU A BJJ FANATICS INSIDER? IF NOT, YOU’RE MISSING OUT!

Take a deep dive on one specific skill per month with the top instructors in the BJJ Fanatics family.

With your subscription you’ll get:

  • Private Lesson (Masterclass)
  • Preview of our Upcoming Daily Deals to better plan your purchases
  • Rolling breakdowns & more.

You’ll also get At Home Drills to work on, a Preview of our Upcoming Launches More!

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Is Rich Byrne Retired?

Rich is retired from competition but not from BJJ promotion, where he still makes a huge splash as the founder and co-showrunner of the Kasai Pro grappling promotion events. He’s also given a lot of his time and money to speak publicly and to donate to cancer research. We’d again like to emphasize that 100% of the proceeds from these videos are given directly to charitable foundations.

Byrne has a single volume available from the store here at BJJ Fanatics. It’s “Effortless Jiu Jitsu”. In this instructional video series, BJJ black belt Rich Byrne shares his principles and guard play techniques that can help improve your grappling without having to rely solely on athleticism, speed, or flexibility. With a focus on making your jiu-jitsu as effortless as possible, you can still be effective against your training partners and opponents. Byrne breaks down six principles that will help you achieve this, providing insights into how even an older grappler can use X guard, as well as which positions to avoid and how to transition to deep half, waiter, and other guards. As the founder of Kasai Grappling, Byrne knows how to create unfair advantages that can help you beat even younger opposition. Learn those tricks now!

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