Rich Byrne

Biography

Rich Byrne (Richard Jan Byrne) is an American businessman, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie, and the founder and CEO of KASAI Elite Grappling Championships. A prominent figure in the financial world, Byrne has successfully bridged the gap between corporate leadership and martial arts promotion, becoming a leading advocate for “Old Man Jiu-Jitsu” and longevity-focused training.

Before entering the world of grappling promotion, Byrne built a highly successful career in global finance. He is the President of Benefit Street Partners and previously served as the CEO of Deutsche Bank Securities. His background in capital markets and large-scale operations enabled him to bring a polished, high-production standard to professional submission grappling, culminating in KASAI’s iconic round-robin events featuring stars such as Kaynan Duarte and Craig Jones.

As a practitioner, Byrne is known for an analytical, efficiency-based approach tailored to older athletes. He has produced several popular instructionals through BJJ Fanatics which emphasize leverage, structured pressure passing, and a safety-first defensive framework designed to neutralize the advantages of younger, faster opponents. His technical system centers around strong closed guard mechanics, fundamental top pressure, and strategic positional control.

Byrne remains one of the most influential figures in modern grappling, demonstrating that it is possible to maintain a high-level business career while contributing meaningfully to the evolution of jiu-jitsu on and off the mats.

Personal

* Legend status is reserved for retired athletes with outstanding achievements and a lasting impact on the sport.

Rankings