BJJ

Dave Camarillo - Founder of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu

Dave Camarillo - Founder of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu

1. Dave Camarillo’s Details

Dave Camarillo’s Details
Name  David Camarillo
Nickname  N/A
Born  California, United States of America
Date of Birth  1977
Weight  76 kg (167 lbs)
Weight Division Peso Leve (Lightweight)
Last Weigh-in N/A
Height  N/A
Foundational Style  BJJ
Career Disclosed Earnings  N/A
College University  N/A
Rank 5th Degree Black Belt
Head Coach  Ralph Gracie
Last Fight  N/A
Favorite Technique N/A
Lineage  Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Ralph Gracie > Dave Camarillo
Team Association  Guerrilla Jiu Jitsu
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2. Dave Camarillo’s Biography

David Camarillo was born in 1977 in California, USA. He is not only a black belt in BJJ but also in judo. He received his BJJ black belt under Ralph Gracie. Later he opened his own BJJ academy named Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu. Now he is one of the best coaches who produced successful students of UFC and BJJ.

2.1. Started Martial Arts Career Under His Father

Camarillo’s father, Jim, was a famous Judoka and had his own judo club in California named Bakersfield. That’s why Camarillo started his martial arts training at a very young age, at the age of five. His father took him and his brother to his judo club and both judo training six times each week. Camarillo trained in this academy until he turned eighteen.

2.2. Visited Japan to Train Judo

Camarillo was very passionate about making a career in martial arts. Hence, he visited Fresno State to join the Fresno State Judo Club. During this time, he also got a chance to visit Japan and train judo at Tsukuba University.

2.3. An Injury Took Him to BJJ

During his training at Fresno, Camarillo sustained a knee injury that made it difficult for him to practice judo. During this time, Dave Camarillo tried jiu-jitsu because it involved ground fighting and was not as harsh on the knees as judo.

2.4. Joined Gracie’s Academy

To train in Jiu-Jitsu, Camarillo chose Ralph Gracie’s Academy. In this academy, Cesar Gracie and Ralph Gracie became his first BJJ teachers. This was the place where Camarillo met with a UFC champion and star, BJ Penn, who became his close friend and both of them still have a strong bond of friendship.

2.5. Blue Belt Promotion in a Record Time

In Gracie Academy, Camarillo realized his knack for Jiu-Jitsu. Dave Camarillo made a record and earned his blue belt in the minimum time of ten days.

2.6. Two Years of Record Achievements

Camarillo continued to surprise his coach with his abilities and achieved his brown belt in the record period of two years. When he was a purple belt, he achieved medals in various major competitions including ‘II Oscar de Jiu-Jitsu Contra a Violência’ in which he defeated Fredson Paixao with points. After four years of training under Ralph Gracie, Camarillo received his black belt.

2.7. Fifth Degree Black Belt Promotion

David Camarillo just received his fifth strip on his black belt in July 2023. He shared this news with his fans on his Instagram account in these words:

‘I was awarded my 5th degree Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu today. I’ve been training since I was 5. I thought I’d be fine, but once I walked in Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu San Jose and saw all the OG Guerrillas there I started to get emotional. I had Daniel Camarillo stripe me and I lost it. All the battles, all the ups and downs.. it resonates. These people I’ve battled for so long are the heroes in my story. I cannot be stoic when acknowledging such amazing individuals. Thank you all so much. Thank you mother, thank you father for making me do this. And thank you to my wife and son. Thank you all!!! ’

2.8. Owner of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu

In 2003, when Camarillo was newly promoted to black belt, he started coaching at an academy in San Jose named American Kickboxing Academy. His coaching style was very different from the other instructors in the academy. That’s why he named his game style, Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu. Later he opened his own academy with the name of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu and trained his students his unique fighting style. Now Dave Camarillo has become one of the top coaches and has trained various legendary fighters under his tutelage.

2.9. Dave Camarillo’s Brother

Dave Camarillo’s brother Daniel Camarillo, also known as Dan Camarillo, is also a Jiu-Jitsu and Judo black belt. He runs his own martial arts academy, the Camarillo Jiu Jitsu Bakersfield.

2.10. Dave Camarillo’s Personal Life

Dave Camarillo is happily married and has a son.

2.11. Instructional Videos

Dave Camarillo has a series of instructional videos on BJJ Fanatics. His course name is ‘The Armlock Obsession’. In this video series, Dave Camarillo has explained how to apply, control, and break an armlock in detail.

3. Famous Students in Martial Arts

Dave Camarillo is a famous martial arts coach who is serving martial arts by imparting his knowledge and producing some of the best fighters. His unique fighting style distinguished him and his students from other fighters.

3.1. Jon Fitch

Jon Fitch received his black belt in Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu under Dave Camarillo. He has an MMA record of 32-8-2. He received the Fight of the Night award twice in 2012.


43 matches 32 wins 8 losses
By knockout 6 2
By submission 6 4
By decision 20 2
Draws 2
No contests 1

3.2. Josh Koscheck

Josh Koscheck earned a black belt in Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu and was a wrestler under Dave Camarillo. His MMA record is 17-11-0. His UFC awards include:

  1. Submission of the Night (Once)
  2. Knock of the Night (Twice)
  3. Fight of the Night (Twice)
  4. 4th ranked fighter having the most bouts in the history of UFC Welterweight division

28 matches 17 wins 11 losses
By knockout 6 4
By submission 4 3
By decision 7 4

3.3. Cain Velasquez

Cain Velasquez is an American wrestler and a former MMA fighter. His winning record in MMA is 14-3-0. His list of awards in MMA is quite impressive. But his most prominent achievements are as follows:

  1. UFC Heavyweight Champion (Twice)
  2. Knockout of the Night (Twice)
  3. Performance of the Night (Once)

17 matches 14 wins 3 losses
By knockout 12 2
By submission 0 1
By decision 2 0

3.4. Mike Swick

Mike Swick is a former American MMA fighter who competed in the middleweight division. He is a purple belt in BJJ under Dave Camarillo. His MMA record is 15-6-0. He is the winner of the UFC award Knockout of the Night Honors (Twice).


21 matches 15 wins 6 losses
By knockout 8 2
By submission 3 1
By decision 4 3

3.5. Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg is an American millionaire and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of a social media website, Facebook. In 2022, Zuckerberg revealed on Joe Rogan’s podcast that he is practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.


In 2023, he appeared in a BJJ tournament, BJJ Tour Silicon Valley, on the 6th of May in California. He represented Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu and trained under Dave Camarillo. He won two medals in Gi and No-Gi fights.

4. Dave Camarillo’s Historic Fights

4.1 Dave Camarillo Vs. Edison Missio

Dave Camarillo, the founder of Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu faced Edison Missio in the final of the 2007 Dumau International Cup in the lightweight division. Both fighters started the fight with high energy. They tried to take down each other from the start. Firstly, Missio tried to take down Camarillo but could not be successful. Later Camarillo also lost one chance to overcome Missio.


After one and a half minutes, Missio succeeded in taking Camarillo down And immediately secured the top position. Camarillo tried to apply full guard but he could not. After a few seconds, he successfully applied a successful armbar and submitted Missio only three minutes into the fight.


The armbar was so strong that Edison Missio did not even get a chance to tap. On the other hand, Dave Camarillo refused to loosen his grip. Later Edison Missio demonstrated aggression but Dave Camarillo maintained composure.


Year Event Opponent W/L Method Weight Class Stage
2007 Dumau International Cup Edison Mission W Armbar Lightweight Final

5. Dave Camarillo’s Main Achievements

Year Event Belt Position
1998 Rickson Gracie Blue Belt 1st
1998 Rickson Gracie Blue Belt 1st
1998  II Oscar de Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt 1st
1999 Joe Moreira International Purple Belt 1st
1999 Copa Pacifica Purple Belt 1st

6. Dave Camarillo Top Fights Links

David Camarillo x Edson Missio

Dave Camarillo Highlights


Photo Credits: @davecamarillo

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