John Danaher
#173640 Most Popular
About
Mixed martial artist known as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor and coach. He has been an instructor for notable competitors like Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon and Nick Rodriguez. He is famous for developing his own system of leg-locks and lower-body attacks. He has earned more than 550,000 followers on his danaherjohn Instagram account.
Before Fame
As a child, he learned kickboxing and karate. He earned a Bachelor's Degree at the University of Auckland. He arrived in the United States in 1991 to study at Columbia University's philosophy PhD program.
Trivia
He worked as a bouncer at various Manhattan night clubs. In 2012, he appeared as himself on the Spike TV series MMA Uncensored Live. In 2015, he co-starred in the documentary Jiu Jitsu vs the World.
Family Life
His father was a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He was born with deformed patellas, leading to knee injuries.
Associated With
He appeared in the Showtime series Billions, playing the jiu-jitsu instructor of character Chuck Rhoades portrayed by Paul Giamatti.
