# David Meyer

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## Overview

**Name:** David Meyer

**Date of Birth:** October 01, 1962 (age 64)


## Bio

The first American to medal at the IBJJF World Championship at black belt in 1998, David Meyer earned his rank under Rigan Machado in December 1996 after a rapid six-year climb through the Machado lineage. A veteran of Japanese ju-jutsu, Danzan Ryu, and kung fu, he closed his own school to pursue BJJ after rolling with John Will and Rigan Machado. Rather than open an academy, Meyer co-developed a BJJ curriculum video with John Will and launched the BJJ America website, later focusing on animal welfare through the Adopt A Pet charity and the Smarter Diet platform.

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**Last Updated:** September 24, 2026

**Data Source:** bjj.space (https://bjj.space/people/david-meyer)