# Roy Harris

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## Overview

**Name:** Roy Harris


## Bio

A pioneer of BJJ’s early spread outside Brazil, Roy Harris was among the first Americans to earn a black belt, receiving his from Joe Moreira in 1998 after a turbulent path through the Gracie Academy, Rickson Gracie, Nelson Monteiro, and the Machado brothers. His game was notably shaped by a year-long collaboration with Russian Sambo expert Nikolay Baturin, which sharpened his leg and footlock attacks to the point where he was allegedly asked by Rorion Gracie to stop using them during training at the Torrance academy. Harris also broke with tradition by publishing formal, curriculum-based testing criteria for each belt, a move that stood apart from the era’s reliance on sparring and competition results.
## Specialties

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**Last Updated:** June 05, 2026

**Data Source:** bjj.space (https://bjj.space/people/roy-harris)