# Shawn Williams

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## Overview

**Name:** Shawn Williams

**Date of Birth:** April 07, 1975 (age 51)


## Bio

Shawn Williams first glimpsed jiu-jitsu through Royce Gracie’s UFC II run but was only fully converted after watching Renzo Gracie’s aggressive, well-rounded style, prompting him to move from Indiana to New York City for his first training session in September 1996. Around 1998/1999 he accidentally developed the Williams Guard—a framed variation of the high guard that relies on angles over flexibility and keeps the fighter offset to the side rather than directly underneath. He received his black belt from Renzo Gracie on April 2, 2002, alongside training partner John Danaher, and moved to Los Angeles in 2004 with Renzo’s blessing to open his own academy. Despite competing at ADCC trials, Pan Ams, and four World Championships in Brazil, he fell short of a medal.

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**Last Updated:** September 24, 2026

**Data Source:** bjj.space (https://bjj.space/people/shawn-williams)