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Chris Buron

@cburon

1.8K

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- 209/831
- Strikeforce & Bellator
- 5-1 Pro MMA
- AOJ Black Belt
- 🟤 M1 World Champ
- Diamond Striking
- Owned @santacruzfitnessboutique
Still going

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1/8/2025 - Black Belt!

There’s a saying in Jiu Jitsu “A black belt is a white belt that never quit”.

I would be lying if I said I never quit. I broke down & quit in frustration, or disappointment at every belt. I’m a white belt that kept coming back. Jiu Jitsu’s the hardest thing I’ve done, & I still have a really hard time learning modern BJJ concepts.

When I started at 16 I would take the city bus home from school, race to catch two more buses to my MMA gym & two more to go home. It took about an hour each way. I weighed about 130, & my partners were all grown men. If someone had told me it was gonna take almost 18 years to get my black belt I would have quit.

At blue I thought I was indestructible, & didn’t understand why I couldn’t just skip to the next belt. I was just spazzy. Lol.

At purple I was still trying to learn all the components of MMA + Gi BJJ simultaneously, but I knew I wanted to eventually get to black & be a coach.

At brown I began to focus on Jiu Jitsu & tried opening a gym. I realized I didn’t know the rules of BJJ, how to break grips, nor make grips. I also didn’t know how to teach in systems. The idea of becoming a black belt, gym owner, & athlete with no major tournament wins or any kind of World Championships to my name wasn’t acceptable for my own standard of self. I chose not to allow myself to sell a broken product to my students. I stopped everything, closed my gym, moved to AOJ, and focused on becoming the best competitor I could be. I firmly believe a coach should walk through the fire of competition for the sake of their students & to build relatability with aspiring athletes.

If you’ve quit on yourself or let yourself down, give it another shot. Do it for yourself, no one else will ever be more grateful, appreciative, or regretful about your effort.

I can’t express 18 years of gratitude, effort, & patience enough. Thank you all, I promise I feel for anyone that struggles with being on the mat, & I got you!
Let’s keep working forward!
@mendesbros @artofjiujitsu taken in Art of Jiu Jitsu by @cburon

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2 years ago

“For me for we.”

Why I wanted to become a World Champion:
Not because I want to be the best athlete. I’ve had many opportunities in my life to be around that person and I can objectively say I’m not that, and I won’t be.
My goal is to become an incredible coach, someone that is relatable and has been in the footstep that their students are walking, or want to walk. I’ve been consistently training everything MMA for about 17 years. This is the first time I’ve won a major “World” anything. In the past either the timing, opportunity, environment, commitment, or skill weren’t there. With regard to Jiu Jitsu, skill has always been the main reason, I still internalize techniques and concepts spectacularly slow, and get rolled up by lower belts regularly. I spent about 4 years at every belt, I was objectively under skilled at each belt. I plateaued, got frustrated, and I quit at every belt at least once. Sometimes I needed the weekend to roll by, sometimes I needed a few weeks to pass before I got back on the mat. When I got my purple belt I knew I was gonna end up with a black belt. When I got my brown I realized I didn’t want to be an unaccomplished black belt instructor/ competitor, who lacked both major tournament wins, and an understanding of Jiu Jitsu systems. I had a major problem though, I had opened my own gym and realized that when it came to Jiu Jitsu I had no clue what I was doing. I evaluated my situation and came to two conclusions: ride it out and let people pay me to B.S. them, or start over and learn how to do things right then try again. I chose the hardest option, I stopped my project, closed the gym and moved to the most innovative cutting edge gym in modern Jiu Jitsu history to start over.

I wanted to become a World Champion so I could relate to everyone that has a hard time with Jiu Jitsu and give them some golden advice: Take your time, and do things right. If you’re patient, self-driven, perseverant, dedicated, and in the correct environment even you can make your way through it. With these factors in place you’ll outlast most people, and maybe even become a “World Champion”. It will take hard work. Just believe and we can do it!
💪🏾🤎🇲🇽 taken in Art of Jiu Jitsu by @cburon

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2 years ago

congratulations to Rick & Chris on winning gold today at Master Worlds @ibjjf 2024
incredible performance

@artofjiujitsu by @cburon

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2 years ago

God blessed me with @ra140 to experience and learn from @mendesbros coaching methods.

@tainandalpra built my favorite teammates!

Thank you @coleabatejj for saving some energy for the evening classes!

@alexomendezz @andymurasaki @stevengomezjj bringing vibes and knowledge to MV!

Masters

Everybody should experience this at least 3 times.

Took a picture with @gaidama.usa Kendall for my favorite white belt. After speaking with her, I was surprised by the way Gaidama emails carry her personality really well. Reading her emails feels like interacting with her in person.

Last time I saw @marcelogarciajiujitsu I was a blue and purple visiting his gym with the intent to move to NY. Now I’m a Black Belt, a Master World Champ, a IBJJF Ref, and MG beat Cancer. 🤎

Every year I wonder if the homies are gonna be mobbing around. @cholobjj @tokerelcholo @cholomma

Special moment catching up with @bjjlink and the first female Mexican Black Belt @itzel_bazua_bjj .
🤎

When in Rome. . .

When @nomade.bjj shows up we’re all Ecuadorian!

May God Bless me with the life and health to get to the next one! taken in Art of Jiu Jitsu by @cburon

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a month ago

Post 6:00am class and Competition class.

The level of discipline required to wake up early in the morning daily and commit to something greater than yourself. It's more than just the training. Very few will understand but when you commit, everything changes.

Cheers to the early risers☀️and hopefully this inspires others to wake up early and start their day strong. It's never too late to build new productive habits

@artofjiujitsu taken in Art of Jiu Jitsu by @cburon

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2 months ago

I always try to enjoy the moment. I remember to take more pictures now, but I’m still working on following through with the posts. by @cburon

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2 months ago

Thanks for being an awesome training partner whenever I was tired or beat up from comp training and just needed to crack some joke while my battery recharged. Wishing you the best that life has to offer in your next chapter.

Every training room needs an @0101.art , a humble hard ass, focused on martial arts and raising his son, while reminding the youth to balance respect with being tough.
Inshallah we’ll catch up on the mats again at some point my brotha!
🙏🏾💎 taken in Art of Jiu Jitsu by @cburon

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2 months ago

@ibjjf American National 2026

Nogi - Black Belt / Master 1 / Middleweight Champion!
Gi - Black Belt / Master 1 / Lightweight 2nd Place!

Thank you to my teammates at @artofjiujitsu for helping me train and prepare.
🇲🇽🇺🇸 taken in Las Vegas Convention Center by @cburon

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3 months ago

We out here padding the margins and paving the way.
First time competing in nationals as a black belt!
🇲🇽🇺🇸

I’m a Nogi National Champion again, in the Gi finals I lost to one of the elites.

As a brown belt, I made up my mind that I wanted my reputation to be known across the world and find ways to always contribute in every way possible within the sport of Jiu Jitsu.

Here I am, doing a little bit each and every day to stay true to myself and the people around me.

Thank you
🙏🏾🤎🙏🏾 taken in Las Vegas Convention Center by @cburon

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3 months ago

Happy to be here by @cburon

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4 months ago

Congratulations to Professor Tainan and Professor Cole on an outstanding performance at the 2026 IBJJF World Championships.

Professor @tainandalpra wins his fourth title and Professor @coleabatejj wins the featherweight world championship.

Thank you gentlemen for setting the standard and being such great role models for the next generation. A great inspiration to us all.

@artofjiujitsu
@mendesbros taken in Art of Jiu Jitsu by @cburon

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4 months ago

JJWL The World’s 2026:
Black Belt Master 1 Middleweight Champion!

The only thing better than winning is, winning with friends!! I have a 50% finishing rate since I started competing again. It honestly feels like such a surreal and incredible blessing to be able to do this again.

To my friends that felt like they underperformed, keep your head up, be patient, keep trying, and keep doing it for you. You’ll turn that corner soon, and I’ll be right there celebrating with you when it happens.
🥇 taken in Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center by @cburon

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5 months ago