Skip to content
The BJJ Story
Two training partners meeting on the mat.Drawn in cream, forest green, and muted terracotta. People and objects are symbolic illustrations.
Portrait unavailable. General BJJ illustration; not a likeness of this person.Illustration: The BJJ Story

Aaron Michael Johnson

Aaron “Tex” Johnson won three straight Pan No-Gi titles from 2016 to 2018 after earning his black belt under Philip Smith.

Biography

Aaron Michael “Tex” Johnson is a black belt who won three consecutive Pan No-Gi titles, in 2016, 2017, and 2018. BJJ Heroes traces the name “Tex” to an earlier nickname given to him by high-school football teammates in Georgia. Born on April 1, 1986, in Bedford, Ohio, Johnson began with taekwondo as a child and competed in football and wrestling in high school. The same profile follows him into kickboxing, mixed martial arts training in 2008, and then jiu-jitsu under Steve Headden and other coaches. BJJ Heroes says training partner Philip Smith awarded Johnson his black belt on April 26, 2015. Its account distinguishes that promotion from Murilo Santana’s role soon afterward: Santana confirmed the existing rank at Unity Jiu-Jitsu. The site publishes Johnson’s lineage through both Smith and Santana. On November 3, 2018, Johnson won the professional men’s +99 kg division at ADCC’s first North American Trial in Bayville, New Jersey. The official ADCC results list him with Unity Jiu-Jitsu and identify the victory as qualification for the 2019 ADCC World Championship. His record also includes double gold in Portland in 2019 while representing Unity and another double-gold performance at the 2021 Dallas No-Gi Open for Fight Sports, as listed by BJJ Metrics. BJJ Heroes says he remained with Unity in New York through 2019 before joining Fight Sports in Miami.

Sources for this profile

  • BJJ Heroes, “Aaron ‘Tex’ Johnson,” identity fields.(opens in a new tab)

    • The profile identifies him as Aaron Michael Johnson and explains that the nickname Tex developed from an earlier Texas nickname among high-school football teammates in Georgia.

      Where in the source: Aaron Johnson facts — Full Name and Nickname fields.

      Accessed:

    • The biography says Johnson was born on 1 April 1986 in Bedford, Ohio.

      Where in the source: Biography — opening paragraph.

      Accessed:

    • The biography says training partner Phil Smith awarded Johnson his black belt on 26 April 2015 and that Murilo Santana soon afterward confirmed the rank at Unity Jiu-Jitsu.

      Where in the source: Biography — paragraph beginning with Johnson's search for a team after Charlotte.

      Accessed:

    • The profile publishes two teaching lines for Johnson, one through Philip Smith and another through Murilo Santana.

      Where in the source: Aaron Johnson facts — Lineage 1 and Lineage 2.

      Accessed:

    • The biography traces Johnson from childhood taekwondo and high-school football and wrestling into kickboxing, mixed martial arts training in 2008, and then jiu-jitsu training with Steve Headden and other coaches.

      Where in the source: Biography — childhood through the early grappling and Atlanta paragraphs.

      Accessed:

    • The profile lists Johnson as Pan No-Gi champion in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and says he remained with Unity in New York through 2019 before joining Fight Sports in Miami.

      Where in the source: Main Achievements and closing biography paragraph.

      Accessed:

  • BJJ Metrics, “Aaron Michael Johnson,” competition-results table.(opens in a new tab)

    • BJJ Metrics lists Aaron Michael Johnson winning his Pan No-Gi black-belt division in 2016, 2017 and 2018, double gold at Portland in 2019 for Unity, and double gold at the 2021 Dallas No-Gi Open for Fight Sports.

      Where in the source: Competition Results — Pan No-Gi 2016–2018, Portland 2019 and Dallas No-Gi 2021 rows.

      Accessed:

  • ADCC News, “1st ADCC North-American Trial 2018,” official results, 3 November 2018.(opens in a new tab)

    • Official ADCC results show Aaron Tex Johnson of Unity Jiu-Jitsu winning the professional men's +99 kg division at the first North American Trial in Bayville, New Jersey, on 3 November 2018, which qualified him for the 2019 ADCC World Championship.

      Where in the source: Official Results — Professional Male +99 kg and `Winners that will go to the ADCC World Championship 2019`.

      Accessed:

Lineage

No teaching connections are shown on this page.

Open lineage