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James Boran

A Joe Moreira black belt, James Boran opened his Costa Mesa academy in 2000 and won two Master 4 divisions at both the 2007 Pan and 2010 American Nationals.

Biography

James Boran is among the early American black belts often grouped under the “Dirty Dozen,” a label Jits Magazine uses for the first 12 non-Brazilians to reach that rank. His training included private instruction with Rorion and Royler Gracie, as well as weekly lessons with Royce and Rickson Gracie; Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu says Royce, Rorion, and Rickson awarded his blue and purple belts. Joe Moreira awarded Boran his brown and black belts, with the academy dating his black-belt promotion to 1996. The academy also says Boran opened its Costa Mesa school in 2000, teaching adults and children. It currently presents him as a sixth-degree black belt and instructor. Competition records add two clearly documented milestones. The IBJJF lists Boran of Boran JJ first in both the Master 4 black-belt super-heavy and open-class divisions at the 2007 Pan Championship, and again in the same two divisions at the 2010 American Nationals.

Sources for this profile

  • Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, About Professor James Boran, accessed 2026-09-09.(opens in a new tab)

    • James Boran is presented by Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a sixth-degree black belt and its instructor in Costa Mesa.

      Where in the source: Instructor card: rank line immediately below Boran's name.

      Accessed:

    • Boran received his brown and black belts from Joe Moreira, with the academy dating his black-belt promotion to 1996.

      Where in the source: Main biography: sentence naming Moreira as the source of the final two belts; year in the milestone row above.

      Accessed:

    • Before training under Joe Moreira, Boran trained privately with Rorion and Royler Gracie and took weekly private lessons with Royce and Rickson Gracie; the academy says Royce, Rorion and Rickson awarded his blue and purple belts.

      Where in the source: Main biography: paragraph describing the sequence of Gracie-family private instruction.

      Accessed:

    • Boran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu says Boran opened the Costa Mesa academy in 2000 to teach adults and children.

      Where in the source: Main biography: following paragraph on founding the Costa Mesa school.

      Accessed:

  • Jits Magazine, Who Are The BJJ Dirty Dozen?, 2024-01-23.(opens in a new tab)

    • Jits Magazine reports that Joe Moreira promoted Boran to black belt in the same 1996 ceremony as Rick Lucero and Marc Baquerizo.

      Where in the source: James Boran subsection, read with the preceding Lucero and Baquerizo subsections.

      Accessed:

    • Jits Magazine includes Boran in its list of the Dirty Dozen, describing the group as the first 12 non-Brazilians to reach BJJ black belt.

      Where in the source: Article opening and James Boran subsection.

      Accessed:

  • International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2007 results.(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2007 Pan results list James Boran of Boran JJ first in the Master 4 black-belt super-heavy and open-class divisions.

      Where in the source: Master 4 / Black / Male / Super Heavy; Master 4 / Black / Male / Open Class

      Accessed:

  • International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, American National IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2010 results.(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2010 American Nationals results list James Boran of Boran JJ first in the Master 4 black-belt super-heavy and open-class divisions.

      Where in the source: Master 4 / Black / Male / Super Heavy; Master 4 / Black / Male / Open Class

      Accessed:

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