Levi Jones-Leary
Levi Jones-Leary turned an MMA introduction into a world-title career, a guard-to-back game, and a coaching role at Absolute MMA.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, “Levi Jones-Leary” (full structured profile and biography; accessed 12 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
Levi Jones-Leary was born on 13 March 1997 in Bondi, Sydney, and spent most of his childhood there, apart from a short period in the United States.
Where in the source: Biography — born
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Before jiu-jitsu, Jones-Leary competed in sprinting, especially the 100 metres, and played football. At fifteen, Links 4 Learning introduced him to mixed martial arts. The program was designed to help students at risk of leaving school by taking them outside school one day each week for different activities. He soon moved toward jiu-jitsu with Guilherme Neves at Garage Jiu-Jitsu.
Where in the source: Biography — Links 4 Learning
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Jones-Leary decided early to pursue jiu-jitsu as a career and became a children’s instructor at Garage Jiu-Jitsu while still near the beginning of his own development.
Where in the source: Biography — kids instructor
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To prepare for major IBJJF events, Jones-Leary made training trips to Rubens Charles ‘Cobrinha’ in Los Angeles. After Unity Jiu-Jitsu opened in New York in 2015, he sought out Murilo Santana and Paulo and João Miyao, financing the move through furniture-delivery work in Australia.
Where in the source: Biography — Unity move
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BJJ Heroes gives the complete lineage as Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie → Helio Gracie → Rickson Gracie → Marcelo Behring → Mario Yamasaki → Murilo Santana → Levi Jones-Leary.
Where in the source: Profile panel — Lineage
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BJJ Heroes lists the crab ride as Jones-Leary’s favourite position or technique and records multiple back-choke finishes in its match database, giving a concrete positional link between his guard game and back attacks.
Where in the source: Favorite position; submissions
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Hywel Teague, “Who Is Levi Jones-Leary, The Aussie Black Belt Who Defeated Lucas Lepri?”, FloGrappling, 20 January 2019.(opens in a new tab)
Murilo Santana promoted Jones-Leary to black belt in 2018, shortly after Jones-Leary won the IBJJF World Championship at brown belt in June.
Where in the source: Sydney native — black belt
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In January 2019, Jones-Leary won the IBJJF European black-belt lightweight final against Lucas Lepri. FloGrappling described him at the time as a 21-year-old Australian black belt training under Santana at Unity.
Where in the source: European lightweight final
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During his Unity period, Jones-Leary alternated limited stays in the United States with returns to Australia, where he taught seminars to finance further competition training.
Where in the source: Australia returns — seminars
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ADCC, “ADCC Asia & Oceania Championship 2024 (2nd Qualifier),” official results, 11 May 2024.(opens in a new tab)
ADCC’s official 2024 Asia and Oceania second-qualifier results list Jones-Leary as Australian and representing Absolute MMA.
Where in the source: Official Results — -76.9KG
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Jones-Leary won the professional male under-76.9-kilogram division at the 2024 ADCC Asia and Oceania second qualifier, ahead of Jeremy Skinner, Ethan Cannon and Sejilhan Bolatbek, and qualified for the men’s under-77-kilogram division at the 2024 World Championship.
Where in the source: Official Results — -76.9KG
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Absolute MMA, “Our Team” (current coaching-team page; accessed 12 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
Absolute MMA’s current coaching-team page includes Jones-Leary and describes his continuing work teaching, coaching and developing athletes.
Where in the source: LEVI JONES-LEARY
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Absolute MMA’s team page lists Jones-Leary’s 2019 Spyder Invitational Grand Prix and 2023 AJP Sydney Grand Slam gold medals, plus silver at the 2024 Polaris 170-pound Grand Prix and the 2024 Craig Jones Invitational.
Where in the source: LEVI JONES-LEARY — medals
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JiuJitsu.net, “Levi Jones-Leary” (complete medal list; accessed 12 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
The IBJJF-derived medal record lists Jones-Leary first in black-belt adult male light at both the 2019 European Championship and 2019 Pan Championship.
Where in the source: Medals — 2019
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At brown belt, Jones-Leary placed first in adult male light at the 2018 IBJJF European, Pan and World Championships. The same record lists his 2017 Pan title at purple-belt adult male middle.
Where in the source: Medals — 2017–2018
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Bryan Tucker, “Craig Jones Invitational Results,” MMA Fighting, updated 18 August 2024.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2024 Craig Jones Invitational under 80 kilograms, Jones-Leary submitted Roberto Jimenez by inside heel hook in round one, beat Tye Ruotolo by unanimous decision in the quarterfinal, and finished runner-up after Kade Ruotolo won the final by unanimous decision.
Where in the source: Under 80kg — final and bracket
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BJJ Heroes, “Levi Jones-Leary Ready For Spyder Invitational,” 2019.(opens in a new tab)
Before the 2019 Spyder Invitational under-76-kilogram Grand Prix, BJJ Heroes identified Jones-Leary with De la Riva guard and berimbolo play; Jones-Leary framed taking the back as his intended route in the tournament.
Where in the source: Interview — De la Riva
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