Ryan Hall
American black belt Ryan Hall links the 50/50 position, ADCC bronze, MMA, and a teaching record of thirteen black-belt promotions.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, “Ryan Hall” (publication date not shown; accessed 8 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
The profile gives Hall's full name as Ryan Christopher Hall and says he was born in Arlington, Virginia, on 22 February 1985.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall Jiu Jitsu; Ryan Hall Biography — “Ryan Christopher Hall”; “22nd of February 1985 in Arlington, Virginia”
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes says Hall began training jiu-jitsu in 2004 at Ronin Athletics in New York with Christian Montes.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall Biography — “Ronin Athletics with Christian Montes”
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes says Hall trained with Team Lloyd Irvin, joined Brasa after leaving in 2009, and received his black belt from Felipe Costa in April 2010.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall Biography — “Lloyd Irvin”; “join Brasa”; “On April 2010”
Accessed:
Fifty/50 Martial Arts Academy, “Ryan Hall” (publication date not shown; accessed 8 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
Fifty/50's official profile describes Hall as an American-born jiu-jitsu competitor.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall — “American-born”
Accessed:
Fifty/50's official profile identifies Hall as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall — “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black belt”
Accessed:
Fifty/50's official profile identifies Hall as a third-degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall — “3rd Degree”
Accessed:
Fifty/50's official profile says Hall received his black belt under two-time world champion Felipe Costa.
Where in the source: Ryan Hall — “Black Belt under ... Felipe Costa”
Accessed:
The academy's Ryan Hall page describes him as an instructor and coach and says he teaches at Fifty/50.
Where in the source: Biography — “instructor and coach”; “At the Fifty/50 Jiu-Jitsu Academy”
Accessed:
Fifty/50 Martial Arts Academy, “Our Story” (publication date not shown; accessed 8 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
Fifty/50 says Hall founded the academy in 2008 with Seph Smith, and the academy remains based in Falls Church, Virginia.
Where in the source: Our Timeline; A Home in Falls Church (2013) — “founds Fifty/50 BJJ with Seph Smith”; “relocated to Falls Church City in December 2013”
Accessed:
The academy says Hall regularly trained with Marcelo Garcia, later spent part of each year training MMA at Tristar under Firas Zahabi, and won The Ultimate Fighter season 22 in 2015.
Where in the source: Finding Our Footing; Ryan's Move to MMA; Becoming Fifty/50 — “Marcelo Garcia”; “Firas Zahabi”; “TUF 22”
Accessed:
Fifty/50 Martial Arts Academy, “Black Belt Profiles” (publication date not shown; accessed 8 September 2026).(opens in a new tab)
Fifty/50's black-belt roster says thirteen practitioners have received Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts from Hall.
Where in the source: Fifty/50 Black Belts — “thirteen people ... awarded the Black Belt under him”
Accessed:
ADCC Federation, “ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship 2009,” 26 September 2009.(opens in a new tab)
Official ADCC results place Ryan Hall third, with the bronze medal, in the men's under-66-kilogram division at the 2009 World Championship in Barcelona and display a United States flag beside his name.
Where in the source: 2009 RESULTS — “-66kg ... Bronze ... Ryan Hall”
Accessed:
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2008” results.(opens in a new tab)
Official IBJJF results list Ryan Hall first in the Adult Purple Male Light division at the 2008 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, representing Lloyd Irvin.
Where in the source: Results — Adult / Purple / Male / Light: “1 Ryan Hall Lloyd Irvin”
Accessed:
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2008” results.(opens in a new tab)
Official IBJJF results list Ryan Hall first in the Adult Purple Male Light division at the 2008 European Jiu-Jitsu Championship, representing Lloyd Irvin.
Where in the source: Results — Adult / Purple / Male / Light: “1 Ryan Hall Lloyd Irvin”
Accessed:
International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, “World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2009” results.(opens in a new tab)
Official IBJJF results list Ryan Hall in a tied third place in the Adult Brown Male Feather division at the 2009 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, representing Brasa.
Where in the source: Results — Adult / Brown / Male / Feather: “3 ryan hall Brasa”
Accessed:
Luke Thomas, “Technique Talk: Ryan Hall and the future of the 50/50 position in mixed martial arts,” MMA Fighting, 24 November 2012.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2012 technical interview, Hall said he had used the 50/50 position for a long time but did not invent it; MMA Fighting identified him as a 2009 ADCC bronze medalist and a Felipe Costa black belt.
Where in the source: Article standfirst; Partial edited transcript — “2009 ADCC bronze medalist, Felipe Costa black belt”; “definitely didn’t invent it”
Accessed:
Competition results
| Year | Event | Result | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | ADCC 2009Source: adcombat.com-66 kgNo-giVerified | 3rd place | -66 kgNo-giVerified |