David Camarillo

Raised in California, USA, David Camarillo began his martial arts journey at age five under the rigorous guidance of his father, Jim Camarillo. A dedicated Judoka, Jim established the Bakersfield Judo Club in Southern California, where David and his brother Dan trained intensively six days a week. David continued refining his Judo skills under his father's mentorship until age 18, after which he transitioned to Fresno State Judo. Seeking deeper technical mastery, Camarillo traveled to Japan, training primarily at the prestigious Tsukuba University.

While competing in Judo at Fresno State, Camarillo sustained a knee injury that limited his ability to perform high-impact throws. This setback led him to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a martial art emphasizing groundwork and submissions, which placed less strain on his knees. Joining the academy led by Cesar Gracie and Ralph Gracie, Camarillo quickly demonstrated exceptional aptitude, earning his blue belt in just 10 days and advancing to brown belt within two years. As a purple belt, he notably captured victory at the "II Oscar de Jiu-Jitsu Contra a Violência" in Brazil in 1998, defeating Fredson Paixao on points. After four years at brown belt, Ralph Gracie promoted Camarillo to black belt.

David Camarillo founded Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu, an innovative grappling system that seamlessly integrates Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo techniques. His distinctive approach emphasizes dynamic grappling, adaptability, and practical effectiveness in real-world scenarios. Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu's tactical versatility has made it highly sought-after among mixed martial arts fighters, military personnel, and special operations units.

In September 2003, Camarillo assumed leadership of the grappling program at the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, California, succeeding Ken Shamrock. His analytical and innovative coaching style revitalized AKA's grappling curriculum, significantly elevating the performance of its fighters. Under his tactical guidance, elite MMA athletes such as Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck, and Mike Swick flourished. Camarillo also served as grappling coach for Team Koscheck on the reality TV series "The Ultimate Fighter Season 12" in 2010.

David Camarillo serves as the personal Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Credited with rapidly advancing Zuckerberg's grappling proficiency, Camarillo guided him to a blue belt promotion in July 2023. Zuckerberg publicly praised Camarillo, acknowledging his invaluable lessons in both martial arts and life.

Expanding his influence beyond martial arts, Camarillo transitioned into Hollywood as part of the core stunt team for the film "John Wick: Chapter 4." He dedicated 14 months to the project, relocating to Los Angeles post-pandemic to fully commit to the film's demanding schedule. Camarillo served as a primary fight trainer for actor Keanu Reeves and personally performed numerous fight sequences. Reflecting on the experience, Camarillo described it as "the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."

Beyond his academy, Camarillo provides specialized grappling instruction to U.S. special operations forces. By integrating Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu principles into military combatives training, he significantly enhances combat readiness and operational effectiveness. His tactical contributions have been widely recognized for improving the preparedness and capabilities of military personnel in real-world engagements.