Who is the greatest American Grappler - not wrestler but someone who could compete in Abu dhabi?

Question

Which American grappler has had the greatest success in submission grappling?

Answer 1

BJ Penn won the BJJ worlds with like 3 - 5 years of BJJ.

Thats insane.

Answer 2

Purely American? Or currently in America?

Robert Drysdale probably.

Other Notables:

Jeff Monson, Dean Lister, Mark Kerr.

Tough to say really, especially if you count guys like Ron Tripp or Gene Lebell, or Karl Gotch, guys who were doing this sort of thing long before Abu Dhabi.

I mean Ron Tripp is decorated out the @ss.

But as far as the new submission wrestling, Robert Drysdale probably has the most of any American, just because he has a couple of world BJJ titles along with his Abu Dhabi championship.

But Dean Lister is right up there... Monson right behind... tough call really it is somewhat subjective.

Answer 3

bj penn was the first american to win the black belt world championship at jiu jitsu and the quickest american to go from white belt to black belt. BJ PENN RULEZ!!!!