Ari Knazan is a veteran law-enforcement officer, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, instructor, and co-founder of the Invictus Leo Collective — a movement dedicated to helping first responders become proficient in use of force matters.
Ari earned his BJJ black belt under Professor Keith Owen (RIP) in 2016 and is now a 3rd-degree BJJ black belt under Master Pedro Sauer. He also holds a 6th-degree black belt (2003) in Japanese Jiu-Jitsu under Soke Steve Hiscoe, and he has spent years teaching officers, and everyday people how to apply calm, technical skill under pressure.
Long before online instructionals were common, Ari was already teaching at scale. In 2006, he created Submissions 101, one of the earliest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu video instructional channels on YouTube, helping thousands of practitioners learn techniques at a time when BJJ content online was rare. That early commitment to sharing knowledge helped shape the digital learning culture that the sport now takes for granted.
He operates Invictus HQ, his home academy and training base, where he coaches athletes, mentors instructors, and continues refining a teaching style built on clarity, pressure-testing, and real-world application.
Academically, Ari holds a degree in philosophy — a background that deeply informs how he teaches. His approach isn’t just physical; it’s thoughtful, ethical, and principle-driven. Control yourself. Protect others. Act with intent. Train the mind as hard as the body.
Outside the academy, Ari is also the creator and host of Geek Assassin, a retro-fueled pop-culture project (and webcast) celebrating 80s films, sci-fi, board games, and storytelling. He blends creativity with discipline through his design studio Chaos (enterchaos.com), producing digital art, posters, branding, and visual media for both martial arts and geek culture communities.
Whether he’s teaching on the mat, designing late into the night, or quoting an 80s movie nobody else remembers, Ari believes a well-lived life should be equal parts warrior, teacher, and creator.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invictusleo_official/ and https://www.instagram.com/geekassassin/
YouTube: @InvictusLeo33 and @Submissions101
Website: https://invictusleo.com/
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