The Ageless Warrior Lab
Join BJJ coral belt, Gang of Eight and Dirty Dozen member Dave Meyer as we draw wisdom from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the martial arts and explore how it applies to your life, success in business, and your long-term health.
About Dave Meyer

Dave Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist. He is an eleven-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is the current world champion in his age/weight division in the no-gi format.
Dave co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world's largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc.
Today, Dave leads Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, working on farm animal welfare and a healthy and sustainable food system. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space.
In his athletic career, Dave has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans ("the Dirty Dozen") to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998. Dave is one of just several Americans to achieve the rank of coral belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a group now referred to as the “Gang of Eight”. He continues to compete at the world championship level, winning world championship titles in his age division.
As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal's Tenshin Dojo, and developed a globally used grappling curriculum with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris's UFAF association. He has written several books on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including "Training for Competition: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Submission Grappling".
Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored books pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy.
Dave resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, and continues to coach BJJ athletes and compete at the world championship level. He is the President & Co-Founder of Humane America Animal Foundation and Food System Innovations, of which the Ageless Warrior Lab is a project.
Competition Resume
His BJJ competition resume is unparalleled, and includes:
- 2025 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 7 Medium-Heavy Weight Class
- 2025 Gold Medal – IBJJF Sacramento International Open No Gi Black Belt Master 6 Open Weight Class
- 2025 Gold Medal – IBJJF Sacramento International Open No Gi Black Belt Master 6 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2025 Gold Medal – IBJJF Sacramento International Open Black Belt Master 7 Open Weight Class
- 2025 Gold Medal – IBJJF Sacramento International Open Black Belt Master 7 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2024 Bronze Medal – IBJJF No Gi World Championship Black Belt Master 7 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2024 Bronze Medal – IBJJF No Gi World Championship Black Belt Master 7 Open Weight Class
- 2024 Gold Medal – IBJJF Sacramento International Open, Black Belt Master 7 Heavy Weight Class
- 2024 Gold Medal – IBJJF Sacramento International Open, Black Belt Master 7 Open Weight Class
- 2024 Gold Medal – IBJJF San Jose International Open, Black Belt Master 7 Medium-Heavy Weight Class
- 2024 Silver Medal – IBJJF San Jose International Open, Black Belt Master 7 Open Weight Class
- 2023 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 7 Medium-Heavy Weight Class
- 2019 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 6 Open Weight Class
- 2019 Bronze Medal – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 6 Middle Weight Class
- 2019 Gold Medal - American Cup, Black Belt Master 3 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2019 Gold Medal - American Cup, Black Belt Master 3 Open Weight Class (unopposed)
- 2018 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 6 Medium Heavy (unopposed)
- 2018 Bronze Medal – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 6 Open Weight Class
- 2018 Gold Medal - US Open, Black Belt Master 5 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2018 Silver Medal - Jiu Jitsu World League Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 3 Middle Weight Class
- 2018 Silver Medal – American Cup, Black Belt Master 2 Open Weight Class
- 2018 Silver Medal – American Cup, Black Belt Master 2 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2017 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 5 Middle Weight Class
- 2017 Gold Medal – American Cup, Black Belt Master 5 Medium Heavy Class
- 2016 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 5 Middle Weight Class
- 2016 Gold Medal – US Open, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class (unopposed)
- 2015 Gold Medal - JiuJitsu World League, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class
- 2015 Silver Medal – American Cup, Black Belt
- 2014 Gold Medal – American Cup, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class
- 2013 Gold Medal – American Cup, Black Belt Senior 3 Middle Weight Class
- 2012 Silver Medal – IBJJF Masters and Seniors World Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class
- 2012 Gold Medal – American Cup, Black Belt Senior 3 Middle Weight Class
- 2011 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi BJJ World Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class
- 2011 Gold Medal – IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class
- 2011 Silver Medal – US Open, BJJ Black Belt Senior 3 Medium Weight Class
- 2010 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi World Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Middle Weight Class
- 2010 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi BJJ World Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Open Weight Class
- 2010 Gold Medal – US Open, Black Belt Senior 2 Open Weight Class
- 2009 Gold Medal – US Open, Black Belt
- 2009 Gold Medal – American National Championship, Black Belt Senior 3 Medium Weight Class
- 2009 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi BJJ World Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2009 Gold Medal World Champion – IBJJF No Gi BJJ World Championship, Black Belt Master 4 Open Weight Class
- 2007 Gold Medal – International Master Senior Championship, Black Belt
- 2005 Bronze Medal – IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championship, Master 3 Black Belt Open Weight Class
- 2005 Silver Medal – IBJJF Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championship, Master 3 Black Belt Medium Heavy Class
- 2004 Gold Medal – American National BJJ Championship, Black Belt
- 2004 Gold Medal – American National BJJ Championship, Black Belt Open Weight Class
- 2004 Silver Medal – American National BJJ Championship, Black Belt
- 2004 Gold Medal – IBJJF Pan Pan American Jiu Jitsu Championship, Black Belt Master 3 Medium Heavy Weight Class
- 2004 Gold Medal – California Open BJJ Championship, Black Belt
- 2001 Gold Medal – American International Championship, Black Belt
- 2000 Gold Medal – US Copa Pacifica, Black Belt
- 2000 Gold Medal – American International Championship, Black Belt
- 1998 Bronze Medal – IBJJF World Championship, Black Belt Absolute Division
- 1998 Korean Air Black Belt Challenge. Super-fight Winner
- 1997 Silver Medal – Joe Moreira 5th Annual International Championship, Black Belt
- 1996 Silver Medal – American Federation of BJJ Spring Tournament, Black Belt
Martial Arts Wisdom
Insights from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other martial arts disciplines
Personal Growth
Strategies for developing resilience, confidence, and mental toughness
Business Success
How martial arts principles apply to entrepreneurship and leadership
Health & Longevity
Maintaining physical and mental wellness throughout your life