Keenan Kai-James Cornelius
Instructor and ranked competitor representing Legion American Jiu Jitsu San Diego - HQ.
Associations
No major titles recorded yet for this athlete.
Keenan Cornelius founded Legion American Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego, where he serves as head instructor and teaches regularly. A 3rd degree black belt and multiple-time IBJJF World Champion, he is known as the inventor of the lapel guard and as the driving force behind the American Jiu-Jitsu movement. Born in Hawaii in 1992, he began martial arts at four and took up jiu-jitsu at 14 at BJ Penn's gym and his father's gym. He later moved to Maryland to train at TLI, and as a purple and brown belt he swept the major IBJJF events back to back with records of 109-1 and 118-1. Andre Galvao awarded him his black belt on September 14, 2013, after which he collected European, Pan American and World No-Gi titles, three ADCC medals and numerous superfight wins.