Leonardo Pinheiro Xavier

Leonardo Xavier is the founder and head professor of LX Jiu-Jitsu & Self-Defense in Sugar Land. A Brazilian-born American martial artist, he is a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Master Rickson Gracie, who promoted him to fifth degree in June 2018; the academy now lists him as a sixth degree black belt. Xavier has more than 30 years of experience teaching Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, including at the Academia Gracie de Jiu-Jitsu (now Gracie Humaitá) and Gracie Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, and is the only professor in the Houston area certified to teach by the Academia Gracie and by Rickson Gracie. A multiple-time world medalist, he is nicknamed "The Wizard," a name given to him by author and black belt Kid Peligro. In July 2022 he was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame as International Instructor of the Year.