Jon Thomas promoted to black belt

After 10 years of training, Jon Thomas receives his black belt at Alliance HQ and it's very well deserved.

I've seen him winning tournaments since 2005 and consistently challenging the top guys in his division since 2006. The guy was a phenom. World champion at purple (2009) and brown belt (2011).

With all due respect to Alliance HQ's high standards, does anyone know why he was held at brown belt for so long? It seems like he stopped competing the last few years as well.

Awesome! Congrats to him

I don't know but obviously jacare has no idea what he is doing if thomas only just got his black belt.

"I don't know but obviously jacare has no idea what he is doing if thomas only just got his black belt"

Not sure if I came across the wrong way, or if you were just messing around, but that's not what I meant. Perhaps "long overdue" would have been a better sentiment

I used to train at one of the top Alliance schools in the US before moving overseas. I know from experience that they have very high standards, especially for their competitors.

I just was personally surprised to see Jon still at brown belt given that I have seen him doing very well in competition since he was a teenager. I know that he has trained a lot more than your usual 10-year black belt.

I guess I'm just out of the loop. And I could have asked Lucas.

Jon had been dealing with very serious back injuries. Phone Post 3.0

k1levelstriking - Jon had been dealing with very serious back injuries. Phone Post 3.0

That's really a shame to hear, I always considered him one of the young, lightweight US phenoms coming up around the same time as Ryan Hall and Zak Maxwell.

Hopefully he's on the mend now and can get back to competition, if that's still one of his personal goals.

Congrats to the smartest most cerebral Jiu jitsu mind I have ever encountered! Jon battled his back injury for the last 2 yrs and hasn't competed since the Atlanta Open in 2012. If you talk to Jon he will tell you that his goal was always to come in to black belt and be capable of going head to head with the best in the sport at his weight (Mendes, tanquino, reis etc). Jon's guard is world class but he started to see that nobody was willing to fight his guard straight up (see his 1st match with Andreis and Isaac for examples) and so he dedicated tons of hours to passing. I dont think he feels held back at all. Expect to see a very well rounded attack from Jon in the future. I can't wait to watch him battle some of the sports elite!

Jon just got over his back issues this year, hence why he has spent the last two years basically teaching classes at HQ. And now there is a murderer's row of guys at brown belt to rep the HQ school that is prob why he got moved up FINALLY. He has been giving black belts inside and outside the association fits for years lol. Real talk he has been making his game more well rounded and Jacare wants you to not have holes by the time you get your black belt (esp when you are a competitor), so he is now where he belongs!

Jon Thomas = beast

Overdue. Glad to see it.

shortyjj - I don't know but obviously jacare has no idea what he is doing if thomas only just got his black belt.
You're an idiot Phone Post 3.0

shortyjj - I don't know but obviously jacare has no idea what he is doing if thomas only just got his black belt.

Please tell us your rank and the exhaustive list of champions you produced again?

Hunter V - 
shortyjj - I don't know but obviously jacare has no idea what he is doing if thomas only just got his black belt.

Please tell us your rank and the exhaustive list of champions you produced again?

Simmer down, killer. I was referencing the OP's questioning of why Thomas hadn't yet gotten his black belt....as if Jacare somehow wasn't paying attention, or didn't know what he was doing. You'll survive a lot longer if you take the internet less seriously.

P.S. Since you asked, I'm a brown, and have produced no champions.