What is the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu?

New Wave Jiu-Jitsu is the elite no-gi competition team associated with coach John Danaher in Austin, Texas. It formed after the 2021 split of the Danaher Death Squad. One branch became New Wave with Danaher and athletes around Gordon Ryan and Garry Tonon; another became B Team in the same city. People search “New Wave jiu jitsu” for the team, its Austin base, and how it relates to Danaher’s systems. The style is known for structured instructionals, concept-heavy no-gi, and a deep competition roster that has rotated over time (names often mentioned across eras include Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, Giancarlo Bodoni, Luke Griffith, Nicholas Meregali, and others). Important 2025 update: the public academy side rebranded as Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu in Austin while the competition lineage is still widely referred to as New Wave in search and media. If you are looking for classes, check Kingsway / the team’s current public academy listing rather than assuming the old private-room setup. How to learn the system if you do not live in Austin: Danaher-style instructionals (for example on major instructional platforms), then journal and drill what you watch. New Wave is a team and coaching ecosystem, not a belt rank or a separate martial art.