Devhonte Johnson, commonly known as "Bones", is an American grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt[a] competitor and coach. A multiple time IBJJF World, Pan American and European champion in lower belt divisions; Johnson is a black belt IBJJF World No-Gi, Pan American No-Gi and European Open No-Gi Champion.
Devhonte M. Johnson was born in Paterson, New Jersey.[1] During his senior year in Eastside High School he started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) under Coach Edson Carvalho with whom he stayed until purple belt.[1]
In 2015, Johnson joined Unity Jiu Jitsu in New York City training under head instructor Murilo Santana.[2][3] During this time, Johnson started competing winning the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship and the Pan IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship at every belt level.[4][5][6] Johnson specializes in the Lasso Guard and Stack Pass techniques.[7] While teaching at Unity HQ in Manhattan Johnson opened his own Unity Jiu-Jitsu affiliate in New Jersey.[8]
In 2018 Johnson participated in numerous competitions as brown belt, winning the IBJJF World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, IBJJF European Open Championship as well as the IBJJF Pans No-Gi Championship.[9][10]
In August 2019, Johnson was awarded his black belt by Santana,[11] that same year Johnson opened his own gym, Bones BJJ in Clifton, NJ.[12] In 2021 he won Pan No-Gi and World No-Gi titles for the first time at black belt.[11] In 2021 Johnson was ranked No. 1 in the IBJJF no-gi super heavyweight division.[11]
Johnson was invited to compete in the BJJ Stars 10 Absolute Grand prix on 22 April 2023.[13] He defeated Gutemberg Pereira by decision in the opening round before losing to eventual champion Erich Munis on points in the quarter-final.[14]
Johnson is booked to compete against Vinicius 'Trator' Ferreira in the main event of Place of Peace Invitational 3 on August 13, 2023.[15] He won by decision. Johnson competed in an 8-man tournament at Blue Collar FC: American Dream Conference on September 1, 2023.[16] He lost his opening round match to Roosevelt Sousa.[17] Johnson then entered the super-heavyweight division of the IBJJF No Gi Pan Championship 2023 on October 1, 2023, and won a silver medal.[18]
Johnson competed in the ADCC North American East Coast Trials 2023 on October 15, winning a bronze medal in the under 99kg division.[19]
Johnson agreed to represent Acai Republic in the over 91kg division at AIGA Champions League Final 2023 on December 13 and 14,[20] but did not compete. Johnson then defeated Denis Gunic on points at Place of Peace Invitational 8 on September 14, 2024.[21] Johnson then won a bronze medal in the super-heavyweight division and a gold medal in the absolute division of the IBJJF no gi Pan Championship 2024 on November 3, 2024.[22]
Johnson won a silver medal in the absolute division at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024.[23] He then represented North America in the Polaris Squads Intercontinental Championship 2025.[24] He went 2-2 against Team Europe at Polaris 32, but Team North America lost the match.[25]
Johnson represented Team Al Leone at the AIGA Champions League finals 2025,[26] going 2-0 as Al Leone finished in third place.[27]
Johnson competed in the no gi absolute grand prix at BJJ Stars 16 on July 25, 2025.[28] He was knocked out in the opening round.[29]
| Opponent | W/L | Method | Competition | Weight | Stage | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thiago Sa | L | Referee Decision | No Gi Pan Am. | 91KG | 4F | 2018 |
| Nick Calvanese | L | Referee Decision | F2W 91 | ABS | SPF | 2018 |
| Nicholas Albin | L | Referee Decision | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | R1 | 2018 |
| Gilvan Costa | W | Armbar | NY Fall NGO | 97KG | F | 2018 |
| Adriano Silva | W | Kimura | NY Fall NGO | ABS | 4F | 2018 |
| Gabriel Almeida | W | Pts: 0x0, Adv | NY Fall NGO | ABS | SF | 2018 |
| Fernando Henrique | W | RNC | NoGi Worlds | 91KG | R1 | 2018 |
| Arnaldo Maidana | W | Pts: 2x0 | NoGi Worlds | 91KG | 4F | 2018 |
| Jackson Sousa | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | NoGi Worlds | 91KG | SF | 2018 |
| Charles McGuire | W | Submission | Atlanta WO | 94KG | F | 2019 |
| Julian Synan | W | Bow and arrow | Atlanta WO | ABS | R1 | 2019 |
| JT Torres | L | Pts: 2x0 | Atlanta WO | ABS | 4F | 2019 |
| Gustavo Batista | L | Arm in Ezekiel | Pan American | 88KG | 8F | 2019 |
| Orlando Andavi | W | Choke from back | Pan American | ABS | R1 | 2019 |
| Leandro Lo | L | Pts: 2x0 | Pan American | ABS | R2 | 2019 |
| Diogo Sampaio | W | Referee Decision | Washington DCO | 88KG | SF | 2019 |
| Daniel Hampton | W | Choke from back | Washington DCO | 88KG | F | 2019 |
| Nathan Santos | W | Pts: 3x0 | Boston Sp. Open | 88KG | SF | 2019 |
| Diogo Araujo | W | Pts: 2x2, Adv | Boston Sp. Open | 88KG | F | 2019 |
| Faisal AlKitbe | L | Pts: 0x0, Pen | World Pro | 85KG | 4F | 2019 |
| Viking Wong | W | Pts: 6x0 | World Pro | 85KG | RPC | 2019 |
| William Dias | W | Pts: 2x0 | World Pro | 85KG | RPC | 2019 |
| DJ Jackson | L | Referee Decision | World Pro | 85KG | 3RD | 2019 |
| Matt Leighton | W | Referee Decision | F2W 111 | 85KG | SPF | 2019 |
| Tarsis Humphreys | L | Pts: 2x0 | World Champ. | 88KG | R1 | 2019 |
| Tim Spriggs | L | Pts: 2x2, Pen | NY BJJ Pro | 94KG | F | 2019 |
| Keenan Cornelius | L | Pts: 4x2 | No Gi Pan Am. | 97KG | SF | 2019 |
| Jonnatas Gracie | W | Referee Decision | No Gi Pan Am. | ABS | R1 | 2019 |
| Vinicius Trator | W | Pts: 2x0 | No Gi Pan Am. | ABS | 8F | 2019 |
| Frederik Vosgrone | W | Pts: 2x0 | No Gi Pan Am. | ABS | 4F | 2019 |
| Keenan Cornelius | L | Armlock | No Gi Pan Am. | ABS | SF | 2019 |
| Marcelo Gomide | W | Adv | European NoGi | 97KG | 4F | 2019 |
| Samir Krvavac | W | Pts: 7x2 | European NoGi | 97KG | SF | 2019 |
| Helton Jose | W | Referee Decision | European NoGi | 97KG | F | 2019 |
| Santeri Lilius | W | Pts: 6x0 | European NoGi | ABS | R1 | 2019 |
| Freddy Vosgrone | W | Adv | European NoGi | ABS | 8F | 2019 |
| Max Bickerton | W | Pts: 11x0 | European NoGi | ABS | 4F | 2019 |
| Muslim Patsarigov | W | Referee Decision | European NoGi | ABS | SF | 2019 |
| Marcelo Gomide | L | Referee Decision | European NoGi | ABS | F | 2019 |
| Eliot Kelly | W | Referee Decision | F2W 131 | 120KG | SPF | 2019 |
| Gabriel Araujo | W | Pts: 11x0 | NYC Fall Open | 100KG | F | 2019 |
| Max Gimenis | L | Pts: 2x0 | NYC Fall Open | ABS | SF | 2019 |
| Paul Ardila | W | Pts: 2x0 | NYC Fall NGO | 97KG | F | 2019 |
| Gabriel Almeida | W | Pts: 11x0 | NYC Fall NGO | ABS | 4F | 2019 |
| Yuri Silva | W | N/A | NYC Fall NGO | ABS | SF | 2019 |
| Arya Esfandmaz | W | Referee Decision | Polaris 12 | 104KG | SPF | 2019 |
| Fellipe Trovo | W | Pts: 0x0, Adv | NoGi Worlds | ABS | 4F | 2019 |
| Roberto Abreu | L | Referee Decision | NoGi Worlds | ABS | SF | 2019 |
| Roberto Alencar | W | Pts: 2x0 | NoGi Worlds | 91KG | 4F | 2019 |
| Jackson Sousa | L | DQ | NoGi Worlds | 91KG | SF | 2019 |
| T. Clark | W | Choke from back | SUBVERSIV | ABS | R1 | 2020 |
| Fellipe Andrew | W | Referee Decision | SUBVERSIV | ABS | SF | 2020 |
| Fellipe Trovo | L | Triangle | SUBVERSIV | ABS | F | 2020 |
| J. Oliver Jansen | W | Pts: 10x0 | Pan American | ABS | R1 | 2020 |
| Guilherme Augusto | W | Pts: 0x0, Adv | Pan American | ABS | 8F | 2020 |
| Max Gimenis | L | Choke from back | Pan American | ABS | 4F | 2020 |
| Guilherme Augusto | L | Pts: 8x2 | Pan American | 100KG | SF | 2020 |
| Vinicius Trator | W | Referee Decision | F2W 155 | 124KG | SPF | 2020 |
| Patrick Gaudio | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | BJJ Stars 4 | 100KG | SPF | 2020 |
| Guilherme Augusto | W | Referee Decision | F2W 159 | 94KG | SPF | 2020 |
| Jackson Douglas | W | Referee Decision | Dallas Open | O100KG | SF | 2021 |
| Guilherme Augusto | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | Dallas Open | O100KG | F | 2021 |
| Lucas Norat | W | Choke from back | Houston Open | 100KG | SF | 2021 |
| Daniel Hampton | W | Pts: 18x0 | Houston Open | 100KG | F | 2021 |
| Michael Perez | W | Pts: 0x0, Adv | NoGi Pan Am. | 97KG | 4F | 2021 |
| Diego Ramalho | W | Referee Decision | NoGi Pan Am. | 97KG | SF | 2021 |
| Arnaldo Maidana | W | Pts: 4x0 | NoGi Pan Am. | 97KG | F | 2021 |
| Yuri Simoes | L | Referee Decision | F2W 172 | 124KG | SPF | 2021 |
| Lucas Norat | W | Pts: 7x0 | Pan American | 100KG | 4F | 2021 |
| Guilherme Augusto | L | Referee Decision | Pan American | 100KG | SF | 2021 |
| Fellipe Andrew | W | Anaconda choke | NoGi Worlds | 97KG | 4F | 2021 |
| Elliot Kelly | W | Pts: 0x0, Pen | NoGi Worlds | 97KG | SF | 2021 |
| Joe Dierkhising | W | Pts: 4x2 | NoGi Worlds | 97KG | F | 2021 |
| Kristopher Torres | W | RNC | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | R1 | 2021 |
| Jon Beale | W | Armbar | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | R2 | 2021 |
| Brandon Conrad | W | RNC | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | R3 | 2021 |
| Joe Dierkhising | W | Pts: 4x0 | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | 4F | 2021 |
| Paul Ardila | W | Referee Decision | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | SF | 2021 |
| Mason Fowler | L | Referee Decision | ADCC EC Trials | 99KG | F | 2021 |
| Arnaldo Maidana | W | Referee Decision | F2W 188 | 100KG | SPF | 2021 |
| Lucas Norat | W | Pts: 16x0 | World Champ. | 100KG | 8F | 2021 |
| Fellipe Trovo | W | Pts: 3x0 | World Champ. | 100KG | 4F | 2021 |
| Fellipe Andrew | L | Pts: 4x2 | World Champ. | 100KG | SF | 2021 |
Main Achievements (black belt level):[1]
Main Achievements (colored belts ):[1]
Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Rickson Gracie > Marcelo Behring > Mario Yamasaki > Murilo Santana > Devhonte Johnson[1]
