Keenan Cornelius is an American black belt from Hilo, Hawaii, best known as the inventor of the worm guard. He swept the major IBJJF titles at purple belt, won No-Gi Worlds gold and ADCC silver at black belt, and since 2019 has run his own team, Legion AJJ, in San Diego.
Background and lineage
Cornelius was introduced to grappling by his stepfather, Tom Callos, who was B.J. Penn's first jiu-jitsu instructor. He trained with Cassio Werneck from 2006 to 2008 and then about three years at B.J. Penn's academy. He joined Team Lloyd Irvin in 2011, and Irvin promoted him to brown belt in 2012. In 2013 he moved to Atos, where André Galvão promoted him to black belt on 14 September 2013. He left Atos in 2019 and founded Legion AJJ.
Competition highlights
- Coloured belts: a double Grand Slam at purple belt in 2012 (World, Pan, European and Brazilian Nationals gold), then brown belt World gold at his weight in 2013, with silver in the absolute after a loss to Paulo Miyao.
- IBJJF World No-Gi: gold at −88 kg in 2014, plus absolute silver after losing the final to Yuri Simões.
- IBJJF gi: Pan titles in 2014, 2015 and 2018, European Open titles in 2018 and 2020, and World bronze in 2018.
- ADCC: bronze in 2013 and silver at −88 kg in 2017, losing the final to Gordon Ryan by mounted guillotine. In 2015 he lost to Yuri Simões.
- Superfights: draws with Vinny Magalhães and Yuri Simões at Metamoris and a reverse triangle win over Dean Lister at Polaris in 2015.
Style and signature techniques
BJJ Heroes lists the spider guard, De La Riva guard and worm guard as his favourite techniques. The worm guard, named by Galvão, uses the opponent's lapel to tie up their leg. Wikipedia credits it with inspiring the lapel guards that followed. He is a heavy finisher. 62% of his wins on BJJ Heroes are submissions, led by the armbar, chokes from back control and the triangle, along with the omoplata and arm-in Ezekiel. He has also won with an inside heel hook from fifty-fifty and a north-south choke.
Notable matches
- Kevin Casey, Metamoris III (2014): an inside heel hook from fifty-fifty.
- Dean Lister, Polaris (2015): a reverse triangle from back control.
- Gordon Ryan, submission-only (2016): a heel hook loss after about 90 minutes in a match with no time limit.
- Gordon Ryan, ADCC 2017 final: a mounted guillotine loss for silver at −88 kg.
Teaching and online content
Cornelius released a five-part DVD set on his competition style in 2013 and launched the Keenan Online membership site in 2016. In 2021 he awarded his first black belt to Miha Perhavec.