Lachlan Giles

Full Name: Lachlan Sven McDonald GilesNickname: “Velachiraptor” (A playful blend of Lachlan and velociraptor given by his training partners due to his sharp, aggressive attacking style).Weight Division: Peso Médio (Middleweight — 82.30 kg / 181.5 lbs)Team / Association: Absolute MMAFavorite Position/Technique: Crucifix Armbar & Inside Heel-HookBiographyBorn on June 17 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Lachlan Giles is universally recognized as a premier No-Gi submission grappler and one of the most influential coaching minds in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.Lachlan’s entry into martial arts was originally inspired by Jet Li films, which led him to join a Kung Fu class during his teenage years. However, roughly a year into his training, he watched a tape of the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC 1). Witnessing Royce Gracie ‘s effortless dismantle of larger opponents using technique over brute force completely altered his trajectory. At 15 years old, Giles walked away from Kung Fu to commit himself entirely to Jiu-Jitsu.His early developmental years were guided by coach Tyrone Crosse, who took Giles from white to purple belt. After a brief hiatus to recover from a severe knee injury, Lachlan returned to the mats under John Simon. Simon oversaw the upper tiers of his progression, ultimately awarding Giles his black belt in 2012.In 2013, Lachlan began his coaching career, which quickly evolved into a full-time role at Absolute MMA’s flagship locations in Melbourne. There, he fell under the technical influence of head coach Thiago Stefanutti. Operating out of Absolute MMA St Kilda, Giles built an elite, internationally feared grappling program, famously serving as the primary mentor to standout stars like Livia Gluchowska and Craig Jones. Alongside his grueling training and coaching schedule, Giles excelled academically, completing his PhD in Physiotherapy in December 2016 with multiple peer-reviewed publications focusing on patellofemoral pain.Lachlan achieved legendary status in the global grappling community at the 2019 ADCC World Championships. Competing in the absolute (open weight) division, the much lighter middleweight shocked the world by utilizing an intricate leg-lock game to submit three world-class ultra-heavyweight giants: Kaynan Duarte, Patrick Gaudio, and Mahamed Aly—cementing his place in Jiu-Jitsu lore with an iconic bronze medal performance.Main Achievements1st Place — ADCC Asia & Oceania Trials (2015 / 2017 / 2019)1st Place — IBJJF Pan-Pacific Championship (2016 / 2017)1st Place — IBJJF Pan-Pacific Championship No-Gi (2016 / 2017)1st Place — UAEJJF Continental Pro (2018)1st Place — Kinektic Invitational 1 (2019)2nd Place — Boa Super 8 (2015 – 1st & 2nd Editions)2nd Place — UAEJJF Grand Slam Abu Dhabi (2018)3rd Place — ADCC World Championship (2019*)3rd Place — IBJJF World Championship No-Gi (2017)3rd Place — EBI 5 Invitational (2015)* Absolute division Weight and Absolute divisionGrappling StatisticsSubmission Win Percentage: 67% of his total victories are secured via submission.Primary Weapon: Inside Heel-Hook, which accounts for 50% of his total submission finishes at the professional level.