A San Diego jury awarded $56 million to a former beginner jiu-jitsu student after he was injured during a sparring session with his black-belt instructor.
While the amount was considered “astonishing” by some, others argue it pales in comparison to the long-lasting consequences of the incident.
The student was left paralyzed from the neck down.
Highlights
- A San Diego jury awarded $56 million to Jack Greener after a black-belt instructor paralyzed him during sparring in 2018.
- Injured in a botched rolling back-take move, Greener underwent a nine-hour emergency surgery for spinal cord and neck injuries.
- The court held the instructor to a higher standard, ruling he acted like a peer, not a teacher responsible for a novice's safety.
- The gym's $46 million damages award was appealed but upheld, rising to $56 million with accrued interest by 2025.
30-year-old Jack Greener enlisted in the Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club in 2018 as a white belt. He entered the establishment looking to train and left with a life-altering spinal cord injury and a harrowing seven-year recovery journey.
Student who was paralyzed from the neck down after sparring with a black belt instructor was awarded a $56 million payout
Image credits: Vincero Collective
It all began on November 29, 2018, during a routine class at Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club in San Diego, when Greener was paired to spar with his instructor, Francisco “Sinistro” Iturralde, a seasoned second-degree black belt and IBJJF champion.
Greener was in the “turtle position”—knees and elbows on the mat, tucked in defensively—when Iturralde attempted a rolling back-take maneuver.
Image credits: Vincero Collective
The move was designed to flip a turtled opponent over their shoulders to allow the attacker to control their back. The exercise, which was meant to teach Greener the essential maneuver, went catastrophically wrong.
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Iturralde, who testified that Greener seemed “highly experienced for a white belt” and had expressed a desire to be competitive, did not offer any demonstration or active instruction before engaging in the move.
Instead, the court found, he treated the session as if he were rolling with a peer, not a novice under his care.
Greener was subjected to a nine-hour emergency surgery to fix his spine and remove blood clots from his neck
Image credits: tomdeblass
“He acted more like a student co-participant than an instructor,” the court wrote.
“But as an instructor with superior knowledge and skill of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Iturralde was differently situated from other students, and thus he can—and we conclude should—be held to a different standard.”
CCTV footage of the incident started circulating online as the case went viral in martial arts circles. In it, Iturralde aggressively flips Greener around, who, in an effort to resist, twists his back with force.
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The result was devastating. Greener’s cervical vertebrae were crushed, and he suffered a fractured neck and damage to his spinal cord. He was left paralyzed from the neck down and had multiple strokes.
He was immediately sent to the hospital, where a nine-hour emergency surgery was required to remove blood clots from his neck.
The establishment was ordered to pay $46 million in damages in 2023, but it appealed the decision
Image credits: Vincero Collective
Greener filed suit against the martial arts club and its owner, asserting that the school bore responsibility for the devastating injury.
In 2023, a California appellate court sided with him, awarding $46 million in damages. The amount was meant to cover past and future medical expenses, potential lost earnings, and an extra $36 million for the pain and suffering he endured.
Image credits: Vincero Collective
Rener Gracie, a black belt instructor and prominent figure in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world, testified as an expert witness for the plaintiff.
In a video explaining his involvement, Gracie stated that he didn’t believe Iturralde’s actions to have been malicious or intentionally harmful. However, he emphasized that the move was executed improperly and, importantly, had never been taught or practiced at that academy.
For Gracie, Greener was effectively used as a “guinea pig” by Iturralde, who “failed to ensure [his] safety.”
Image credits: Vincero Collective
While Iturralde was harshly criticized by the public at large, members of the BJJ community came to his defense, arguing that the incident was a “freak accident” that no one involved could’ve predicted.
“This was not done maliciously at all… My heart breaks for the student injured. However, my heart also breaks for the instructor,” a member of the community wrote at the time.
Greener has since transformed into a motivational figure, inspiring others by climbing mountains despite his limited mobility
Image credits: Vincero Collective
The Del Mar Jiu-Jitsu Club appealed the 2023 decision, arguing that students are well aware of the risks involved in participating in combat sports. The California Supreme Court, however, declined to hear the case.
With interest accrued over the years, the final award rose from $46 million to $56 million in 2025. The court clarified that the liability rested with the gym’s insurance provider, not the academy itself.
Meanwhile, Jack Greener has made significant progress. He regained limited mobility in 2019 and continued to improve year after year.
Over time, he transformed into a motivational figure for others living with the aftermath of paralysis.
On social media, Greener documents feats once deemed impossible for him. For instance, in 2024, he became one of only two people with his disability to reach the summit of Mount Bross in Colorado. He later attempted Mount Whitney, one of the tallest mountains in the United States with an elevation of 14,505 feet.
“Progress and growth aren’t linear… The good news is I have a few doors in front of me. And relatively speaking, I’m happy and secure,” Greener wrote to his followers.
"Eye for an eye." Many netizens believe no amount of money would pay for what Greener endured
