Congratulations, Dave Mustaine Is Now Wearing A Purple Belt In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

JAKARTA - Those who are familiar with Dave Mustaine's music activities will know that this Megadeth frontman is good at martial arts. Now 59 years old, this metalhead is showing no signs of slowing down.

After successfully overcoming his cancer last year, Mustaine started in 2021 by earning a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

The leader of the Megadeth band earned an intermediate adult jiu-jitsu rank last week (January 14) at the Gracie Barra training location in Spring Hill, Tenn., Near Mustaine's Nashville home.

In snippets from the occasion, as shared by the Jiu-Jitsu Times, Mustaine received a purple belt from Gracie Barra instructor Reginaldo Almeida, a third-degree black belt in jiu-jitsu and a professor of martial arts.

In an accompanying Facebook post, Almeida noted that Mustaine had won the blue belt two years earlier. In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, white belt is the beginner rank, followed by blue and purple. Chocolate appeared next, being replaced by various grades of black (there are also very high grades and red belts).

Before getting a purple jiu-jitsu belt, the Megadeth frontman already had a black belt in tae kwon do and Ukidokan karate.

"After 2 years of blue belts and hard training and lots of ups and downs today I have the honor of promoting Mr. Mustaine the purple belt he deserves!" said Almeida. "Good boy !!!"

In a 2007 interview, Mustaine said he started practicing taekwondo in 1999 in Arizona and then moved to California, where he lived until a few years ago.

"Before taekwondo, I practiced kung fu and other martial arts," he said.

Mustaine told The Quietus in 2010 that he had a first degree in Ukidokan karate.

"My sensei - Benny 'The Jet' Urquidez - has styles of karate, kung-fu, aikido, judo, ju-jitsu, taekwondo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Muay Thai boxing, and American boxing," said Mustaine.

"So all of that combined into one. It's a nine-style discipline. My second black belt was in Songham taekwondo and I was an assistant instructor in that style, and then I studied privately for a while," he said.