6 Levels Orlando's 77-year-old accomplishes his dreams by earning black belt in jiu-jitsu

In the early 2000s, Winter Garden resident Paul Laniosz was working in his hometown of Chicago as an asphalt contractor. He watched UFC fights with his friends and coworkers.

Laniosz became fascinated with the fighters’ abilities, the way they navigated each match and moved their bodies. So much so that he wanted to learn to do it himself.

At 65 years old, Laniosz was ready to retire. He and his wife of 50 years moved to the Sunshine State, and there he found 6 Levels Orlando, a mixed martial arts and fitness training center, which at the time was in Winter Garden but now is in Oakland.

Laniosz stepped in and never left. 

Twelve years later, Laniosz celebrated earning his black belt in Gracie jiu-jitsu Saturday, Feb. 7. A month later he celebrated his 77th birthday Wednesday, March 18. 

“I’m really proud of it,” he said. “It’s mine. When I got the belt, I was kind of in shock and wasn’t thinking (the ceremony) was going to be as organized and accomplished. I got it, and I think I went home and I put the belt on two times, three times. I’d take it off and put it back on. My wife said, ‘Just don’t go to sleep with it on.’”

His accomplishment completed his 20-plus-year dream and finally earned him something that was “his.” 

At 77, Laniosz has plenty of other accomplishments. He had two businesses, worked as a broker in the futures markets, and afterward, became an asphalt contractor. He has been married for 50 years, and he and his wife had two daughters, whom Laniosz helped put through college, buy new cars and celebrate both of their marriages. 

Success has been the foundation of his life, but he always has craved an accomplishment for himself. 

Earning the black belt validated he could do something on his own, which has become a point of pride.

He also is proud of himself for sticking with it and showing others that anything is possible no matter your age. 

“It tells people that there’s no magic,” he said. “There’s no secret. You don’t come in here and learn a secret way and then you’re a tough fighter. There’s no such thing. You have to put in the time and the effort. You’re going to get frustrated. You’re going to walk out that door.” 

Laniosz walked out of the door 10 times. Each time he said, “I quit. I’m done. I’m too old.” 

But every time he returned the next day for his training. Laniosz trains at 6 Levels Mondays and Wednesdays, and sometimes Fridays. He’s been following that schedule for 12 years, slowly building upon his foundation to reach the black belt. He is the oldest student that trains there.

John Burke, gym owner and Laniosz’s coach, said Laniosz could have used a bunch of excuses. He could have said he’s older, what are the chances against the 30-year-old and 40-year-old students? 

“Think about how easy it would be for him to say, ‘I’m 70-something; what are the odds?” Burke said. “He didn’t. He (dived) into the pool head-first, and he didn’t even check to see if it was filled with water.”

Laniosz dived in because of his intense desire to accomplish his dream. His journey began when he was on a walk around his neighborhood. 

Photo by Megan Bruinsma

PERFECT FIT

When Laniosz moved to Florida, he went on a walk and happened to run into Burke’s wife. She was a neighbor he hadn’t met before, and the two began a conversation. Through their first interaction, she told Laniosz that Burke was opening an MMA school. 

So Laniosz took a stroll down there and met the man who would guide his jiu-jitsu journey.

He popped into the center that was under construction from moving from Ocoee to Winter Garden in 2014. He offered a helping hand but also told Burke he was interested in fighting. 

Burke recalled their initial conversation. Laniosz shared his desire to begin fighting but thought he was too old. Burke refuted that and told Laniosz “there’s no such thing” as too old; anyone at any age can learn how to defend themselves. 

Like that, Laniosz stepped in. 

He briefly had attended two MMA gyms in Chicago, but it only lasted about a week each time because it was too tiring to fight after a full day of construction work. 

This time, it stuck. 

Burke said the hardest belt to earn in jiu-jitsu is the white belt, the first one. The hardest part is taking that first step and committing to continue, but once that hurdle is crossed, anything is possible — especially with a dedicated coach. 

“John is unique,” Laniosz said. “He was there at the beginning with the Gracies (the family that developed and popularized Brazilian jiu-jitsu) in California. He was trained by the top people in jiu-jitsu, he was part of the group, so he had a unique ability of knowing everything correctly.” 

Jiu-jitsu can’t be learned by watching a video, Laniosz said. People can’t expect to watch a DVD or watch a UFC fight and become a master. 

“You learn when you’re on the mat and somebody’s choking you or someone’s on top of you or someone’s grabbing you,” he said. “That’s where you’re learning.” 

That’s exactly what Burke taught him. And how to strategically fight.

OVERCOMING EGO

Burke, at 51 years old and training for 34 years, is teaching himself how to fight differently to accommodate his age. He also has applied those lessons in how he teaches Laniosz. 

As people age, their reaction time or their strength might change, which is why Burke taught Laniosz to fight strategically. 

The biggest problem Laniosz faced was breathing. There would be instances where he was trying to catch his breath and muster his last bits of strength to get out from under someone who was 30 or 40 years old and crushing him. 

“I’m holding my breath and trying to use some strength to get out,” he said. “I want to get out, and I can’t. That’s where John says, ‘You got to let loose and relax and think of where you’re at and what you were taught.’” 

Everyone has a unique fighting style. Laniosz and Burke have separate styles, and the journey is finding what works for each person’s body. 

Two weeks ago at practice, Laniosz was learning a lockdown on a person, but he couldn’t do it. No matter how hard he tried to flip the other person and roll, he couldn’t. He didn’t have the strength or the stature or the flexibility. 

So he adapted. 

Rather than flipping his legs over his head, Laniosz’s coach taught him to wiggle out of it. He then had the move down. 

He learned how to accept feedback and not let the most challenge part of jiu-jitsu — ego — stop him.

“I’m older than all the young people in this class,” Laniosz said. “I didn’t like being in class being told that I have to improve this or I have to improve that and I’m getting lazy. … Then I got motivated to start pushing it better and better, and you don’t notice you’re improving in jiu-jitsu until someone tells you.” 

Every time Laniosz was knocked down, he got back up. In the moments he was down because of his age, he’d stand back up and push himself to become a fighter who Burke would put money on against the average bear. 

“Paul wanted to get it so badly that it made him such a pleasure to have on the mat,” Burke said. “He couldn’t have had really any more desire to get it.”