The Gracie family are the Brazilian brothers, sons and grandsons who turned the judo Mitsuyo Maeda taught Carlos Gracie into Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Carlos opened the first academy in Rio de Janeiro in 1925; his brother Helio became its leading teacher and fighter; their sons and nephews carried it around the world.
- Founders: bjjheroes.com names Carlos Gracie, who trained under Maeda and founded the first Gracie Jiu Jitsu academy, and Helio Gracie, regarded as one of the fathers of the Brazilian grappling art.
- The brothers: Carlos, Oswaldo, Gastao Jr, George and Helio, who ran the academy together.
- Next generations named on bjjheroes.com: Carlson, Rolls and Carlos Jr (sons of Carlos); Rorion, Relson, Rickson, Royler and Royce (sons of Helio); Roger (grandson of Carlos).
Who were the first generation of Gracies?
According to the Carlos Gracie page on bjjheroes.com, Carlos was born in 1902 in Belem do Para and, as a hyperactive fifteen-year-old, was taken by his father to a jiu-jitsu and judo representative known as Count Coma, Mitsuyo Maeda. Maeda taught him for about three years. After the family moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1921, Carlos saved enough to open his own academy in 1925 and brought in his brothers. He reached the 10th degree, a grade bjjheroes.com says is given only to the founders.
The Helio Gracie page describes the youngest brother as frail as a child, learning by watching before he was allowed to train, then becoming Carlos's star pupil and fighting his first vale tudo match at eighteen. Helio was a 9th degree red belt and fought Masahiko Kimura in 1951.
Who came after them?
- Carlos's sons Carlson, Rolls and Carlos Jr (Carlinhos) were taught by Helio when Carlos moved away for business; bjjheroes.com calls them legends in their own right.
- Helio's sons Rorion, Relson, Rickson, Royler and Royce carried the family's trade to martial arts' mainstream in the early 1990s, according to the Helio Gracie page.
- Royce won the first UFC in 1993, the lightest fighter in the competition, at an event planned by his brother Rorion.
- Carlos Jr founded Gracie Barra and was a founding member of the CBJJ and IBJJF, according to bjjheroes.com.
- Roger Gracie, grandson of Carlos through his daughter Reila, won ten IBJJF world titles at black belt.
What does the IBJJF say about the Gracies?
The IBJJF General System of Graduation reserves the 10th degree red belt for the five pioneers of the art: Carlos, Oswaldo, George, Gastão and Helio Gracie.
Why is the Gracie name everywhere?
Gracie is on academy signs, patches and lineage charts because nearly every BJJ black belt traces back to Carlos or Helio within a few steps. The family also had its arguments, and bjjheroes.com records some of them, including Carlson's break with Helio's ideas. The name stands for the whole early history of the art, with its achievements and its disputes together.
For the training partner who can recite the whole family tree, our BJJ gifts collection has something fitting.
Sources
- Carlos Gracie page on bjjheroes.com, BJJ Heroes
- Helio Gracie page, BJJ Heroes
- Royce won the first UFC in 1993, BJJ Heroes
- Carlos Jr founded Gracie Barra, BJJ Heroes
- Roger Gracie, BJJ Heroes
- IBJJF General System of Graduation, IBJJF
Related terms
Lineage, Mitsuyo Maeda, Masahiko Kimura, Red belt, Coral belt, Academy (BJJ).