Gracie Family

The Gracie Family is a martial arts family from Brazil who became known for the development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).

She achieved success in martial arts tournaments in the areas of MMA , Vale Tudo , and submission grappling . The family hosts the Gracie Challenge , which promotes the different styles of modern day Jiu-Jitsu. The family is closely related to the Machado Family , which has also developed a BJJ branch with the RCJ Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu style, which is closely related to the style of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Origins

Part of the Gracie family descends from George Gracie, a Scottish ancestor from the Carronhill estate in the Scottish county of Dumfriesshire , who emigrated to South America in 1826 at the age of 25 . George was a son of James (born 1772), the second son of the family patriarch George Gracie (born 1734), and Jean Patterson. George's son was called Pedro, whose son in turn was Gastão, who was the father of Carlos Gracie and Hélio Gracie. Carlos Gracie and Hélio Gracie are 1/8 Scottish.

jiu-jitsu

Gastão Gracie from Rio de Janeiro, the grandson of George Gracie, married Cesarina Pessoa Vasconcellos in 1901 and moved to Belém do Pará. Gastão Gracie became a business partner of the American Circus in Belém. In 1916 the Italian Argentine Queirolo Brothers circus performed and presented Mitsuyo Maeda , a Japanese judoka and renowned martial artist. In 1917 Carlos Gracie, the eldest son of Gastão Gracie, saw a demonstration of Maedas in the Da Paz Theater and decided to learn judo as well. Maeda agreed to teach Carlos Gracie. In 1921, after a financial drought and the death of Pedro Gracie, Gastão Gracie decided to return to Rio de Janeiro with his family .

Carlos Gracie then, in turn, taught the training content he had learned at Maeda to his brothers Oswaldo, Gastão Jr., and George. Hélio was too young and too sick to take part in the training. Due to his physical condition, he could not practice martial arts. Nevertheless, Hélio became the helmsman of the local rowing team and a competitive swimmer.

Despite his poor health, Hélio learned the art of Jiu Jitsu by looking over the shoulders of his brothers.

Today, Hélio and Carlos Gracie are widely regarded as the developers of modern day Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In contrast to classic Jiu Jitsu, the spelling of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with a hyphen is also important here.

For many years the Gracie Family had a monopoly on Vale Tudo events. Because of their increasingly popular competitions, they gradually gained influence by promoting their family members in the Vale Tudo community.

Roger Gracie won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship ten times in different weight classes (six times 100 kg, once 100 kg + and three times in the open weight class). He also won the Pan-American Championship in the open weight class in 2006 and the European Championships in 2005 in the 100+ kg and open weight class.

Kron Gracie won the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in the weight class under 77 kg in 2013 and the European Championships in the weight class 82 kg in 2009.

Clark Gracie won the Pan-American Championship in the weight category under 82 kg in 2013.

Kyra Gracie won the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship for women under 60 kg in 2005, 2007, and 2011 and the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship four times (three times in the weight class under 64 kg and once in the open weight class for women).

family members

First generation

Carlos Gracie († 1994)
Osvaldo Gracie
Gastao Gracie Jr.
Jorge Gracie
Hélio Gracie (1913-2009)
Helena Gracie
Ilka Gracie
Mary Gracie

Second generation

Carlson Gracie
Robson Gracie, also known as Carlos Robson Gracie (current President of the Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Rio de Janeiro)
Geysa Gracie
Rose Clair Gracie
Sonja Gracie Gronning
Oneica Gracie Rodrigues
Reyson Gracie
Reylson Gracie
Rosley Gracie
Rolange Gracie
Carley Gracie
Rolls Gracie (†. 1982)
Rocian Gracie
Carlion Gracie
Clair Gracie
Carlos Gracie Jr. (current President of the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation)
Carla Gracie
Crolin Gracie
Reyla Gracie
Rillion Gracie
Kirla Gracie
Rorion Gracie
Relson Gracie
Rickson Gracie
Rolker Gracie
Royler Gracie
Royce Gracie
Rerika Gracie
Robin Gracie
Ricci Gracie