Gracie family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gracie family refers to the lineage of Brazilian businessman and politician Gastão Gracie. They are known as the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and for their success in mixed martial arts, vale tudo, and submission wrestling competitions. As a family, they uphold the Gracie challenge. The Gracie family name comes from their Scottish heritage, although the family was originally of both Scottish and Portuguese ancestry. Today, the family is incredibly large and of mixed Brazilian heritage.
Gastão Gracie founded the family as it is now known in the early 1900s while living in Brazil. He befriended Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese Judoka while assisting Japanese immigrants in their move to the country. In exchange for his friendship and hospitality, Maeda offered to teach Gracie's son Carlos the Japanese martial art Judo a derivative of Japanese Jujutsu.
Carlos Gracie was one of the first Brazilians to learn Kodokan Judo, and in turn taught his brothers Oswaldo, Gastão Jr., George, and Hélio Gracie. This marked the founding of what is now called "Gracie Jiu-jitsu." He founded a martial arts academy to pass on this knowledge, and taught the fighting style to his family.
Rolls Gracie is widely considered in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community and with in the Gracie family to be the true creator of the modern form of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Doing so by training and competing in such arts as Judo, Sambo, and Wrestling. He was the lead instructor to the most promising Gracies in the famliy namely, Rickson Gracie, Royler Gracie, Rillion Gracie, Carlson Gracie, and Carlos Gracie Jr.
The most recent family champion has been Roger Gracie, who holds the Confederação Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu World Super Heavyweight and Pan-American Open Weight titles and the ADCC heavy weight and openweight champion. The most famous member of the Gracie family may be Royce Gracie, winner of three UFC tournaments.
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[edit] Notable family members
- Carlos Gracie (d.1994)
- Carlos Gracie Jr.
- Carlson Gracie (d. 2006)
- Carlson Gracie Jr.
- Carley Gracie
- Carlion Gracie
- Cesar Gracie
- Charles Gracie
- Crolin Gracie
- Crosley Gracie
- Gregor Gracie
- Hélio Gracie (d. 2009)
- Igor Gracie
- Kron Gracie
- Kyra Gracie Guimaraes
- Ralek Gracie
- Ralph Gracie
- Relson Gracie
- Rener Gracie
- Renzo Gracie
- Reylan Gracie
- Reylson Gracie
- Reyson Gracie
- Rhalan Gracie
- Rickson Gracie
- Rillion Gracie
- Robin Gracie
- Rockson Gracie (d. 2001)
- Rocian Gracie
- Rodrigo Gracie
- Roger Gracie
- Rolls Gracie (d. 1982)
- Rolles Gracie Jr.
- Rolker Gracie
- Rorion Gracie
- Rosley Gracie
- Royler Gracie
- Royce Gracie
- Ryan Gracie (d. 2007)
- Ryron Gracie
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Gracie Seminars. GRACIE Family Tree. www.gracieseminars.com. URL last accessed on April 8, 2006.
- Gracie USA. The Real Gracie Family Tree. www.gracie.com. URL last accessed on April 8, 2006.
- International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Family Tree. www.550media.com. URL last accessed on April 8, 2006.
