Carlson Gracie was a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. A member of the Gracie family, he was the eldest son of Carlos Gracie, and nephew to Hélio Gracie, founders of Gracie jiu-jitsu.
Kyra Gracie Guimarães is a Brazilian submission grappler and a 4th degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner. A member of the Gracie family and a highly decorated competitor, she is a four-time World Jiu-Jitsu champion and a three-time ADCC Submission Fighting World champion.
Gracie Humaitá or Academia Gracie de Jiu-Jitsu is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy on Humaitá Street, in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, founded by Helio Gracie. The Academy offers classes in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Saulo Mendonça Ribeiro Filho, brother of the equally famed Xande Ribeiro, is a 6th-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). After earning a black belt in Judo, he began his training of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro under Royler Gracie, the son of Hélio Gracie, at the famous Gracie Humaitá.
Fábio Duca Gurgel do Amaral is a former Mixed martial arts fighter and 7th degree coral belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach.
Alliance is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu association and the current defending World team champion, having won the titles at the World Championships from 2008 to 2016. They also won the World Championships back to back in 1998 and 1999. Alliance was founded by Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti and his students: Fabio Gurgel, Alexandre Paiva, and Fernando Gurgel. Alliance Global headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia at the Alliance Martial Arts Academy, where "Jacare" is the head instructor. Fabio Gurgel, also known as the "General", is the co-leader of Alliance and the head instructor at Alliance São Paulo. Alexandre "Gigi" Paiva heads the third main Alliance academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Leticia Ribeiro N. Dos Santos is a 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and multiple time world champion in the sport. She is associated with the Gracie Humaita jiu-jitsu school. Ribeiro is considered one of the top 10 best Brazilian jiu-jitsu female fighters of all time having been distinguished with a mention in the IBJJF Hall of Fame.
Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Rio de Janeiro also known as Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Guanabara is a governing body of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The current president of the federation is 9th degree red belt Carlos Robson Gracie. The federation is the official certifying entity for Gracie jiu-jitsu. Specifically, it controls all teaching certifications, as well as all promotions to the rank of black belt and above.
Luiz Fux is a Brazilian judge and the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Federal Court. He is of Romanian Jewish descent, and the first Jewish Brazilian member of the Court. He was previously a minister of the Superior Court of Justice before assuming his position at the Supreme Court.
Oswaldo Baptista Fadda was a practitioner and developer of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, reaching the rank of "nono grau", a 9th degree red belt. In 2014, he was posthumously awarded the 10th degree. He is known for being one of the highest ranked non-Gracie black belts and also for teaching students from the poorer areas of Rio de Janeiro, where Brazilian jiu-jitsu was regarded as an upper-class sport. Fadda's lineage, the most prominent second to the Carlos Gracie lineage, still survives through his links with today's teams such as Nova União, Grappling Fight Team, as well as Deo Jiu-Jitsu and Equipe Mestre Wilson Jiu-Jitsu.
Marcelo Saporito is the head coach of one of the most iconic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies in the world, the “Academia Carlson Gracie” in Figueiredo Magalhaes St., Copacabana. He took the mammoth task of replacing the late Master Carlson Gracie at the helm of the gym, which he has done to perfection with over 200 team titles to this date.
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu, commonly known as Brasileiro, is an annual Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) tournament held in Brazil by the IBJJF. Brasileiro has been held annually since 1996, except for the year 2020 when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Through 2012 the event was held at the Ginásio do Tijuca Tênis Clube in Rio de Janeiro; since 2013 it has been held at the Ginásio Poliesportivo José Corrêa in Barueri, São Paulo.
Amaury Bitetti is a Brazilian mixed martial arts former fighter and promoter holding the rank of 7th degree black and red coral belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). Considered by many as one of the best BJJ competitors of all time, Bitetti is a two-time world jiu-jitsu champion in open weight, the first-ever to win the category, and a two-time Brazilian national champion. After competing in Vale Tudo / MMA Bitetti founded the MMA fight organization Bitetti Combate.
Bruno Franco Fernandes is a Brazilian martial arts teacher based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Kastriot "Georges" Mehdi was a French-born Brazilian judoka, considered one of the most prominent practitioners of judo in Brazil.
Carlos Robson Gracie Sr. was a Brazilian martial artist. The second son of Carlos Gracie, Gracie was a 9th degree red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, affording him the title of Grandmaster.
Luta Livre, known in Brazil as Luta Livre Brasileira or Luta Livre Submission, and also Brazilian Submission Wrestling, is a Brazilian martial arts and combat sport created by Euclydes Hatem in Rio de Janeiro. Primarily a mixture of catch wrestling and kosen judo, there is also ground striking with the hands, feet, knees and elbows. Notable practitioners include Marco Ruas, Ebenezer Fontes Braga, Johil de Oliveira, Alexandre Franca Nogueira, Renato Sobral, Gesias Cavalcante, Pedro Rizzo, Darren Till and José Aldo.
Tayane Porfírio de Araújo is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) 4x World Championship black belt champion. In 2017 Porfirio realized the IBJJF Grand Slam after winning her weight category and the absolute category at all 4 major Gi Championships: World Championship, European Open Championship, Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship and Brazilian Nationals Championship.
Alexandre "Gigi" Paiva is a long standing figure, having been involved in Jiu Jitsu since the early 1980s, in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community who has made a number of important contributions to the sport which are referenced below.
Brazilian