Brazilian jiu-jitsu, often abbreviated to BJJ, is a self-defense martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting, and submission holds. It is primarily a ground-based fighting style and focuses on taking one's opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks, chokeholds, or compression locks.
Rigan Machado is a Brazilian-American martial arts instructor. He is an 8th degree red and White belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, earning his rank under Carlos Gracie Jr. He is a former Pan American Champion and a veteran medalist of the ADCC. Machado currently teaches out of his Beverly Hills, California, academy and is instructor to several Los Angeles–based celebrity students.
Roger Gracie is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and 5th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner and coach.
Maurício Motta Gomes, also known as Maurição, is a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu holding the rank of 8th degree white and red belt. The founder of the first Gracie Barra franchise in the United Kingdom, Gomes has been training and teaching BJJ for over 50 years, one of only six people promoted to black belt by legendary Rolls Gracie. Gomes is the father of Roger Gracie, one of the most accomplished jiu-jitsu competitors of all time.
Mario Yamasaki is a Brazilian mixed martial arts referee licensed in many states, most recognizable from his duties with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), as well as founder and chief instructor of the International Yamasaki Academy. Yamasaki is a veteran of over 400 fights in the UFC, Strikeforce, WEC, EliteXC and Pride Fighting Championships.
Saulo Mendonça Ribeiro Filho is a Brazilian submission grappler and former mixed martial artist. He is a 6th-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and brother of Xande Ribeiro. 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 Gracie Humaitá.
Braulio de Oliveira Estima is a 5th degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. on January 4, 2004. Throughout his grappling career, he has won in many Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments across the world, such as the Mundials, ADCC, Pan American Championship, and European Championship. His long list of accomplishments has made him well respected among other Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, such that some consider him one of the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world and one of the head coaches for Gracie Barra U.K.
The Machado Family are a family of Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners, mixed martial artists and grapplers. They are the founders of RCJ Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and are cousins to members of the Gracie family.
Fábio Duca Gurgel do Amaral is a former Mixed martial arts fighter and 7th degree coral belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach.
Rubens Charles Maciel, aka "Cobrinha" and sometimes referred to as Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles, is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) competitor. He is considered the best featherweight in the decade and to be among the best pound for pound jiu jitsu competitors in the world. Cobrinha is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Fernando "Terere" Augusto and a member of Alliance Jiu Jitsu. Cobrinha has won a total of six world championship titles in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a black belt in the featherweight category. He started training BJJ in 2000, received his black belt in 2005, and has since medaled in every World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in which he has competed - a total of ten. He is known for his attacking style of jiu jitsu and, in particular, for his guard. His guard was voted the best Guard of the Decade by fellow World Champions.
Alliance is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu association. 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 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.
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ranking system signifies a practitioner's increasing level of technical knowledge and practical skill within the art. Colored belts worn as part of the uniform are awarded to the practitioner. The ranking system shares its origins with the judo belt-rank system, but the Brazilian system incorporates some minor differences from Judo such as a division between youths and adults and the issuance of stripes and degrees. Some differences have become synonymous with the art, such as a marked informality in promotional criteria, a focus on competitive demonstration of skill, and conservative promotion.
Kron Stavik Gracie is a Brazilian and American mixed martial artist, submission grappler, and instructor. He currently competes in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
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.
Jackson Sousa dos Santos is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) and grappling competitor and instructor. A winner of several major championships in coloured belts, such as IBJJF World Championship, IBJJF European Championship and CBJJ Brazilian Nationals; Sousa is a black belt World No-Gi champion, a 2 x European champion and a 3 x Pan No-Gi champion.
Leandro Pereira do Nascimento Lo, better known as Leandro Lo, was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt competitor. A record holder with eight IBJJF world championship titles in five different weight classes, as well as multiple wins at every major international tournament, Lo is considered one of the most accomplished jiu-jitsu competitors of all time.
Michael Musumeci Jr. is an American submission grappler and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt competitor. A four-time World Champion and Pan American Champion in colored belts, Musumeci is a five-time IBJJF black belt World Champion, and the first American to win more than one IBJJF World title at black belt. He competed in ONE Championship where he was the flyweight submission grappling champion.
Venla Luukkonen is a Finnish grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor. In 2014, she became the first Finnish female black belt and the first Finn to win the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship at black belt level. Since 2014, in addition to winning several major tournaments, Luukkonen reached the world championship final three more times, winning gold again in 2018.
Laurence Cousin Fouillat is a French submission grappler and third degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor and instructor. Considered a pioneer in the sport, Cousin is regarded as the first European female to receive a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In 2005 she won the CBJJO World Jiu-Jitsu Cup and medalled at the IBJJF World Championship taking place in Rio de Janeiro. In 2007 Cousin became the first woman from outside Brazil to become IBJJF World jiu-jitsu champion.
Brazil 
