Gracie family

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 along with his oldest son Carlson and brother Helio Gracie founded "Gracie Jiu-jitsu".

Carlos Gracie, the first Brazilian to learn Jiu-jitsu, in turn taught his brother Helio 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.

The most recent family champions have been Rolls Gracie and Rickson Gracie. The most successful current active Gracie is 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.

Notable Family Members

*Carlos Gracie
*Helio Gracie
*Carlson Gracie (d. 2006)
*Carlson Gracie Jr.
*Relson Gracie
*Reylson Gracie
*Rickson Gracie
*Rorion Gracie
*Royce Gracie
*Royler Gracie
*Rolls Gracie
*Rolls Gracie Jr.
*Romo Gracie
*Renzo Gracie
*Ralph Gracie
*Cesar Gracie
*Igor Gracie
*Ryan Gracie (d. 2007)
*Crosley Gracie
*Rodrigo Gracie
*Roger Gracie
*Rockson Gracie (d. 2001)
*Kron Gracie
*Kyra Gracie
*Rener Gracie
*Ryron Gracie
*Ralek Gracie

References

* Gracie Seminars. [http://www.gracieseminars.com/GracieFamilyTree.htm GRACIE Family Tree] . "www.gracieseminars.com". URL last accessed on April 8, 2006.
* Gracie USA. [http://www.gracie.com/family/tree.html#1generation The Real Gracie Family Tree] . "www.gracie.com". URL last accessed on April 8, 2006.
* International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation. [http://www.550media.com/igjjf/familytree.html Family Tree] . "www.550media.com". URL last accessed on April 8, 2006.

Other references

* [http://www.martialdirect.com/reviews/books/gracieway.htm Martial Direct book reviews]
* [http://www.gracie.com/ Gracie US website]