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Birth of Kodokan Judo
Jigoro Kano founded a school and temple in what was then the Shitaya ward of Tokyo. Two years would pass before the temple would be called by the name Kodokan, meaning place for expounding the way. -
Mitsuyo Maeda Sent Abroad
Mitsuyo Maeda, a member of Kodokan, was one of five of Judo's top groundwork experts that Judo's founder Kano Jigoro sent overseas to demonstrate and spread his art to the world. -
Mitsuyo Maeda Arrives in Brazil
When Maeda arrived in Brazil, a businessman by the name of Gastão Gracie helped him get settled. Three years later, Carlos Gracie, the eldest son of Gastão Gracie, watched a demonstration by Maeda at the Da Paz Theatre and decided to learn judo. Maeda accepted to teach Carlos. Carlos would then pass on his teachings to his brothers. -
The Development of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
At age 14, Hélio Gracie, the youngest of the brothers, moved in with his older brothers who lived and taught Jiu-Jitsu in a house in Botafogo. Following a doctor's recommendations, Hélio would spend the next few years being limited to watching his brothers teach as he was naturally frail. Over time, Hélio Gracie gradually developed Gracie Jiu Jitsu with his brothers as an adaptation of Judo, as he was unable to perform many Judo moves.[ -
Meeting the Challenge
The Gracie family continued to develop the system throughout the 20th century, often fighting full-contact matches(precursors to modern MMA), during which it increased its focus on ground fighting and refined its techniques. Hélio Gracie had competed in several submission-based competitions which mostly ended in him winning. One defeat was by visiting Japanese judoka Masahiko Kimura, whose surname the Gracies gave to the arm lock used to defeat Hélio. -
In the Spotlight
Jiu-Jitsu came to international prominence in the martial arts community in the early 1990s, when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Royce Gracie won the first, second and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championships, which at the time were single elimination martial arts tournaments. Royce fought against often much-larger opponents who were practicing other styles, including boxing, shoot-fighting, karate, Wrestling, judo and tae kwon do. It has since become a staple art for many MMA fighters and is large -
Continuing the Legacy
In 2007, Rilion Gracie, the youngest son of founder Carlos Gracie, opened his own academy in Miami, FL. Regarded as one of the most technical fighters within the art, he continues to instill the principles of Jiu-jitsu in his students.
