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The IBJJF Formation
The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) was founded in 1994 by Carlos Gracie Jr....
International Expansion
While the United States became the first major hub outside Brazil, BJJ quickly spread to other re...
First BJJ Academies in Brazil
The earliest BJJ academies were established by the Gracie family in the 1920s and 30s. Carlos and...
Vale Tudo and BJJ
Vale tudo, meaning “anything goes,” was a Brazilian combat sport that predated modern MMA and ser...
Oswaldo Fadda and Non-Gracie Lineages
While the Gracie family dominates the popular history of BJJ, other important lineages developed ...
Carlson Gracie Era
Carlson Gracie, the son of Carlos Gracie, was a pivotal figure in shaping modern competitive BJJ....
The Gracie Challenge
One of the defining traditions in the early development of BJJ was the Gracie Challenge. Througho...
Maeda’s Travels
Before settling in Brazil, Mitsuyo Maeda embarked on a remarkable journey that took him across th...
Kodokan Judo and BJJ
The roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can be traced back to Kodokan Judo, the school founded by Jigoro...
Early Japanese Jiu-Jitsu
The origins of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lie in classical Japanese jiu-jitsu, a collection of martial t...
The Modern Professional BJJ Scene
Today, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is both a martial art and a global spectator sport. Professional athle...
Evolution of BJJ Rulesets
The rules of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition have changed dramatically over time. Early matches o...
BJJ in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu revolutionized mixed martial arts. Early UFC events revealed that grappling w...
The Rise of No-Gi Grappling
No-gi grappling represents a major evolution in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. By removing the traditional ...
BJJ’s Introduction to the United States
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu reached the United States in the 1980s, largely through seminars conducted by...
Growth of BJJ in Brazil
Once planted in Brazil, jiu-jitsu flourished. Throughout the mid-20th century, BJJ spread across ...
Mitsuyo Maeda and the Gracie Family
The story of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu cannot be told without Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese judoka and priz...
Origins of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) traces its roots to the early 20th century, when Japanese martial arts ...