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Checkmat was founded in 2008 by Leonardo Vieira, a former Alliance competitor and one of the most creative grapplers of his generation. The team quickly established itself as a competitive force, winning IBJJF World and ADCC titles within its first few years. ...

In its early decades, BJJ was taught primarily as a self-defense system, rooted in the philosophy that technique could allow a smaller person to survive a real fight. As organized competitions grew in the mid-20th century, however, the art began shifting towar...

When the first Ultimate Fighting Championship was held in 1993, it forever changed martial arts. Royce Gracie, representing his family’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, stunned the world by defeating much larger opponents using chokes and submissions. The sight of a rela...

Japan’s Pride Fighting Championships, active from 1997 to 2007, was one of the most influential MMA organizations of all time, and BJJ played a starring role. Fighters like Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Ricardo Arona, and Murilo Bustamante showcased high-level gra...

Eddie Bravo emerged as a major innovator in no-gi jiu-jitsu after submitting Royler Gracie at ADCC 2003. Building on his unique approach, Bravo founded the 10th Planet system, a no-gi style that emphasizes flexibility, control positions like rubber guard, and ...

Traditional tournaments dominated BJJ competition for decades, but the 2010s saw the rise of superfights: one-off, high-profile matches between elite athletes. These events, often organized by professional leagues or streamed online, allowed fans to watch drea...

For much of its history, earning a BJJ black belt was a rare achievement, often requiring decades of training. As the sport spread globally in the 2000s and 2010s, however, the number of black belts grew dramatically. The “black belt boom” reflected both the p...

Modern BJJ exists in a constant dialogue with other grappling arts. The cross-training era, which began gaining traction in the late 20th century, saw practitioners actively incorporating wrestling takedowns, judo throws, sambo submissions, and MMA strategies ...

Submission-only competition emerged as a response to criticisms of point-based tournaments, where athletes sometimes focused on winning by advantages rather than pursuing a finish. In submission-only events, matches continue until one competitor secures a subm...

For years, the BJJ community has speculated about the art’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. Supporters argue that BJJ has the global presence, competitive infrastructure, and spectator appeal to qualify. Organizations like the IBJJF have attempted to standardi...

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu arrived in Australia during the 1990s, brought by traveling black belts and early adopters influenced by the UFC. One of the earliest figures was John Will, who trained with the Gracies and became part of the “Dirty Dozen” — the first twelv...

BJJ was introduced to the UK in the early 1990s through seminars led by visiting Brazilian instructors and students who had traveled abroad. Early pioneers like Mauricio Gomes, Roger Gracie’s father, were instrumental in establishing permanent academies. Gomes...

BJJ’s arrival in Japan was, in a way, a “homecoming,” since the art evolved from Japanese judo and jiu-jitsu. In the 1990s, Brazilian fighters such as Rickson Gracie and others competed in Japan’s Vale Tudo and MMA events, reintroducing the modified ground-foc...

Before social media, online forums like Sherdog, The Underground, and dedicated BJJ boards played a crucial role in spreading techniques and news. These communities allowed practitioners to discuss training, share competition footage, and debate strategies. Fo...

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, before YouTube existed, instructional tapes and DVDs were a lifeline for practitioners. Athletes like Renzo Gracie, Jean Jacques Machado, and later Marcelo Garcia released detailed breakdowns of their techniques. These materi...

Carlson Gracie, known for his aggressive and innovative style, formed his own team after breaking away from the main Gracie Academy. His focus on competition, teamwork, and modern techniques contrasted with the more traditional, family-centered approach of the...

One of the earliest instructional books on BJJ was Gracie Jiu-Jitsu by Hélio Gracie, published in the mid-20th century. This book laid out the foundations of the system, with photographs and explanations of techniques focused on self-defense. It was a rare res...

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has increasingly been adopted by law enforcement and civilian self-defense programs worldwide. Its emphasis on leverage and control makes it particularly suited for subduing opponents without striking, reducing the risk of serious injury. T...

The Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Wrestling World Championship was created in 1998 by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE, who was himself a dedicated BJJ practitioner. Unlike IBJJF competitions, ADCC focused entirely on no-gi grappling, wi...

Rivalries have been central to BJJ’s competitive culture, pushing athletes and teams to innovate. Historic clashes like Carlson Gracie’s team versus the traditional Gracie Academy, or later Alliance versus Gracie Barra, defined eras of dominance. On an individ...