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The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) was officially formed in 2002 under the leadership of Carlos Gracie Jr. Its mission was to provide a unified governing body for sport BJJ, standardizing rules, belt systems, and major tournaments such as...

When the Ultimate Fighting Championship launched in 1993, most fighters represented striking arts like boxing, karate, or kickboxing. Royce Gracie’s dominance in the first tournaments shocked the martial arts world. Using Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he defeated much ...

For much of its early history, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was male-dominated, with limited opportunities for women to compete. That began to change in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as women practitioners pushed for equal representation. Organizations like the IBJJF...

The first dedicated BJJ school in the United States was the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California, opened in the late 1980s by Rorion Gracie. Before this, BJJ was taught sporadically through seminars or private lessons, but the Torrance academy provided a per...

BJJ owes much of its foundation to Kodokan judo, which emphasized throws, pins, and groundwork (newaza). Mitsuyo Maeda, who taught the Gracie family, was a judoka who favored ground techniques. As BJJ evolved, it retained many judo-based throws and concepts bu...

As BJJ spread internationally, particularly in the United States, wrestling became a major influence. Wrestlers entering BJJ competitions brought with them explosive takedowns, strong top control, and an aggressive pace that changed the dynamics of matches. I...

Children’s BJJ programs started to appear as the art became more mainstream in the 1990s and 2000s. Initially seen as an adult pursuit, instructors began offering youth classes to teach self-defense, discipline, and confidence. Parents were drawn to BJJ’s focu...

In BJJ culture, the word “creonte” is used to describe someone who switches teams, often viewed as disloyalty. The term originates from Carlson Gracie, who borrowed it from a Brazilian soap opera character known for betrayal. In the tight-knit world of early B...

In the early days, most practitioners balanced training with other jobs. As the sport professionalized, a new generation of full-time athletes emerged, dedicating their lives to competition. Sponsorships, prize money, and online instructionals gave athletes th...

The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. With close-contact training deemed unsafe, gyms around the world closed for months, and competitions were canceled. Many practitioners turned to solo drills, online classes, and conceptual lea...

For decades, Brazilian athletes dominated the IBJJF World Championships. That changed in 2007 when American Rafael Lovato Jr. won gold at the black belt level, becoming the first non-Brazilian world champion. His victory marked a turning point in the sport’s g...

Social media has been one of the most powerful forces in the global growth of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have made techniques, match highlights, and athlete stories accessible to millions. Where once knowledge was guarde...

FloGrappling, launched in 2015 as part of the FloSports network, revolutionized BJJ coverage. By offering live-streamed tournaments, documentaries, and behind-the-scenes content, it provided a central hub for fans who previously had little access to profession...

Before professional leagues and major streaming deals, early superfight series showcased elite grapplers in one-off matches. Events like Gracie in Action, the original Metamoris (2012), and Copa Pódio brought international attention to high-level BJJ outside o...

In BJJ’s early decades, belt promotions were highly subjective, often based on personal relationships and years of loyalty. Standards varied widely from school to school, with no unified system. As the art grew globally, governing bodies like the IBJJF introdu...

Police departments worldwide have adopted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as part of defensive tactics training. The art’s focus on control, leverage, and non-lethal restraint makes it particularly suited for arrest scenarios where minimizing injury is critical. Programs ...

Elite military units around the world have long sought effective close-combat systems, and BJJ has become a core part of their training. Its emphasis on grappling control and submissions provides soldiers with tools for unarmed combat in high-stress situations...

In some regions, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been introduced as part of prison rehabilitation initiatives. The discipline, respect, and physical exertion required by the art provide inmates with a constructive outlet and an opportunity to build self-control. Whil...

BJJ first arrived in Europe in the 1990s, brought by Brazilian instructors who settled in countries like the UK, Portugal, and Scandinavia. The spread was accelerated by visiting black belts who gave seminars, often to communities already practicing judo or tr...

As the practitioner base aged, the IBJJF recognized the need for divisions tailored to older athletes. The introduction of Masters divisions allowed competitors over 30 to face peers of similar age, extending competitive careers well into the 40s, 50s, and eve...