Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

From Japan to Brazil: the origin story

The story of BJJ begins in Japan at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1882, Jigoro Kano developed judo from traditional Japanese jiujitsu and created a more systematic and safer form of grappling. One of Kano's most talented students was Mitsuyo Maeda, a tireless competitor who traveled the world and demonstrated judo and jiujitsu in challenge matches across Europe and North and South America.

In 1914, Maeda arrived in Brazil. There, he met Gastao Gracie, a local businessman who helped him establish himself in the country. In return, Maeda taught jiujitsu to Carlos Gracie, Gastao's eldest son. Carlos then began training his brothers, including the youngest, Helio.

Helio Gracie and the birth of BJJ

Helio Gracie was a slight young man who could not perform the more physically demanding judo techniques. Out of necessity, he began adapting these techniques, placing greater emphasis on leverage, timing, and body mechanics than on strength. These adaptations became the philosophical and technical foundation of what would become Brazilian jiujitsu: a system that allows a physically smaller or weaker person on the ground to survive against and make a larger opponent tap out.

Helio proved his system by fighting some of the toughest men in the world, including the famous 3-hour-and-45-minute bout against Japanese judoka Masahiko Kimura in 1951. Kimura was so impressed that he offered Helio a scholarship to Japan. The shoulder lock with which Kimura ultimately defeated him is still known worldwide as the “Kimura,” in his honor.

UFC 1 and the breakthrough around the world

The Gracie family had a tradition of open challenge matches, “vale-tudo” fights, to prove the effectiveness of their system. In 1993, Royce Gracie, Helio's son, took part in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament in Denver, Colorado. The concept was simple: pit fighters from different disciplines against one another with minimal rules.

Royce won UFC 1, UFC 2, and UFC 4, often defeating opponents who were much larger than him by taking the fights to the ground and making them tap out with techniques most fighters had never seen before. The world watched in disbelief as a slight Brazilian in a gi made wrestlers, boxers, and kickboxers tap out with chokes. Almost overnight, BJJ became the most talked-about martial art in the world.

The message was clear: anyone who did not know how to fight on the ground was incomplete as a fighter. Every serious MMA gym in the world added BJJ to its curriculum. The sport never looked back.

The development of BJJ

1990s - the MMA revolution: Royce Gracie's dominance in the UFC puts BJJ on the map. Teams such as Gracie Barra, Alliance, and Carlson Gracie begin producing world-class competitors.

2000s - sport BJJ grows: the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) standardizes competitions. The world championships in Rio de Janeiro become the sport's most prestigious event. The black belt divisions become exceptionally competitive.

2010s - No-Gi and submission-only: a new generation pushes the sport toward No-Gi competitions and formats in which only a submission determines the result. Polaris, Quintet, EBI, and ADCC gain prominence. Grapplers such as Gordon Ryan, Craig Jones, and Garry Tonon redefine what grappling at the highest level looks like.

2020s - global mainstream sport: BJJ academies exist in virtually every country. Millions of elite athletes, celebrities, and recreational athletes practice the sport. It is now the fastest-growing martial art in the Western world.

Gi versus No-Gi – two worlds, one art

BJJ consists of two parallel competitive worlds: Gi and No-Gi. In Gi BJJ, fighters wear the traditional kimono (gi), a cotton jacket and trousers designed to withstand gripping. The gi creates a completely different tactical landscape: collar chokes, lapel guards, and sleeve control form the foundation. The friction of the fabric slows the pace and rewards patience and technical precision.

No-Gi BJJ is practiced in a rashguard and shorts, without fabric to grip. The pace is faster, leg locks play a bigger role—especially heel hooks in modern No-Gi competitions—and the style rewards athleticism and dynamic scrambles. The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship is the most important No-Gi event and is widely considered the toughest tournament to win in grappling.

Gordon Ryan, a multiple-time ADCC champion and absolute-division winner, represents the pinnacle of modern No-Gi BJJ. His system, built around back attacks and entries into leg locks under coach John Danaher, has reshaped the image of elite-level BJJ and influenced an entire generation of grapplers worldwide.

BJJ competitions – IBJJF and beyond

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is the dominant organizer of Gi competitions worldwide. The federation organizes the World Championship (Mundials) in Long Beach, the European Championship in Lisbon, the Pan American Championship, and dozens of major open tournaments. IBJJF competitions are the main route for Gi BJJ competitors at every belt level.

Alongside the IBJJF, the professional grappling circuit, featuring Who's Number One (WNO), Polaris, Quintet, Fight to Win, and other organizations, offers high-quality No-Gi events with prize money and production values that have brought grappling to a mainstream audience for the first time.