Carlos Gracie Jr.
Red Belt 9° Degree
Gracie Barra — Irvine, California, USA (HQ)
January 17, 1956
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About
Carlos Gracie Junior is one of the most highly regarded Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) coaches in the world. He is famously known as the founder of the sport’s most prestigious governing body, the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) / Confederação Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu (CBJJ), and the co-founder of the legendary Gracie Barra team.
Early Life and Roots
Born: January 17, 1956, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Family: He is the son of BJJ founder Carlos Gracie Sr., but he was partially raised and heavily trained under the supervision of his uncle, Helio Gracie.
Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Junior.
Growing up, Carlinhos closely followed the training philosophies of his older brother, Rolls Gracie. He frequently joined Rolls in cross-training endeavors, venturing into Sambo and wrestling competitions.
Coaching Career & The Birth of Gracie Barra
In his early twenties, Carlos Jr. helped run the main Gracie Academy alongside his cousin Rickson Gracie. After a brief hiatus to study nutrition at a Rio de Janeiro university, he returned to assist Rolls as a coach. Around 1977, he was awarded his black belt by his uncle Helio Gracie.
Following the tragic passing of Rolls Gracie in a hang-gliding accident, Carlos Jr. stepped up to lead Rolls’ Copacabana academy. A few years later, in 1986, he decided to open his own gym in Barra da Tijuca, a small, isolated beach suburb at the time. Alongside partners Crolin Gracie, Rilion Gracie, and “Zé Beleza,” he founded Gracie Barra. The academy exploded in popularity, growing from 20 to 200 students in just over a year.
Building the Sport’s Infrastructure
Carlos Gracie Jr. is widely celebrated for shifting BJJ into an organized, global sport:
CBJJ/IBJJF: In 1992, he formed the “Associação de Jiu Jitsu da Barra,” which quickly grew due to its highly successful competitions. This laid the groundwork for the creation of the CBJJ in 1994, which eventually expanded internationally into the IBJJF, the premier governing body for sport jiu-jitsu.
GracieMag: In 1994, he launched Jornal Gracie, a media outlet dedicated to promoting the sporting aspect of BJJ. It later evolved into GracieMag, becoming the definitive media reference for the global jiu-jitsu community for many years.
Legacy and Honors
As a coach, Carlos Jr. has produced hundreds of world champions, including Hall of Fame competitors like “Roleta” and Kyra Gracie. For his monumental contributions to the martial art, he was awarded his 7th-degree coral belt in 2008 and reached the prestigious rank of 8th-degree white and red belt in 2015.
Black Belts Promoted 93
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