Marcelo Behring

Marcelo Behring was one of the most vital and influential Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) figures of the 1980s. Widely regarded as a charismatic ambassador for the sport, he was praised by his master, Rickson Gracie, as his absolute best student. At the peak of his athletic prime, the Brazilian sports media widely considered him the number two fighter in the world, trailing only Rickson himself.

Early Life and Family Legacy
Born in 1965 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Marcelo was born into grappling royalty. He was the son of Jiu-Jitsu Red Belt Flavio Behring and the brother of prominent BJJ instructor Sylvio Behring. Given his family background, he began his martial arts journey as a young child, practicing Jiu-Jitsu with his father and Judo under masters Hélcio Gama and George Medhi.

At age 14, his father gave him the freedom to choose where he wanted to train. Marcelo chose to join Rickson Gracie’s academy. He proved to be a natural prodigy, working as an assistant coach by the age of 16. His close ties to the Gracie family eventually led to a relationship with Kirla Gracie (the daughter of Carlos Gracie Sr.), with whom he had two sons, Kyron and Kywan.

The Surf-Jitsu Lifestyle and Moving to São Paulo
Beyond the mats, Marcelo was a passionate, high-profile figure in the Brazilian surfing circuit. He frequently bridged the gap between the two worlds, using his popularity and interviews in prominent surfing magazines like Fluir and Trip to promote the lifestyle and physical benefits of Jiu-Jitsu to surfers.

In 1987, Marcelo’s father was offered a banking position in São Paulo and invited Marcelo to move with him to open an academy. While São Paulo already had established instructors, the local scene lacked major tournament buzz. Marcelo brought a modernized, highly aggressive style of Jiu-Jitsu that was years ahead of what was being taught in the region. He traveled the state giving seminars to academies of all lineages—including Judo schools—single-handedly igniting a massive BJJ boom in São Paulo.

The Historic Cassio Cardoso Bouts
In 1988, Marcelo engaged in one of the most legendary rivalries of the era against Cassio Cardoso, a standout representative of Carlson Gracie’s team. The two were perfectly matched, holding one victory over each other.

To settle the score, a historic 30-minute super-fight was organized at the Jardim Babilônia event house. Under the rules of the era, if the match was a draw after 30 minutes, an additional 30 minutes of extra time would be added. After a grueling, scoreless initial 30 minutes, the two battled into overtime, where Cardoso ultimately secured a 6-2 victory via guard passes. Despite the loss, the epic encounter cemented Behring’s status as an elite warrior.

Tragic Downfall
In the early 1990s, Marcelo traveled to Australia to surf, where it is believed he was first introduced to hard narcotics. Upon his return to Brazil, he began showing severe signs of cocaine addiction.

His family attempted to intervene, placing him in a rehabilitation clinic in 1994, but he was unable to complete the treatment. Though he tried throwing himself back into teaching Jiu-Jitsu to stay clean, he tragically relapsed shortly after. In 1995, after he went missing for months, a private investigator hired by his family discovered that Marcelo had been shot and killed in the Ladeira dos Tabajaras area of Copacabana, a notorious drug haven at the time. He was just 30 years old. His untimely passing shocked the martial arts world, leaving behind a profound legacy as the man who helped pave the way for modern Jiu-Jitsu in São Paulo.

Practitioner Profile
Weight Division: Peso Leve (76 kg / 167 lbs) and Peso Médio (82 kg / 181 lbs)

Main Achievements: Undefeated in Mixed Martial Arts (Vale Tudo); Multi-time Rio de Janeiro State Champion

Team Association: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu