Jiu-Jitsu History 101
In order to understand how traditional Jiu-Jitsu has come to be known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, or simply, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, let’s go back to the late 1800s to the country of Japan. Traditional Jiu-Jitsu was strictly used for Self-Defense. Techniques revolved around striking, throwing, pinning, strangling and most importantly, using your opponent’s momentum against him. The objective of Jiu-Jitsu was to disable, disarm or kill your opponent.
During the Samurai era, Samurais needed to learn how to defend themselves when they didn’t have any kind of weapon at hand. Without self-Defense, a Samurai was more likely to get killed on the battlefield.
Jigoro Kano, a lifetime practitioner of Judo and Jiu Jitsu, had a student named Mitsuyo Maeda. Maeda, after demonstrating the teachings of Kano around the United States and Europe, found his way to Brazil where the Japanese were trying to establish a colony at the time.
While establishing himself in Brazil, Maeda met a man by the name of Gastao Gracie. As their friendship prospered, Gracie asked Maeda if he could start teaching Jiu Jitsu to his son, Carlos Gracie.
Years later, Carlos decided to open up his ownacademy and brought his younger brother, Helio Gracie, with him. Unlike his brother, Helio was a very physically weak fighter.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
The Jiu Jitsutaught from Maeda to Carlos Gracie was one that emphasized speed and strength. Because Helio didn’t have the same physical attributes as his brother, Jiu Jitsu was much harder for him.
Helio began to modify the techniques he learned from his older brother to emphasize timing and leverage; characteristics that didn’t require for anyone to be physically gifted – this was the beginning of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.
Helio started challenging anyone in order to prove that the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu he had developed made him a superior fighter. Soon enough, lots of people came to the call. Many public fights displayed the dominance of Helio’s fighting style he developed.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu started gaining popularity because of such events. People couldn’t believe that a man of physical attributes like Helio Gracie could defeat bigger and stronger opponents. Due to the success of these public events, the name Gracie quickly gained popularity nationwide.
The California Era
Rorion Gracie, Helio’s eldest son, moved to Torrance, California in the 1970s and began teaching BJJ out of his home garage. Just like his dad, Rorion started making public challenges to any other fighter that was willing to brawl. With the challenge came a $100,000 reward to the fighter that was able to beat the Gracies.
Fighter after fighter came to Rorion’s garage to accept the challenge. Unfortunately for them, the Gracie’s fighting style was unlike anything they had seen before. Most of the fights ended by submission in front of many eyes.
To make BJJ gain even more popularity, Rorion co-founded the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and recruited the best fighters from their respective disciplines to showcase their skills. Since Rorion was a big man, he decided that it would be more impressive if his younger, more slim and shorter brother, Royce Gracie, was the one that demonstrated the efficiency of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
As Rorion expected, Royce was victorious in the first UFC event back in 1993. Royce successfully demonstrated how BJJ was a superior fighting style than any other out there.
Here is a link to a video that summarizes the first UFC back in 1993:
Where is Jiu-Jitsu now?
Nowadays, BJJ has drastically shifted from its Self-Defense beginning to a more sport friendly style.
Organizations like the IBJJF, UAEJJF, North, NAGA, JJWL, and etc, have helped to promote the sport. The IBJJF has a worldwide circuit that makes BJJ tournaments more accessible to people living in different countries.
Older practitioners tend to criticize the shift the Martial Art they learned has sadly gotten diluted over the years to what it has become now. But, just like many other things, BJJ has evolved and will continue to do so. It’s imperative, however, that instructors keep teaching the fundamental aspect of Self-Defense.
Big teams like Gracie Barra, Alliance, Brazilian Top Team, and etc, are giving people a chance to make a living off teaching BJJ. Chances are if you google.
Where is BJJ going?
It’s tough to say with certaintywhere BJJ is going. Some wonder if the sport will ever make it to the Olympics. Others wonder if the sport will ever go back to its Self-Defense roots. One thing I can assure you is that BJJ will only keep growing in popularity.
As the sport reaches continues to grow, there will come new opportunities and challenges. It is indispensable, however, to have a solid grasp of where this Martial Art came from, why it was created, and who the responsible parties were for bringing it to the world.