Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist
Roger Gracie (born Roger Gracie Gomes;[b] 26 September, 1981) is a Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and 5th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner and coach.[a]
The son of coral belt Mauricio Gomes and grandson of BJJ founder Carlos Gracie, Roger Gracie is one of jiu-jitsu's most decorated and accomplished athletes and considered by many as the greatest competitor in jiu-jitsu history.[7]
A member of both IBJJF Hall of Fame and ADCC Hall of Fame, Gracie won 10 IBJJF world championship titles across multiple weight classes, every year from 2004 to 2010, becoming the first competitor to win the open weight division 3 times. He is also a two-time European Champion, and a Pan Champion. Gracie is an ADCC Submission Fighting weight, absolute, and superfight champion, the only athlete to win gold in both his weight class and the open weight division with a 100% submission-rate. Gracie retired in 2017 after defeating then BJJ world champion Marcus Buchecha, leaving jiu-jitsu without a single submission defeat on his record.
Competing concurrently in MMA, Gracie is the 2016 ONE Light Heavyweight Champion, a former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight contender, holding at the time of his retirement in 2017 a professional record of 8–2.
Early life
Roger Gomes Gracie was born on 26 September 1981 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1][8] His mother, Reila Gracie, was a daughter of Carlos Gracie, the founder of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and his father, Mauricio Gomes, was a jiu-jitsu black belt under Rolls Gracie and a famous competitor in the 1970s known as Maurição.[9] From a very young age Gracie started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.[1]
Brazilian jiu-jitsu career
Early career
During his teenage years, after training with his uncle Rilion Gracie, Gracie started competition.[1] In 1999 he won the Brazilian National Jiu-Jitsu Championship fighting as blue belt in the middleweight division[10] then the following year Gracie won the 2000 Pan American Championship followed by the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship both in the medium-heavy blue belt division.[11] That same year, 18-year-old Gracie was arrested by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro together with three other grapplers (Rafael Lima, Rafael Ramos and Murilo Carvalho), for allegedly shooting paintball and rubber bullets guns at three transvestites.[12][13] Gracie was not prosecuted but the incident led his mother to send him to London to live with his father, who had moved to England to set up the first Gracie Barra academy in the UK.[13]
Training in the UK with his father and in Brazil with his uncle Carlos Gracie, Jr.,[9] Gracie won another world championship title in 2001, this time as a purple belt, in the medium heavy division, under team Gracie Barra;[14] Also in 2001 after receiving his brown belt he won the Brazilian Nationals for the second time.[15] In 2002 as a brown belt Gracie won both the heavyweight division and the open class becoming double world champion for the first time.[16] Competing at the 2003 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship taking place for the first time in São Paulo on 17 May, Gracie arrived third in the -99 kilograms (218 lb) category, after defeating Mário Sperry and Rigan Machado but losing to John-Olav Einemo (2–0).[17] In 2003 at age 22, Gracie received his black belt from his uncle Carlos Gracie Jr.[9][1]
Black belt career
In his first year as black belt Gracie won silver at the 2003 World Championship after losing by points to Márcio Cruz. In 2004 Gracie won the ADCC South American Trials held in Campos Brazil, winning both his weight class (-99 kilograms (218 lb)) and the open weight division with a 100% submission-rate.[18]
2004–2005: First IBJJF titles, ADCC world double gold
At the 2004 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Gracie won the super heavyweight division but lost the final of the Absolute in a controversial match, after his opponent Ronaldo "Jacaré" Souza refused to tap out after getting armbared, got his arm dislocated as a result, then stayed away from Gracie with his broken left arm tucked into his belt, to keep his lead on points and win the match.[19]
In May 2005 Gracie competed in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship taking place at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach California.[20] Gracie won all 8 of his matches, both at the super heavyweight[21] and at the absolute weight classes,[20] submitting Ronaldo Souza with a rear naked choke from standing, becoming the first grappler in history to win both divisions after submitting every single opponents.[22] That same year Gracie won the 2005 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship with silver in Absolute, then double gold at the 2005 European Open Championship winning the ultra heavyweight division and defeating Ronaldo Souza in the Absolute.[23]
2006–2007: Pan Am champion, ADCC superfight champion
In April 2006 competing at the Pan American Championship taking place at California State University , Gracie won silver in the super heavyweight division after losing by points to Xande Ribeiro, the fourth loss of his career; he then won gold in Absolute after submitting the same Ribeiro in a triangle within 30 seconds.[24] Gracie won another world title in 2006, at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship taking place in Rio de Janeiro, after defeating Robert Drysdale in the super heavyweight final, Gracie then won silver in Absolute, after losing by points against Xande Ribeiro, in the last few seconds of the fight;[25]
In 2007 Gracie won both divisions, earning double world championship gold for weight and absolute, submitting all his opponents except Fernando Pontes "Margarida";[26] At the 2007 ADCC world championships in Trenton, New Jersey, Gracie fought and won by points, a superfight against Jon Olav Einemo, one of only four men who had managed to defeat him in the past, Gracie became in the process the first ADCC triple crown winner.[27]
2008–2010: Tenth world title, retirement from competition
The following year Gracie became the 2008 World Champion but lost the Absolute final against Xande Ribeiro after the clock ran out.[28] At the 2009 World Championship Gracie submitted all of his opponents, in the super heavyweight and in the absolute weight class, with a "cross choke from mount", winning double gold again.[29][30]
In 2010 Gracie fought his last world championship, Gracie won both divisions, winning 8 fights with a "choke from the back", defeating Ricardo Abreu by points in the Super Heavyweight final, and winning the Absolute without fighting, after Romulo Barral forfeited due to an injury. Gracie became the first athlete to win 3 Open weight titles at black belt level.[31] Gracie announced leaving BJJ competition to focus on his mixed martial arts career.[32]
Superfights
Gracie vs. Buchecha
In 2012, Gracie returned to grappling competition for one night only at Metamoris 1, a submission only superfights event, to face Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida "the new 22-year-old heavyweight jiu-jitsu sensation', the bout was ruled a draw, while the match, which lasted 20 minutes, was noted by some as "one of the greatest grappling matches ever recorded".[32]
Gracie vs. Comprido
In July 2015, having not competed jiu-jitsu in 5 years, Gracie returned to competitive grappling to face Rodrigo Comprido, at a superfight American Nationals event during the UFC Fan Expo, winning via armbar in about 4 minutes.[33]
Gracie vs. Buchecha II
On 23 July 2017, at Gracie Pro jiu-jitsu an event taking place at Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro, Gracie faced Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida for a 15-minute superfight dubbed "the most-anticipated rematch in jiu-jitsu history",[34] at that point both fighters held 10 world championship titles and were considered the greatest competitors in the sport. In the five previous years Gracie only fought one match against Rodrigo Comprido while Buchecha fought seventy matches winning more world championship titles than any other fighter at the time.[35] Gracie submitted Buchecha with a lapel choke at the 6:52 mark of the match, right after his win, Gracie announced his final retirement from BJJ competition.[36]
Recognition
Having never been submitted in 20 years of competition, holding 14 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship titles (10 as black belt), with three gold and five silver in the open weight division,[37][38] Gracie is regarded by many as the greatest jiu-jitsu competitor of all time.[7] In May 2014 he was inducted into the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Hall of Fame.[39]
On 14 November 2021, Gracie became the first person to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame, owing in part to his two gold medals at the 2005 ADCC world championship and his superfight victory in 2007.[40] In July 2022 Gracie received his 5th Stripe on his BJJ black belt from his father, Mauricio Gomes.[41]
Mixed martial arts career
Gracie made his MMA debut in 2006, defeating veteran Ron Waterman by armbar submission in the 1st round at the Bodogfight pay-per-view USA vs Russia. On May 18, 2008, Gracie competed at Sengoku 2, where he defeated Yuki Kondo at 2:40 min of round 1 by rear naked choke.
2009–2012: Strikeforce
Gracie announced at the December 19, 2009, Strikeforce Evolution show that he had signed a contract with Strikeforce to make his American MMA debut.[42] On September 11, 2011, Gracie suffered his first MMA loss when he faced former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal. Gracie was knocked out in the first round.[43] Gracie made his middleweight debut against UFC veteran Keith Jardine at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy on July 14, 2012, winning the fight via unanimous decision. Gracie then won his next bout via submission defeating Anthony Smith at Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine
2013: Ultimate Fighting Championship
On January 15, 2013, the UFC announced that Gracie would be one of 20 Strikeforce fighters folding into the organisation,[44] making him the 4th member of the Gracie family to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Gracie fought Tim Kennedy on July 6, 2013, at UFC 162.[45] His training camp included Bulgarian national wrestling champion Lyubo Kumbarov.[46] Gracie lost the fight by unanimous decision, and the UFC opted not to renew his contract.[47]
2014–2016: ONE Championship
In August 2014, Gracie signed a multi-fight deal with Singapore based promotion ONE Championship. Gracie returned to the Light Heavyweight division, known as "Cruiserweight" on ONE, and in his debut faced James McSweeney at ONE FC 23: Warrior's Way on December 5, 2014.[48][49] He won the fight via TKO in the third round.
On May 6, 2016, he defeated Michal Pasternak for the inaugural ONE FC Cruiserweight Championship, winning the bout by Arm Triangle in the first round.[50]
On October 14, 2017 Gracie announced his retirement from MMA three months after retiring from Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Roger Gracie Academy
With the help of his father, 8th degree coral belt Maurício "Maurição" Motta Gomes, Roger established the Roger Gracie Academy in 2004 in Ladbroke Grove, London.[51] Notable Black belt promotions include Raymond Stevens, Nicolas Gregoriades and Kywan Gracie Behring.[52]
Career records
Brazilian jiu-jitsu / Submission wrestling record
Mixed martial arts record
Professional record breakdown
| 10 matches
|
8 wins
|
2 losses
|
| By knockout
|
1
|
1
|
| By submission
|
6
|
0
|
| By decision
|
1
|
1
|
| Res.
|
Record
|
Opponent
|
Method
|
Event
|
Date
|
Round
|
Time
|
Location
|
Notes
|
| Win
|
8–2
|
Michał Pasternak
|
Technical Submission (arm-triangle choke)
|
ONE: Ascent to Power
|
6 May 2016
|
1
|
2:13
|
Kallang, Singapore
|
Won the inaugural ONE Light Heavyweight Championship.
|
| Win
|
7–2
|
James McSweeney
|
TKO (front kick and punches)
|
ONE FC: Warrior's Way
|
5 December 2014
|
3
|
3:15
|
Pasay, Philippines
|
Return to Light Heavyweight.
|
| Loss
|
6–2
|
Tim Kennedy
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
UFC 162
|
6 July 2013
|
3
|
5:00
|
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|
| Win
|
6–1
|
Anthony Smith
|
Submission (arm-triangle choke)
|
Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine
|
12 January 2013
|
2
|
3:16
|
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States
|
|
| Win
|
5–1
|
Keith Jardine
|
Decision (unanimous)
|
Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Kennedy
|
14 July 2012
|
3
|
5:00
|
Portland, Oregon, United States
|
Middleweight debut.
|
| Loss
|
4–1
|
Muhammed Lawal
|
KO (punches)
|
Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov
|
10 September 2011
|
1
|
4:33
|
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
|
|
| Win
|
4–0
|
Trevor Prangley
|
Submission (rear-naked choke)
|
Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Cyborg
|
29 January 2011
|
1
|
4:19
|
San Jose, California, United States
|
|
| Win
|
3–0
|
Kevin Randleman
|
Submission (rear-naked choke)
|
Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery
|
15 May 2010
|
2
|
4:10
|
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
|
|
| Win
|
2–0
|
Yuki Kondo
|
Submission (rear-naked choke)
|
World Victory Road Presents: Sengoku 2
|
18 May 2008
|
1
|
2:40
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
Light Heavyweight debut.
|
| Win
|
1–0
|
Ron Waterman
|
Submission (armbar)
|
BodogFight: USA vs. Russia
|
2 December 2006
|
1
|
3:38
|
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
|
Heavyweight debut.
|
