The Gracie lineage
Who is Renzo Gracie?
A teacher, competitor and builder of schools, and the name behind our academy in Boca Raton.
Biography
Born into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Renzo Gracie was born in Rio de Janeiro on March 11, 1967. His father, Robson Gracie, and his grandfather, Carlos Gracie, belong to the family that developed and spread Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Growing up in that environment, he started learning as a boy and began showing techniques to friends at a very young age.
As a young man he trained with the Gracie Barra team and received his black belt in the early 1990s. According to the official IBJJF record, he was Brazilian national champion in the adult black belt lightweight division in 1994.
Competitor
From the mat to the world stage
Renzo tested his Jiu-Jitsu in different rule sets. His professional record in Brazilian vale-tudo begins in 1992. In grappling, official ADCC results list him as champion of the 77 kg division in 1998 and again in 2000, in the Abu Dhabi tournament that became an international reference for no-gi competition.
He made his UFC debut in 2010, at age 43, and returned to MMA in 2018, at 51, finishing Yuki Kondo with a rear-naked choke in the second round. Wins and losses are part of any long career, and Renzo has always spoken openly about both.
Teacher
A school that outlives any single fight
Alongside competing, Renzo built his legacy as a teacher. In the mid-1990s he opened his academy in Manhattan, New York, which became a training ground for students from many countries. Many of those students became instructors and opened schools of their own, so the Renzo Gracie name now appears on academies around the world.
Renzo Gracie West Boca Raton belongs to that family. Here, Master André Araújo and Head Coach Guilherme Lyra teach the Gracie method to students of every age, with the same focus on technique, respect and long-term growth.
Teaching is my legacy
An interview in which Renzo Gracie talks about Jiu-Jitsu and teaching.
Learn more about Renzo
For news, seminars and the wider Renzo Gracie network, visit Renzo Gracie's official website. To train with the Renzo Gracie method in Boca Raton, book a free class with us.
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