Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an excellent martial art for teaching smaller individuals how to deal effectively with larger opponents. It is now one of the more popular disciplines studied by Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Fighters and is seen in most Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) matches. The origins of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu go back to Mitsuyo Maeda (1878-1941). He began his studies with Classical Jiu-Jitsu (also known as Fusen Ryu) and then added the study of Kodokan Judo with its founder, Jigoro Kano. In addition to being the ‘Grandfather’ of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Maeda is considered to be one of the most talented teachers of Judo as well as one of its greatest fighters. Because he was so skillful in Judo, Maeda was sent by Jigoro Kano to the U.S. in 1904 to introduce Kodokan Judo to Western Society. For the next ten years, he would fight in over 1,000 matches and win all of them. After touring the U.S., Europe, Central and South America he settled in Manaus in 1914 where he founded the first recognized JudoAcademy in Brazil.
It was here that Maeda began to write down his personal and professional philosophy on Judo and Classical Jiu Jitsu, noting that each should be grounded in actual combat and not simply rely on teaching the katas or formal exercises. Despite his own growing responsibilities as a teacher, Maeda continued as a student of Judo himself; achieving the 7th dan just before his death in 1941. In 1925, one of Maeda’s students, Carlos Gracie, opened his own martial arts academy with his brothers. To establish their reputation, Carlos and his brothers held public, open matches against anyone willing to face them. This ‘Gracie Challenge’ drew in many students and supporters who were interested in learning this new fighting style from one of their own countrymen. For the next sixty years, the Gracie family would continue to practice and teach the styles Carlos had learned from Mitsuyo Maeda. They also developed their own techniques and methods of instruction, ensuring that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu would truly become its own martial art, and not just be considered a branch of Kodokan Judo or Fusen Ryu.
In the late 80s, members of the Gracie family came to the U.S., bringing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with them. Despite their efforts, it wasn’t until Royce Gracie began winning UFC tournaments (UFCs 1, 2 and 4) in 1993 and 1994 that Americans began identifying it as a separate style from Judo. Royce is a nephew of Carlos and the son of Helios Gracie, a co-founder of their family’s Academy. Since Royce’s victories, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has rapidly grown in popularity with schools opening across the U.S. Thanks to the growing popularity of the UFC and MMA fighting in general, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has also become very popular in recent years with parents wanting to teach their children self-defense for an increasingly difficult reality. It teaches a wide variety of fighting methods from the position that a child or a smaller adult will find themselves in; on their back. Since the encompassing idea is to teach smaller individuals the skills needed to defeat a larger opponent, it is a discipline perfect for kids and women.
MARK PINTO
