Gracie family patriarch Helio Gracie dead at 95

Gracie family patriarch and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu pioneer Helio Gracie died in his sleep yesterday in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 95.  It’s impossible to overestimate his influence on martial arts, and particularly his pathbreaking role in what is now the sport of mixed martial arts.  The Gracie family name will forever be synonymous with Brazilian sports, jiu-jitsu, MMA and the UFC—not only due to Helio’s own accomplishments but the legacy he created both by training others and through his family.

Helio Gracie began studying martial arts early in life, and by the age of 16 had already begun to teach judo in his native Brazil.  While Helio had no problem mastering the theoretical aspects of judo, he found that many of its techniques required a great deal of “brute strength” which made them less effective for a smaller fighter such as himself.  Along with his brother Carlos, he began to adapt many of judo’s techniques to make them more reliant on leverage rather than strength.  This experimentation led to the creation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) which is often referred to as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in his honor.

Gracie also had a professional fighting career, taking on champions from other disciplines in a forerunner to modern mixed martial arts.  These bouts were grueling, unregulated affairs with rules that were often made up as they went along and time limits that seem barbaric by today’s standards.  By his own recollection, he had 15 fights against the top fighters of his day.  He began his career in 1932 by submitting professional boxer Antonio Portugal (who’d likely never even heard of a “submission” at that point, let alone experienced one) in just 32 seconds.  Later that year, he fought American catch wrestler Frank Ebert to a draw after the ringside doctor ordered the bout stopped after an ungodly fourteen ten minute rounds. 

His most famous battle was against Japanese judo legend Masahiko Kimura, resulting in a rare loss for Gracie.  Despite the setback, he fought bravely and may have actually enhanced his legend after refusing to submit to a reverse arm bar (the same move that now bears Kimura’s name).  Only after his arm was broken did his brother Carlos throw in the towel. 

Gracie’s influence on the Brazilian sports scene, and later the nascent sport of mixed martial arts, would continue through his family.  Married twice, he had seven sons (Rickson, Royler, Rolker, Royce, Relson, Robin and Rorion) and two daughters (Rerika and Ricci), many of whom went on to make their own mark on the fight sport world.  Royce Gracie is well known as the first UFC superstar, while sons Rickson Royler, Renzo have also achieved considerable fame in professional MMA.

The cause of Gracie’s death was officially given as “natural causes”.  He had been having stomach problems for several days prior to his passing, and was admitted to a Rio hospital for this reason.  His last words will go down as a fitting envoi to a man who gave so much of himself to fighting: 

"I created a flag from the sport’s dignity. I oversee the name of my family with affection and nerves of blood.”
Jiu-Jitsu schools worldwide bearing his name remained close Thursday in respect to their benefactor.