If there were any martial arts royal families, I believe that the Gracies would certainly meet that description.
Most of us have probably heard of the countless accomplishments of Helio, Carlos, Carlos Jr., Carlson, Rickson, Renzo, Royce, Ryan, Charles, Royler, Robson, Reyson, Reylson, Rorion, Relson Gracie…. just to name a few.
Yet, there is another Gracie family member not mentioned in the long list, but who has already impressively leavng a mark.
And it’s not another guy. And her name doesn’t begin with a ‘C’ or a ‘R’.
Her name is Kyra Gracie.
She is the 24-year-old daughter of Flavia Gracie, who is the sister of Renzo, Ralph and Charles Gracie.
Kyra is the first female black belt of the Gracie family to compete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission wrestling.
After starting her studies at the age of 11, she has been leaving her own personal mark on fighting the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu way.
Two years later, at age 13, Kyra Gracie was already both Brazilian and New York State BJJ champion.
Just check out her impressive list of championship titles so far:
3x World BJJ Champion (2004,2006,2008)
5x Pan American BJJ Games Champion (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007)
5x Brazilian BJJ Champion (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004)
5x New York State BJJ Champion (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
2x ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) Submission Wrestling World Champion (2005, 2007)
1x Asiatic BJJ Champion (2006)
She spends much of her time training at her uncle Renzo’s academy in Manhattan advancing in her fighting and teaching skills.
There is no doubt that we will be hearing a lot more from Kyra Gracie in the future. Possibly Women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)?
If you’re not a martial artist, what probably comes to your mind when you think of Brazil is soccer football, Carnival in Rio, Copacabana beach, Gisele Buendchen, right?
On the other hand if you are a martial artist, you have without a doubt heard of or even trained in a martial art that has changed the art of fighting in so many ways.
It is simply known as BJJ or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
The Japanese brought Jiu-Jitsu to Brazil at the beginning of 20th century.
During this process Count Maeda tought this style of self-defense to Carlos Gracie, who then in turn instructed his younger brothers.
Carlos then together with his youngest brother, Helio, went on to refine the style and create a form of fighting and self-defense that has been nothing short of revolutionary.
Grandmaster Helio (1913-2009) promoted the Gracie way of fighting through teaching, competing and countless public challenges over a span of 40 years to demonstrate its effectiveness even against heavier and presumably stronger opponents, especially on the ground.
His legacy lives on through his sons and nephews such as Rickson, Royce, Rorion, Relson, Renzo, Reyson, Reylson, Rilion, Robson, Royler, Carlson, Carlos, Crolin.
There is certainly a lot more to be said about Gracie Jiu-Jitsu which I will do in the near future.
In the meantime, check out this really impressive video clip on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
I know it’s about 10 minutes long, but heck, there’s nothing on TV anyway. So, just sit back and take it in.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of 7 states, termed emirates, which are located in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf.
The three most well-known emirates are Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi is the capital and second largest city. It is also the country’s center of political, industrial, and cultural activities.
One of the martial arts activities that has been gaining in international reputation is submission fighting.
Abu Dhabi and martial arts?
Sheik Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nayan who happens to be one the sons of the former President of the UAE, Sheik Zayed, has been the driving force in introducing martial arts to his home country.
While studying in the United States he started to learn more about grappling which led him to training in BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu).
A man with an open mind and an eagerness to learn, Sheik Tanoon also took up Russian Sambo, freestyle wrestling and Muay Thai in which he became an expert in all. A true mixed martial artist!
He sounds like our kind of guy!
After getting back to Abu Dhabi he immediately went about in creating a combat center to provide his people with the opportunity to study and learn more about martial arts. It was named the Abu Dhabi Combat Center or short ADCC.
The man of vision and action that the Sheik is, he introduced a tournament in which the world’s best and most famous grapplers and submission fighters would compete again each other.
This tournament is simply known as the ADCC World Submission Wrestling Tournament. It has become THE submission grappling event in the world and is being copied across the globe.
To give you an idea of the caliber of competitors who have fought at this tournament are for example Renzo Gracie, Royler Gracie, Mark Kerr, Tito Ortiz, Jean Jacques Machado, Rigan Machado, Rolles Gracie, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Barnett, Vitor Belfort, Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, Roger Gracie, Dean Lister, Jake Shields and many more. Impressed? I certainly am.
“Tonight I have the honour to announce that the Games of the 31st Olympiad
are awarded to the city of Rio de Janeiro,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said.
My heartfelt congratulations go out to the people of Brazil in general and the
citizens of Rio de Janeiro in specific.
When I think of Brazil and Rio de Janeiro, what immediately comes to my mind:
Pele and artistic Brazilian soccer football, Copacabana, super-model Gisele Buendchen,
the famous song “The girl from Ipanema”, churrasco, Carnival in Rio, and …
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, of course.
The Gracie familiy members have done herculean work in laying the foundation
and together with their Machado cousins spreading the now immensely successful
and, just ask any of their opponents, very effective martial art.
BJJ founder Helio Gracie must have a really big smile on his face right now!
So, the Olympic Games 2016 have been awarded to the mesmerizing metropolis
of Rio de Janeiro and that leads me to the following question:
Can Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu become an Olympic discipline ?
And why not?
Just look back at the Olympics 1964 in Tokyo when Judo became an official
discipline and has stayed one ever since!
Or how about the Korean martial art of Taekwondo that first was a demo sport
during the 1988 Olympic Games of Seoul, Korea and then just 12 years later
officially became an Olympic discipline in 2000 during the Sydney, Australia games.
By the way, this recognition came less than 50 years after Taekwondo was first
officially introduced to the world.
