Best Gracie Fighters оf All Time: 10 Top Gracie Family Contenders

When discussing the pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the Gracie family is regarded as the highest place. Legendary names like Royce, Rickson, Carlos, and Helio helped pave the way for BJJ to spread all over Brazil and North region of America. In addition, the contributions of the Gracie family in BJJ and MMA (UFC) are universally acknowledged. Gracie's family raised a number of BJJ Masters and invincible superstars.

Whenever people name Jiu-Jitsu, the Gracie family becomes part of the discussion. The reason behind the popularity of the Gracie family is their efforts towards Jiu-Jitsu. From the rough slums of Rio de Janeiro to the glittering lights of Las Vegas, the Gracie family has literally battled their way to the top. The Gracies, popularly known as “the creators of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu”, are innovators in the combat sporting world. Gracie's family also has the honor of introducing Jiu-Jitsu to the international circle. Keep reading this article to know how the Gracie family developed the roots of Jiu-Jitsu.

Helio Gracie and his elder brother Carlos Gracie are the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who created the first Jiu-Jitsu academy (Gracie Barra). Carlos Gracie Jr. (son of Carlos Gracie Sr.) made the IBJJF, and Rorion Gracie (son of Helio Gracie) co-founded the UFC.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, who directly received the black belts from Gracie family ancestry. The Gracies have unquestionably had a profound impact on combat sports history. Practitioners of all ages are still getting inspiration from their legacy.

Are you familiar with the top 10 Gracie fighters of all time in Jiu-Jitsu? Let’s have a look at the best BJJ fighters from the Gracie family.

Royce Gracie is the iconic figure of modern MMA and a pioneer to spread the BJJ all over the globe. He also won 3 UFC championships and multiple Vale Tudo tournaments. Royce was born on 12 December 1966, in the house of Helio Gracie who is one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Being the son of a legendary Master of Jiu-Jitsu, BJJ had become a part of his life. Royce Gracie grew up watching his brothers, father, and uncles who were also BJJ champions. So, grappling was not a new thing for him. Royce Gracie started his BJJ journey as a toddler and won the local juvenile tournament at age of 8. Being a brilliant student and grappler, he was able to teach grappling techniques at the tender age of 14. Royce Gracie was awarded Blue Belt at the age of  16 and received Black Belt on his 18th birthday. This extraordinarily rapid increase in the ranking of the belt showed the excellent grappling skills of Royce Gracie.

After receiving a black belt in BJJ, Royce Gracie decided to go to the US and joined his brother, Rorion Gracie who founded the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) along with his business friends. Royce Gracie showcased his phenomenal performance in the first UFC championship by defeating an opponent who was twice his size. This championship proved to be a signature tournament for him that made him an even more intimidating and recognizable BJJ figure.

Royce's stunning performance motivated him to continue his struggle. He participated in the second, third, and fourth tournaments of UFC and won titles in the 2nd and 4th championships. He was awarded the Coral Belt (7th-degree Red & Black belt) in recognition of his phenomenal performances.

After the death of his father (Helio Gracie), Royce Gracie hung his coral belt and started wearing a navy blue belt as the representative of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (navy blue belt used for the instructors and white belt for students before the formation of the Jiu-Jitsu Federation).

• First Tournament Champion in UFC History
• The Winner of the longest fight in UFC History (36 minutes)
• Most Tournament Wins in UFC History (Eleven)
• Most Fights in a Single Night in UFC History (Four)
• Highest Submissions-Per-Win Percentage in UFC History (10 submissions / 11 wins - 90.91%)
• Champion of the Longest Fight in Pride History (90 minutes)
• Received World MMA Awards of 2013
• UFC Hall of Famer (2003)
• Awarded Fight Matix of the Year 1993

Roger Gracie is a retired MMA fighter and former professional Jiu-Jitsu athlete generally recognized as one of the sport's Greatest of All the Time (GOAT). This reputation of Roger on the mats was cemented by his ten (10) International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World Championship titles as a black belt and four (4) championship titles in the colored belt divisions. One of Roger Gracie's defining characteristics was his ability to commit to submission.

Roger Gracie is the son of 8th-degree coral belt holder Mauricio Gomes and the maternal grandson of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founder, Carlos Gracie. He is one of the most decorated BJJ fighters, born on 26 September 1981 in the state of Brazil. Being a member of the Gracie family, he had a deep love for martial arts and started BJJ training in his early childhood.

Roger Gracie moved to London, in his teens and joined his father's Gracie Barra academy (the first Jiu-Jitsu academy in the UK). He continued his training at the Gracie Barra academy and won the world championship at a Blue Belt level.

In 2001, Roger Gracie was promoted to Purple Belt after winning the world championship. At the end of 2001, while continuing his winning streak, Roger won the national Jiu-Jitsu Championship at a Brown Belt level. Roger Gracie's extraordinary performance on national and international grounds made him an unbeatable grappler. He won the Black Belt at the age of 22 from his coach and uncle Carlos Gracie Jr.

Roger Gracie became one of the extraordinary grapplers of the Gracie family by holding 14 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship titles (10 as a black belt), three gold and five silver medals in the open weight class. He also has a record of never being submitted in 20 years of his Jiu-Jitsu career. In May 2014, he was inducted into the IBJJF Hall of Fame.

Roger Gracie became the first individual to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame on November 14, 2021, in reward for his two gold medals at the 2005 ADCC world championship and his super fight triumph in 2007.

In July 2022, Roger Gracie also secured his fifth stripe on his BJJ black belt awarded by his father, Grand Master Mauricio Gomes.

• 10 x IBJJF World Champion
• 2 x IBJJF Pan American Champion
• 2 x IBJJF European Open Champion
• 2nd Place in IBJJF World Championship
• 2nd Place in IBJJF Pan Championship
• 2 x Brazilian National Champion

• 2 x ADCC Submission Fighting World Champion
• ADCC Superfight Champion
• 3rd Place in ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship
• One Light Heavyweight World Championship

Kron Gracie, grandson of Jiu-Jitsu grandmaster Helio Gracie and youngest son of Rickson Gracie was born on 11 July 1988. He spent most of his life in Los Angeles, California despite having Brazilian nationality.

Kron Gracie was born with athletic characteristics due to his sheer hard work and blood relation with the Gracie family who is known for his well-known accomplishments, records, and contributions in the combat sports world. In 2004, at age of 16, he was awarded a Blue Belt. After receiving the titles of IBJJF American National Jiu-Jitsu Champion, and Pan American Champion in 2005, he was awarded the Purple Belt. In 2006, Kron Gracie was promoted to Brown Belt after receiving the titles of multiple national and international Jiu-Jitsu championships. Kron Gracie competed as a brown belt for two years and was then promoted to Black Belt in 2008 at the age of 19. Kron Gracie devoted his next 5 years to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after receiving the black belt.

On 24 February 2014, Kron decided to pursue his career as an MMA fighter. He started training for his first MMA bout with Scrap Pack which is a group of fighters including Gilbert Melendez,  Gilbert Melendez, and Nick. Kron Gracie set an extraordinary record in his MMA debut by defeating the opponent in sixty-five seconds. He also made remarkable 4-0 records in MMA by defeating Asen Yamamoto, Hideo Tokoro, and Tatsuya Kawajiri.

Royler Gracie is the son of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Grandmaster Helio Gracie and a submission wrestling legend. He became the first "King of BJJ's Featherweight Division," setting the record. He succeeded as a teacher while running the Gracie Humaitá academy in Rio de Janeiro, where he helped shape the careers of future BJJ fighters such as "Megaton" Dias, Alexandre Ribeiro, Omar Salum, Renato Barreto, and many more. Royler relocated to San Diego, California (USA) in 2010 and devoted his life to coaching Jiu-Jitsu.

Royler Gracie had deep affection and passion to practice the techniques of Jiu-Jitsu. His love for BJJ comes from his family roots who introduced the world to a new era of grappling. Royler Gracie started practicing Jiu-Jitsu during his childhood at the age of 7. Rolls Gracie, who is the cousin of Royler Gracie, played an important role in training and sharpening his grappling skills. The motivation and encouragement to pursue the strenuous exercise from the Roll urged the Royler to become a top-tier grappler of his generation.

Being the godfather of Jiu-Jitsu, Heilo desired to make his sons formidable fighters. Royler Gracie always took pressure before going on the mat. He encouraged him by saying, if you win, I’ll give you 5 dollars. If you lose, don’t get worried, I’ll give you 10 dollars. This practice eliminated the fear of Royler Gracie and turned him into an extraordinary grappler.

Royler, who was constantly looking for ways to improve his BJJ skills, trained extensively in Judo at both Sion (formerly Vasco da Gama) and the Regatas Flamengo club to strengthen his foundation and excel in the advanced BJJ techniques. He eventually competed in Japanese Martial arts and won a silver medal at the Judo Brazilian Nationals. Royler Gracie is also the director of the Gracie Humaita association and created top world champions through his elite coaching.

Renzo Gracie is a Jiu-Jitsu black belt from the famed Gracie family and one of the real martial arts legends. Renzo Gracie flourished as a competitor in the 1990s, winning key tournaments like the ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) and multiple MMA battles in Japan, Brazil, and the United States. A well-known film on Renzo Gracie's career as a fighter featured him as its major subject.

Renzo Gracie grew up in the house of BJJ founder Carlos Gracie (who is the grandfather of Renzo Gracie). Renzo Gracie also had the inherent athletic ability that encouraged him to perform out of the box. Renzo Gracie debuted at the age of 25 in the Brazilian Vale Tudo circuit. After that, Renzo left his hometown and moved to the US, and opened his Jiu-Jitsu academy. His academy rapidly gained fame in America due to the high-level coaching of Renzo Gracie. His potential coaching shaped the career of well-known MMA and BJJ fighters including John Danaher, Shawn Williams, Matt Serra, Ricardo Cachotao, and many more.

Renzo Gracie defended his titles in multiple national and international tournaments. He won 14 matches in his MMA career and the ADCC World Championships of 1998 and 2000. Renzo Gracie spent most of his career coaching and shaping the careers of world-class grapplers in his academy.

Kyra Gracie is a 4th-degree black belt champion under Carlos Gracie Junior and the first female member of the legendary Gracie family who attained international acclaim as a skilled grappler. Kyra Gracie is the most prominent BJJ sports ambassador and one of the most talented icons in the Jiu-Jitsu world.

Kyra Gracie had already been recognized as one of the top Jiu-Jitsu competitors in the world in her early 20s, a reputation solidified by victories at major competitions including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships, Pan American, and the ADCC Championships.

Kyra Gracie was born on 29th May 1985 in the second most populous city of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. She has the honor of being the granddaughter of Robson Gracie who is the son of BJJ founder Carlos Gracie. Krya grew up in an athletic environment that had a deep influence on her.

She started Jiu-Jitsu practice at the age of 11 with a dedicated approach. Although Krya Gracie faced some conservative views from her family while pursuing her Jiu-Jitsu career. However, she stood firm against every hurdle and proved herself a fervent member of the Gracie family. Along with the BJJ practice, Krya also continued her law study. Later she left her law studies and devoted herself to martial arts. She also participated in Boxing, Judo, and Wrestling to complement her grappling skills.

Carlos Gracie was a Brazilian national who was a member of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy, where he coached Jiu-Jitsu techniques and methods. As a well-known founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos Gracie, who weighed 135 pounds and had an impressive fighting style, became a legend in Brazil and within the BJJ community worldwide because of his unbeatable record. He learned his fundamental self-defense methods under Mitsuyo Maeda.

Carlos Gracie opened his eyes to the famous Gracie family on 14 September 1902. He was the first member of the Gracie family who started learning martial arts from his friend and master Mitsuyo Maeda. However, no one anticipated that Carlos Gracie had been making a historic and major contribution to the grappling world.

Mitsuyo Maeda helped Carlos Gracie to learn grappling techniques and awarded him a Black Belt in 1997. Carlos Gracie was rightfully bestowed with the highest BJJ rank of a 10th-degree Red Belt.

Carlos and his brother (Helio Gracie) tried hard to strengthen the roots of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by teaching grappling techniques in the mid-1920s in Belo, Brazil. The GrandMaster (late) Carlos decided to move to Sao Paulo to polish his grappling skills. Carlos also said to his students that thinking big can help them achieve remarkable success and he also implemented the same rule in his life. He left the world in 1994 by leaving an unforgettable legacy.

The pioneer of Jiu-Jitsu, Master Rolls Gracie was born on 28 March 1951 in Cidade Maravilhosa. He had Gracie’s blood in his vein which urged him to secure a higher rank in Jiu-Jitsu. Rolls Gracie was the son of Jiu-Jitsu founder, Carlos Gracie. He earned a reputation as the legendary grappler of his time.

Rolls Gracie had the chance to travel to the USA, where he uplifted his Jiu-Jitsu skills. He also got the chance to visit other countries that played a major role in the development of his all-around elite grappling skills. Although Gracie's Jiu-Jitsu training mostly focused on defensive grappling, he began to innovate the style by incorporating moves from other martial arts into his Jiu-Jitsu style.

He thought that the difficulties of Jiu-Jitsu in Vale Tudo could not be met by simply depleting an opponent's energy via the use of submission grips and locks.

Rolls also established his Jiu-Jitsu academy to train the all-rounder grapplers of his time. His famous students who set high records in the grappling world include Carlos Gracie Jr., Rickson Gracie, Royler Gracie, and Rigan Machado. Rolls died in 1983 and left behind an unbeatable legacy.

Helio Gracie is a 10th-Degree Red Belt and the most influential man in the history of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was the father and master of countless BJJ fighters who brought the name of his family's profession to martial arts and mainstreamed the BJJ in the early 1900s. His ancestors and legacy are among the most illustrious in Jiu-Jitsu, and he is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the Brazilian grappling technique.

The devoted coach and passionate Gracie BJJ fighter, Carlson Gracie was born in Rio de Janeiro on 13 August 1932. He was a prominent member of the Gracie family and the eldest nephew of Helio Gracie who was the founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos Gracie was the father of the great Carlson Gracie and the confounder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Carlson’s red belt in Jiu-Jitsu is enough to show his fame and influence in combat sports.

Carlson Gracie had a deep understanding of combat sports due to his family history. He also started his practice at the age of 5 from the open championship at Campeonato Aberto de Jiu-Jitsu e Luta Livre. At the age of 6, Carlson participated in his first local BJJ tournament on the recommendation and encouragement of his father and uncle.

While participating in combat sports, Carlson lost his interest in academic studies. All these scenarios forced him to leave school at the age of 15.

After leaving his school, he decided to devote his dedication and enthusiasm to BJJ. His winning streaks on the mat became evidence of his dedication in the later days.

Carlson participated in his first professional open championship at the age of 18. After receiving the champion award. Carlson decided to help the drought victims with his revenue. Carlson challenged the fighters to compete with him even in the open division and defeated a 100kg opponent weighing 65kg.

Carlson was not only the best competitor of Gracie's family but also an exemplary and dedicated coach of his time. He got famous in his 30’s when he opened his own Jiu-Jitsu academy. Carlson’s academy gave equal rights to lower classes to enter combat sports. He has also assembled one of the best teams in the grappling world including Ricardo Liborio, Murilo Bustamante, Walid Ismail, and André Pederneiras. The grappling world lost one of its gems in 2006 due to health issues. Carlson died at the age of 74 but left a legacy in the grappling world.

Before his death in 2006, Carlson Gracie published a list of champions who received black belts from him.

• Ricardo de La Riva Goded
• Ricardo Jucá Santos
• Ricardo Luis Moraes “Rey” Diogo
• Ricardo Luiz Perrone
• Ricardo “Kiko” Velloso
• Rinaldo Santos
• Rocyan Gracie (brother)
• Rodrigo Medeiros
• Sérgio Abimerhy
• Sérgio “Bolão” de Souza
• Sérgio Íris de Almeida
• Wallid Farid Ismail
• Walter “Soldado” da Silva
• Walter Guimarães
• Wander de Souza
• Vauvernargues Xavier Vicentini
• Vitor Belfort
• Aaron Laponte
• Alberto dos Santos
• Alexandre Nascimento de Oliveira
• Alexandre Macedo
• Alexandre Derizans
• Allan Goes
• Amaury Bitetti
• André Mendes
• André Pederneiras
• Anselmo Montenegro
• Antônio Cláudio Correia Leite Buchaul
• Antônio Gadelha “Tony Malone”
• Antônio Ricardo Bittencourt Cavalcanti
• Antonio Ricardo Jardim Liborio
• Antônio ‘Tuninho” Rodrigues
• Armando “Maninho” Alves Gonçalves Filho
• André Mendes
• Arthur Vírgilio Neto
• Ary Galo
• Bráulio Carsalade
• Cassio Cardoso
• Carley Gracie (Brother)
• Carlos “Penão” Alexandre Conceição
• Carlos Antônio Rosado
• Carlos “Bagana”
• Carlos Henrique “Caíque” Vieira Cavalcanti Gomes de Oliveira
• Carlos Rollyson
• Carlson Gracie Júnior
• Carlson Guimaraes
• Cássio Cardoso
• Christian Kennedy Grandi
• Clayton de Souza
• Clóvis de Souza
• Crézio de Souza
• Daniel Cristoph
• Djalma José de Santana Filho
• Edyr Moreira da Silva “Monge”
• Edson Carvalho “Baiano”
• Elair Gilberto da Silva Reis
• Élcio Figueiredo
• Fábio Macieira
• Felipe Fígalo Barbosa
• Fernando Carlos “Nutri-Baby” Carvalho da Silva
• Fernando “Pinduka” Melo Guimarães
• Fernando Rosenthal
• Francisco “Grego” Trivelas
• Francisco “Toco” Albuquerque Neto
• Gustavo Gussem
• Gutenberg Mello
• Henrique Chvaicer
• Isaias De Souza
• Francisco “Grego” Trivelas
• Jerônimo Dix-Huit Rosado Ventura
• João Antônio Fernandes Filho
• José de Oliveira
• José Eduardo Vieira Cavalcanti Gomes de Oliveira
• José Mário Sperry
• Júlio César “Foca” Nunes
• Léo D’Ilha
• Luis Fernando “Nando” Da Costa
• Luís Carlos “Manimal” Mateus
• Luiz “Bebeo” Duarte
• Luís Carlos Vallois
• Luís Cláudio Isaías de Souza
• Luís Fernando “Nando” Costa
• Manoel Maria “Maneco” Cardoso Neto
• Marcel Laguna Duque Estrada
• Marcelo Allonso Duque Novais
• Marcelo Alonso
• Marcelo Pache
• Marcelo Procópio
• Marcelo “Bocão”
• Marcelo Saporito
• Marcelo Tadeu Domigues de Oliveira
• Marco Aurélio Kühner de Oliveira
• Marco Aurélio Lisboa Valladares
• Marcos “Parrumpinha” Da Matta
• Marcos “Flexa” Neves Mello
• Marcus Vinícius de Macedo Soares
• Marcus “Conan” Vinícius Figueiredo da Silveira Júnior
• Mário Cupertino
• Marvin Swhab
• Mauricio “Saddam”
• Miguel Kelner
• Miguel Monteiro de Carvalho
• Murilo Bustamante
• Orlando Saraiva
• Oswaldo “Paquetá” Gomes da Rosa
• Oswaldo Viana
• Otávio Augusto “Peixotinho” de Oliveira
• Paulo “Mamão” de Albuquerque Martins Pereira Filho
• Paulo Leite Filho “Paulão“
• Pedro Paulo de Secco Freire
• Renato Tavares

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art that demands dedication, athletic strength, and competence. The Masters on this are the most decorated gems of the Gracie family who became an inspiration to the later generation of martial artists.

They succeeded by working diligently, being disciplined, and being passionate in the grappling world. All of them defied their surname by achieving phenomenal success on the mat.