Roger Gracie - (GOAT) Greatest of All Time

Roger Gracie Gomes is 10 times World Champion and an elite grappler. He started BJJ at a very early age and now became a 5th-degree Black Belt. He is considered the greatest of all time (GOAT) in BJJ.  

Roger Gracie is the son of Reila Gracie who is the daughter of Carlos Gracie Sr, the founder of BJJ. His father Mauricio Gomes is also an eighth-degree BJJ Coral belt holder.   

Just like other Gracies, Roger Gracie also started training BJJ at an early age. Despite his family background in BJJ, he was not interested in BJJ from his childhood. During his adolescent years, he focused on BJJ and started taking interest in this grappling sport.  

During his teenage years, Roger was dedicated to BJJ and started training with full dedication and devotion. He was great in BJJ from the Blue Belt level.

According to Mauricio Gomes, Roger was a little lazy and chubby. He visited his cousins in south Brazil and got motivated. Then he told his parents that he would be the greatest athlete.

Roger Gracie mentioned in an interview that during his stay in south Brazil with Rilion Gracie (his uncle), he wanted to pursue BJJ in the future. Two other people who are credited for the development of Roger Gracie are Carlos Gracie Junior and his cousin, Master Renzo Gracie who is a 7th Degree Coral Belt Holder.  

Roger Gracie was a great BJJ fighter from his early days. He was focused and picked every aspect of the game with minute precision. Until his Blue Belt, he did not get submitted or defeated by any opponent. His skills made him a world champion from a young age and he started to attract the attention of the BJJ community. 

During his Blue Belt division years, Roger was involved in a police matter with three other BJJ athletes. Due to this reason, Roger’s mother got worried about him and forced him to travel to the UK where his father was running his own Gracie Barra BJJ academy.

His father was also a top grappler and a top BJJ coach, so Roger Gracie continued his journey in BJJ in the U.K.  

In 2004, Along with his father Mauricio Motta Gomes, who is an 8th-degree BJJ Coral Belt holder, Roger Gracie started his academy named as Roger Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in London. Now the franchises of Roger Gracie academy expanded globally and have various branches in different countries like Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, U.K. 

Roger Gracie lives in the U.K. with his wife. She met him in the U.K. Both have two children, a son named Tristan and a daughter named Maya.

Roger Gracie is a millionaire. This is not a wonder because he is the most well-known and great BJJ fighter of his era. He owns various gyms internationally, has his own websites with Instructional videos, and does most crowded webinars and seminars. He also has his own house in London.  

Roger Gracie continuously surprised everyone with his achievements. His coach and uncle, Carlos Gracie Junior, also known as “Carlinhos” promoted him to Black Belt in 2004.

In almost 20 years of his BJJ career, it is a world record that Roger Gracie was never submitted by any opponent. Until his blue belt, he never lost any match. In his black belt career, he lost just 7 seven matches, but none of them involved submission.   

Roger Gracie showcased a fabulous performance in the 2005 ADCC and submitted all 8 opponents in the championship.

Roger Gracie made another record in that he won ten IBJJF World championships and three of them are in the open weight category. These ten victories are under the Black Belt division. He also won the World Championship for three consecutive years.

According to Roger Gracie, in 2017 Gracie Pro Jiu-Jitsu, Roger faced Buchecha and this was the most important fight of his career. This is the last fight of Roger’s career. He mentioned in a documentary that something he feels like he had never felt before, especially in Jiu-Jitsu before his fight with Buchecha. 

Another Record of Roger Gracie is that he was the first and the most deserving athlete who was inducted into the ADCC and IBJJF Hall of Fame. So we can say, the ADCC Hall of Fame was inaugurated by the nomination of Roger Gracie.  

Roger Gracie is the only grappler to win two gold medals (with Light Heavyweight and Absolute categories) with a 100% submission rate.

Roger Gracie received his 5th Degree Black Belt from his father Mauricio Gomes on 25th July 2022, on the happy occasion of Gomes's birthday. Mauricio Mota Gomes is also an 8th-degree Red and White Coral belt holder. Roger was promoted to Black Belt by Carlos Gracie junior in 2004.

Currently, Roger Gracie does not participate in any BJJ competition, he also did not officially announce his retirement from BJJ. 

On 23rd November 2022, John Danaher posted on social media that he is grateful to get the chance to host the great BJJ athlete of all time, Roger Gracie.

John mentioned that he loved to have Roger on the mat and found that he is the best of all athletes he has ever met. He is still a great BJJ athlete even in his 40s and no one can beat him in skills.  

Roger Gracie is also participating in online coaching through his online websites like Gracie Barra Academy where he teaches various BJJ techniques through instructional videos.

His instructional videos include: choke from the mount, Armbar from the mount, and from the Closed Guard to the back.

Roger Gracie is the best grappler of all time. He is well known for his best execution of BJJ techniques and submission ratio.

According to Misho Ceko, Roger Gracie has the best understanding of the basics of BJJ techniques and he has proficiency in the basics. He does not change the foundation of techniques; rather he can adjust their use, distance, and timings but always stick to the basic technique. 

Nic Gregoriades is Roger’s First Black Belt. He just got his Black Belt in a short period of four years. He published his book “The Black Belt Blue Print” which is the best guide for BJJ beginners.   

In 2006, Roger Gracie made his MMA debut and submitted his opponent in the first round. He submitted Ron Waterman by applying for an Armbar. Ron Waterman was not submitted by any other fighter before.  

In his second MMA fight, Roger Gracie submitted Yuki Kondo who was a Japanese legend and Pancrase Champion. Roger submitted Yuki Kondo by Mata Leao, a peculiar BJJ Choke. 

In his last MMA fight, Roger Gracie submitted Michal Pasternak in the first round of the ONE FC Championship by applying Arm Triangle in the Cruiserweight category. 

One year after winning his last MMA fight, Roger Gracie officially announced his retirement from MMA in October 2017. 

In 2012, Roger Gracie faced Marcus Almeida Buchecha in Metamoris 1. This match was named the greatest match in Jiu-Jitsu history. The match lasted about 20 minutes.

Marcus was 22 years old and received his Black Belt two years ago in 2010 while Roger had a long list of achievements in the IBJJF World Championships. But Marcus showcased great BJJ skills. In this match, Marcus was the first to take down Roger and scored two points.

Marcus tried to submit Roger with Toe Hold but Roger actively escaped and got two points for the sweep. At the end of the match, Marcus tried to submit Roger but once again Gracie escaped.

This was a memorable match for BJJ fans. In the end, this match ended with a draw.    

In this match, Roger Gracie faced Rodrigo “Comporido” Medeiros in IBJJF Black Belt League 2015. He returned to the mat after three years.

At the start of the match, Comporid took down Roger by disturbing his balance with leg pulling. He scored two points. Gracie countered by applying full guard and took advantage of his full guard by mounting him from his back and scoring 4 points.  

Till the end of the match, Gracie did not let Rodrigo escape. At the end of the match, Gracie submitted Comporido with Armbar.

Roger Gracie faced Marcus Buchecha Almeida again in 2017 after his fabulous performance in 2012. In 2012, Buchecha was a new Black Belt but in 2017, Buchecha was also the 13th time's World Champion.

Buchecha was very energetic at the start of the match. He tried to take down Gracie various times. After a few minutes, Gracie took down Buchecha and actively moved to take his back. Buchecha tried his best to escape but Roger did not let him free.

At the end of the match, Roger submitted Buchecha with a Collar Choke.

Roger Gracie VS Bruno Bastos / World Championship 2009

Roger Gracie VS Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros / 2015 IBJJF Black Belt League Super Fight

ROGER GRACIE VS. MARCUS BUCHECHA

Roger Gracie vs Marcus Almeida Buchecha 2012

Photo credit: @rgabolton , @rogergracie