Rickson Gracie, member of the most prominent martial arts family, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he entered his first Jiu Jitsu competition at the age of six. By the age of fifteen he was teaching his family’s martial art. For almost two decades, he reigned as world Jiu Jitsu champion in both the middle heavy weight and open divisions, retiring from fighting with an undefeated record. Since retiring, he has focused on unifying and spreading his family martial art through his Global Jiu Jitsu Federation. Today, he teaches seminars around the world to student that include men, women, children, senior citizens, law- enforcement officers, military personnel, veterans suffering from PTSD, and martial artists of all styles. A film about his life, Dead or Alive, directed by Narcos director José Padilha, is currently in production from Netflix. |
