These are some of the icons that have made their name on the mat.
From the elite members of the Gracie family, to many more all-time greats around the world, many athletes have made their name through Jiu-jitsu, a martial art form that focuses on technical grappling and submission holds to force one’s opponent to submission.
Here are some of the great Jiu-jitsu athletes that have mastered their craft on the mat.
Roger Gracie
A part of the famed Gracie family, Roger Gracie is a 10-time International Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Federation World Champion, winning the title from 2004 to 2010. Along with his dominance as a natural super heavyweight, Roger is also the first competitor to rule the open weight division thrice during his glory days.
Gracie also ruled the Abu Dhabi Combat Club World Championship thrice, along with a South American Championship gold in 2004. Now retired from the competition, the 44-year-old is a hall of fame member of both the ADCC and IBJJF, a testament to his status as an all-time great.
Marcelo Garcia
Also known as “Marcelinho”, Marcelo Garcia’s legacy goes beyond his competitive success. A five-time World Champion, Garcia was also responsible for innovating various grappling techniques, such as the butterfly guard, and his modern take on the guillotine choke.
Marcelinho has since returned to competitive grappling, competing in two ONE Championship bouts between January and December last year.
Ralph Gracie
Whereas Gracie Jiu-jitsu is known for technical discipline, Ralph Gracie stood out from his family by pioneering a more aggressive style of his family’s craft, which earned him a nickname of “The Pitbull” during his time as a competitor.
Like most of the Gracie clan, Ralph has shifted his focus to mentorship, passing on knowledge to future champions and aspiring mixed martial artists.
Beatriz ‘Bia’ Mesquita
Beatriz “Bia” Mesquita is one of the most accomplished female fighters in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, having won multiple times in the IBJJF’s “Grand Slam” competitions: The World Championship, Pan-American Championship, European Championship, and Brazilian National Championship.
Headlining Mesquita’s title haul is her 10 World Championships, the most by any female Jiu-jitsu athlete in history, to go along with an inclusion to the IBJJF Hall of Fame. On top of her success in BJJ, Mesquita is also an active MMA fighter, currently competing in the women’s bantamweight division of the UFC.
Royce Gracie
Avid mixed martial arts fans should be familiar with Royce Gracie, whose success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) popularized Gracie Jiu-jitsu to a wider audience.
As a fixture in the UFC’s formative years, Royce proved the effectiveness of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu’s against stronger and taller opponents. Wearing his trademark Gi, Royce was able to overcome the likes of Ken Shamrock through technical grappling and submission holds while competing in the UFC.
Like Roger Gracie, Royce was also a multiple-time Jiu-jitsu World Champion, claiming most of his titles between 2004 to 2010 in the super heavyweight and absolute weight classes.
Renzo Gracie
Renzo Gracie’s legacy goes beyond his greatness in Jiu-jitsu, as he is also responsible for passing on his family’s knowledge to several UFC stars. Among his students are former UFC champs in Georges St. Pierre, Chris Weidman, Frankie Edgar, and even WWE superstar-slash-executive Shane McMahon.
Gracie is also a multiple-time BJJ champion in Brazil, and previously competed in high-profile MMA promotions, including the UFC, before pouring all his efforts into mentorship.
Looking to learn more about Jiu-jitsu? Make sure to check out Legends on the Mat happening this January 31 to February 1 at the Bellevue Hotel in Alabang!
Banner images from Grappler’s Retreat and Roger Gracie on Instagram.
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