Carlson Gracie Jr.
Carlson Gracie Jr. is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu coral belt and coach who taught at his father's Rio academy before opening a school in Chicago.
Biography
Sources for this profile
VoyageChicago, interview with Carlson Gracie Jr., 13 June 2017(opens in a new tab)
Carlson Gracie Jr. said he was born in Rio de Janeiro state in 1969.
Where in the source: Meet Carlson Gracie Jr. / opening answer: 'born in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 27, 1969.'
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He recalled beginning jiu-jitsu under his father at the Copacabana academy when he was three.
Where in the source: Meet Carlson Gracie Jr. / opening answer: 'started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of three under my father at his academy in Copacabana'.
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He said he moved to Chicago in 1996 to start a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school with students already living there.
Where in the source: Meet Carlson Gracie Jr. / opening answer: 'In 1996, I moved to Chicago to open ... Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School'.
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He described learning English as an early obstacle to teaching classes in Chicago.
Where in the source: Meet Carlson Gracie Jr. / struggles question: 'the first hurdle was learning English so I could teach the classes.'
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In 2017, he described his Chicago academy as serving competitors and students training for exercise or self-defense.
Where in the source: Meet Carlson Gracie Jr. / academy question: 'competition orient academy' followed by 'person who just wants to come in and workout for health reasons'.
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Diego Alves, GloboEsporte.com, 2 October 2013(opens in a new tab)
Globo identified its 2013 seminar guest Carlson Gracie Júnior as the son of Carlson Gracie and grandson of Carlos Gracie.
Where in the source: Neto do criador do jiu-jitsu / opening paragraph: 'Neto ... Carlos Gracie, e filho de Carlson Gracie'.
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Gracie Jr. taught a jiu-jitsu seminar in Juiz de Fora in 2013 while running an academy in Chicago.
Where in the source: Neto do criador do jiu-jitsu / opening and after first photo: 'ministrar um seminário' and 'professor de jiu-jitsu em sua própria academia'.
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Daniël Bertina, BJJ Legends Magazine, 8 January 2011(opens in a new tab)
He remembered losing the final of his first jiu-jitsu tournament at age seven.
Where in the source: An Interview with Carlson Gracie Jr. / leadership question: 'My first tournament I actually lost in the finals' and 'I was seven years old.'
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Gracie Jr. dated his initial move to the United States to 1995.
Where in the source: An Interview with Carlson Gracie Jr. / 'When did you go to the United States?': 'I moved to the USA in 1995.'
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He said his preference for takedowns and top control grew from wrestling and his father's approach.
Where in the source: An Interview with Carlson Gracie Jr. / 'playing the Top': 'my daddy always liked the top game: take the opponent down and fight from the top.'
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He linked his pressure-based top game partly to training as a light featherweight among heavier teammates.
Where in the source: An Interview with Carlson Gracie Jr. / school question: 'I used to be a light featherweight' and 'You have to get up, get on the top'.
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He described himself as a six-time Brazilian national champion across Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling.
Where in the source: An Interview with Carlson Gracie Jr. / championship wrestler question: 'six time Brazilian national champion in both greco-roman and freestyle wrestling'.
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In 2011, he described a planned 35-day series of teaching seminars across several European countries.
Where in the source: An Interview with Carlson Gracie Jr. / opening travel question: 'For this series of seminars in Europe I'll be on the road for 35 days'.
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Sherdog, Carlson Gracie Jr. fighter record, accessed 8 October 2026(opens in a new tab)
Sherdog records Gracie Jr.'s 18 November 1995 Extreme Fighting bout with John Lewis as a draw.
Where in the source: Carlson Gracie Jr. / FIGHT HISTORY - PRO: 'draw | John Lewis | EF 1 - Extreme Fighting 1 | Nov / 18 / 1995'.
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Sherdog also records a draw against Bob Schirmer at Chicago Challenge 6 on 22 May 1999.
Where in the source: Carlson Gracie Jr. / FIGHT HISTORY - PRO: 'draw | Bob Schirmer | CC 6 - Chicago Challenge 6 | May / 22 / 1999'.
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Graciemag, Carlson Jr. interview report, 20 August 2015(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag met Gracie Jr. in August 2015 as his father's long-running Copacabana academy faced closure.
Where in the source: Carlson Jr relembra / opening: 'Recém-chegado de Chicago' and 'provável fim da clássica academia da rua Figueiredo Magalhães'.
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Graciemag distinguished the son Carlson Gracie Junior from his father, who died in 2006, during its August 2015 interview with the son.
Where in the source: Carlson Jr relembra / opening: 'filho do grande Carlson, saudoso mestre falecido em 2006'.
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RedeTV! Faixa Preta, 8 January 2024(opens in a new tab)
RedeTV reported that Gracie Jr. received a coral belt at a Rio de Janeiro ceremony on 6 January 2024.
Where in the source: Carlson Gracie Jr. e Wallid Ismail / opening: 'Carlson Gracie Jr., Wallid Ismail e Marcelo Alonso ... faixa-coral ... sábado (6/01)'.
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RedeTV says Gracie Jr. and Wallid Ismail received black belts from Carlson Gracie in 1993 on the same day.
Where in the source: Carlson Gracie Jr. e Wallid Ismail / second paragraph: 'pegaram a faixa-preta no mesmo dia, no ano de 1993, das mãos de Carlson'.
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Carlson Gracie Jr. spoke at the January 2024 coral-belt ceremony, congratulating Wallid Ismail; this documents the son alive at that date.
Where in the source: Carlson Gracie Jr. e Wallid Ismail / after ceremony report: 'Parabéns, Wallid', disse Carlson Jr.
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Carlson Gracie Team, Mestre Carlson Gracie Junior, undated page accessed 8 October 2026(opens in a new tab)
The Carlson Gracie Team biography says Gracie Jr. instructed at his father's academy in Rio before moving abroad.
Where in the source: CARLSON GRACIE JUNIOR / 'Antes de sua jornada internacional, Carlson Júnior atuou como instrutor na academia de seu pai'.
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The team biography credits Gracie Jr. with a physical education degree completed in 1993 at Rio de Janeiro State University.
Where in the source: CARLSON GRACIE JUNIOR / 'Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, onde concluiu a graduação em Educação Física em 1993'.
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Daniela Falcão, Folha de S.Paulo, 18 November 1995(opens in a new tab)
A contemporaneous Folha report named Carlson Gracie Júnior among the Brazilian fighters advertised for the November 1995 Extreme Fighting event.
Where in the source: Corte de Nova York proíbe a disputa de luta / 'Royson, Rickson e Carlson Gracie Júnior' listed as billed fighters.
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BJJ München, Team Convention page, accessed 8 October 2026(opens in a new tab)
A Carlson Gracie association event page identifies Gracie Jr. as its representative and a Chicago academy coach.
Where in the source: TEAM CONVENTION / CARLSON GRACIE JR.: 'HEAD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CARLSON GRACIE ASSOCIATION' and 'HEAD COACH ... CHICAGO'.
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Graciemag, 14 October 2015(opens in a new tab)
In October 2015, Graciemag reported that a new lease would reopen the Copacabana academy after Gracie Jr.'s August farewell gathering.
Where in the source: Historic Carlson Gracie Academy to reopen / 'After a farewell ceremony with the presence of Carlson Gracie Jr.' and 'a new rent agreement was made'.
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The Resilient Show, episode 125, site publication date 7 September 2026(opens in a new tab)
The Resilient Show published a Carlson Gracie Jr. guest episode in September 2026, describing its interview with him about his father and grandfather.
Where in the source: Episode No. 125 / September 7, 2026 / Guest: 'Carlson Gracie Jr.'; description: 'sits down with his longtime professor, Carlson Gracie Jr.'
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