Skip to content
The BJJ Story
Search
Back to people
Two training partners meeting on the mat.Drawn in cream, forest green, and muted terracotta. People and objects are symbolic illustrations.
Portrait unavailable. General BJJ illustration; not a likeness of this person.Illustration: The BJJ Story

Reyson Gracie

Reyson Gracie came to Amazonas in 1976, founded the Amazonas Jiu-Jitsu Federation in 1977, and later taught seminars in Brazil and abroad.

Biography

Reyson Gracie arrived in Amazonas in 1976 at Artur Virgílio Neto’s invitation to spread Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, according to a biographical account accompanying a 2021 Amazonas Legislative Assembly proposal. The account says that, in 1977, he founded the Amazonas Jiu-Jitsu Federation and organized an official championship in Manaus. It identifies Gracie as Carlos Gracie’s third son, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1942. In 1997, Gracie moved to Salvador, led the Bahia Jiu-Jitsu Federation through 2002, and then traveled to teach seminars in Brazil and abroad.

Sources for this profile

  • Câmara Municipal de Manaus, minutes of the ordinary session of 8 November 2021.(opens in a new tab)

    • Minutes of a Manaus City Council session identify Reyson Gracie as a red belt in jiu-jitsu.

      Where in the source: Minutes of 8 November 2021 — opening recognition section identifying 'Reyson Gracie, mestre e faixa vermelha do 9.º grau'.

      Accessed:

    • Minutes of a Manaus City Council session identify Reyson Gracie as holding the ninth degree in jiu-jitsu.

      Where in the source: Minutes of 8 November 2021 — opening recognition section identifying 'Reyson Gracie, mestre e faixa vermelha do 9.º grau'.

      Accessed:

  • Assembleia Legislativa do Amazonas, biographical section supporting proposal 77/2021, 4 November 2021.(opens in a new tab)

    • A 2021 Amazonas Legislative Assembly proposal's biographical section gives Reyson Gracie's birth date as 28 February 1942 in Rio de Janeiro and identifies him as Carlos Gracie's third son.

      Where in the source: Biografia – Reyson Gracie, page 5 — opening sentence beginning 'Reyson Gracie, faixa vermelha 9º grau'.

      Accessed:

    • The same 2021 Assembly proposal says Reyson Gracie came to Amazonas in 1976 at Artur Virgílio Neto's invitation to spread Gracie Jiu-Jitsu; it says that in 1977 he founded the Amazonas Jiu-Jitsu Federation and organized an official championship in Manaus.

      Where in the source: Biografia – Reyson Gracie, page 6 — paragraphs beginning 'No ano de 1976 foi convidado' and 'fundando em 1977 a Federação de Jiu-Jitsu do Amazonas'.

      Accessed:

    • The 2021 Assembly proposal says Reyson Gracie moved to Salvador in 1997 at nephew Charles Gracie's invitation, led the Bahia Jiu-Jitsu Federation through 2002, and then travelled to teach seminars in and outside Brazil.

      Where in the source: Biografia – Reyson Gracie, page 7 — paragraph beginning 'Em 1997, Reyson Gracie mudou-se para a cidade de Salvador'.

      Accessed:

  • Camila Leonel, 'Jiu-jitsu celebra 50 anos no Amazonas com homenagem aos pioneiros,' A Crítica, 8 August 2026.(opens in a new tab)

    • A 2026 A Crítica event report says Reyson Gracie first came to Amazonas in 1976 at Artur Virgílio Neto's invitation, organized the first Amazonas jiu-jitsu championship, and identifies him as Carlos Gracie's third son and a ninth-degree red belt.

      Where in the source: Camila Leonel, 8 August 2026 — paragraphs beginning 'Os praticantes do jiu-jitsu terão um sábado marcante' and 'A data relembra a primeira vinda'.

      Accessed:

Lineage

View in lineage tree

Trained under

Students1