Rodrigo Gracie

Rodrigo Gracie won ADCC's under-88 kg title in 1998 and teaches jiu-jitsu at his academy in Torrance, California.

Last updated: 20 September 2026

Biography

Rodrigo Gracie is an ADCC champion and jiu-jitsu teacher who heads his own academy in Torrance, California. His career has combined competition with teaching, from morning classes at Renzo Gracie's New York academy to running his own school and visiting other clubs. Learning and teaching across two countries Born in Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo spent parts of his childhood in Brazil and the United States. He began jiu-jitsu at four under his father, Reylson Gracie, who later awarded his black belt. He taught in California before moving into training and assistant-teaching work with Renzo in New York. In 1998, Rodrigo won ADCC's men's under-88-kilogram division. He returned to the event in 2001 at under 77 kilograms and finished fourth. These were submission-grappling competitions, alongside a career that also took him into mixed martial arts. A May 2000 interview recorded how teaching fitted around his own preparation. He taught morning classes and covered for Renzo when Renzo travelled. For MMA, he combined training at Renzo's academy with kickboxing under Ray Longo. He also described returning after an extended interruption through injury. The interview places him both in charge of classes and working on his own preparation for a different ruleset. A school and an uncertain fight schedule Rodrigo opened his own New York academy in August 2002. In a December interview, he described fight bookings that kept changing and the demands of running the new school. Renzo then arranged a PRIDE opportunity with two weeks' notice. He also explained his Changeman entrance through childhood television memories. The crowd's response, he said, helped prepare him to fight. For Rodrigo, the Gracie name carried expectations not only of fighting ability but also of entertainment. The academy became part of other fighters' training. In June 2004, Jay Hieron named Rodrigo's school in Lynbrook among his training bases. Hieron's account provides a specific example of the teaching environment Rodrigo maintained during those years. Rodrigo later moved to Los Angeles and trained with Royce Gracie. A contemporary report from May 2006 names him among the people helping Royce prepare for Matt Hughes. His work with the family thus included both his own training and preparation for another fighter's match. Seminars and the Torrance academy His teaching also reached students through visits to other schools. ZenQuest Martial Arts Center's September 2014 newsletter recalled several earlier Rodrigo Gracie seminars there. Those visits sit alongside the international seminar programme advertised by his academy today, which offers to adapt sessions to the participants' experience. The published seminar curriculum connects self-defense, guard work and MMA, with attention to balance and control. Guard work concerns positions used while fighting from underneath an opponent. These are the subjects his academy offers to visiting groups, alongside the teaching at his own school in Torrance. Its current biography identifies him as a seventh-degree coral belt.

Sources for this profile

Kid Peligro, 2002-12-17.(opens in a new tab)
- He described the Gracie name as bringing expectations of both fighting ability and entertainment.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; family.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He opened his New York academy in August 2002.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; academy.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Uncertain fight bookings disrupted his preparation; running the new academy also competed for his time.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; scheduling.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Renzo arranged a December 2002 PRIDE opportunity with two weeks' notice.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; invitation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His Changeman entrance recalled childhood television; he said the crowd's response helped prepare him to fight.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; entrance.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Jim Genia, Jay Hieron interview, Full Contact Fighter, June 16, 2004.(opens in a new tab)
- In 2004 Jay Hieron named Rodrigo's Lynbrook academy among his training bases.
  Where in the source: June 16 interview; training answer.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Eduardo Alonso, The Brazilian Beat, Full Contact Fighter, May 19, 2006.(opens in a new tab)
- Rodrigo helped Royce Gracie prepare for Matt Hughes in 2006.
  Where in the source: Royce training paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
BJJ Heroes, Rodrigo Gracie.(opens in a new tab)
- Rodrigo Gracie was born in Rio de Janeiro.
  Where in the source: Biography opening.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His childhood included periods in Brazil and the United States.
  Where in the source: Childhood paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Academy.(opens in a new tab)
- Reylson Gracie, his father, taught him and awarded his black belt.
  Where in the source: Family/training.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He began jiu-jitsu at four.
  Where in the source: Training.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He taught in California before training and assisting Renzo Gracie in New York.
  Where in the source: Teaching.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He later moved to Los Angeles and trained with Royce Gracie.
  Where in the source: Relocation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His academy identifies him as a coral belt.
  Where in the source: Heading.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His current academy biography lists seventh degree.
  Where in the source: Heading.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He heads his own academy in Torrance, California.
  Where in the source: School.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ADCC, official 1998 results.(opens in a new tab)
- Rodrigo Gracie won the men's -88 kg division at ADCC in 1998.
  Where in the source: Complete -88 kg table.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ADCC, official 2001 results.(opens in a new tab)
- Gracie finished fourth in the men's -77 kg division at ADCC in 2001.
  Where in the source: Complete -77 kg table.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Chris Onzuka, 2000-05-21.(opens in a new tab)
- In 2000 he taught morning classes and covered for Renzo when Renzo travelled.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; teaching.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He combined training with Renzo and kickboxing with Ray Longo while preparing for MMA.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; preparation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- He described returning to training after an extended interruption through injury.
  Where in the source: Rodrigo; return.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ZenQuest Martial Arts Center, September 2014 newsletter, page 2.(opens in a new tab)
- ZenQuest's 2014 newsletter recalled several previous Rodrigo Gracie seminars at its school.
  Where in the source: Page 2, seminar announcement.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Rodrigo Gracie academy, seminar curriculum.(opens in a new tab)
- His advertised seminar curriculum connects self-defense, guard work and MMA, with attention to balance and control.
  Where in the source: Curriculum sections.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- His academy offers seminars internationally, adapted to the participants' experience.
  Where in the source: International booking section.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
Year	Event	Result	Division
2001	ADCC 2001Source: adcombat.com-77 kgNo-giVerified	4th place	-77 kgNo-giVerified
1998	ADCC 1998Source: adcombat.com-88 kgNo-giVerified	1st place	-88 kgNo-giVerified

Lineage

No teaching connections are shown on this page.

Open lineage