Rolker Gracie
Rolker Gracie taught competitors and future instructors at Gracie Humaitá, then helped its Rio headquarters find a new home.
Biography
Sources for this profile
Gracie Humaitá, About / Rolker Gracie.(opens in a new tab)
Rolker Gracie is Hélio Gracie’s fourth son and a co-owner of Gracie Humaitá alongside his younger brother Royler.
Where in the source: MASTERS TEAM / ROLKER GRACIE, heading and first two sentences.
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He began training under his father Hélio at six.
Where in the source: ROLKER GRACIE biography.
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Gracie Humaitá, current homepage.(opens in a new tab)
Gracie Humaitá identifies Rolker as an eighth-degree coral belt.
Where in the source: PARTNERS / ROLKER GRACIE.
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His stated belt degree is eight.
Where in the source: PARTNERS / ROLKER GRACIE.
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Diário do Aço, Rolker Gracie ministra seminário de jiu-jítsu em Ipatinga, 3 October 2019.(opens in a new tab)
He was born in Rio de Janeiro on 22 July 1964.
Where in the source: Trajetória, first paragraph.
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Antonio Claudio Engelke Menezes Teixeira, Esporte e violência no jiu-jitsu: o caso dos pitboys, master’s dissertation, PUC-Rio, December 2007, p.13.(opens in a new tab)
In his 2007 master’s dissertation, Antonio Claudio Engelke Menezes Teixeira recalled taking private self-defence lessons from Rolker at Gracie Humaitá during the 1980s.
Where in the source: Printed page 13, PDF page 3, paragraph beginning Meu primeiro contato.
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Teixeira also remembered being taught to look another person in the eyes.
Where in the source: Printed page 13, same first-person passage.
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Teixeira, PUC-Rio master’s dissertation, 2007, p.34.(opens in a new tab)
Teixeira described those half-hour private lessons as following Hélio’s method, combining takedowns, escapes from headlocks and clothing grabs, and ground control and submissions into a self-defence programme.
Where in the source: Printed page 34, PDF page 13, section 2.2 and footnote 18.
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Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Australia, About Us / Professor Paulo Tavares.(opens in a new tab)
Paulo Tavares recalls moving to Rio in 1996 to train with Royler and Rolker under Hélio’s guidance.
Where in the source: About Us / Paulo Tavares narrative, paragraph beginning In 1996.
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LX Jiu-Jitsu, Our Instructors / Leonardo Xavier.(opens in a new tab)
Leonardo Xavier’s academy describes a professor-certification course supervised by Royler and Rolker, including assisting their classes and those of Saulo Ribeiro.
Where in the source: Our Instructors / Leonardo Xavier, instructor-course paragraph.
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Xavier’s academy records that after years assisting Royler, Rolker and Saulo and teaching daily classes at Gracie Tijuca and Gracie Humaitá, he received his black belt and professor diploma in 1999.
Where in the source: Leonardo Xavier biography, 1999 and full-time instructor paragraphs.
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Graciemag, Dicas de um peso-galo campeão mundial de Jiu-Jitsu, por Marcus Norat, 2 March 2022.(opens in a new tab)
Recalling his preparation for his 2002 world title, Marcus Norat said he spent months training daily with Royler and Rolker, improving through the technical level and demanding sessions.
Where in the source: Opening interview question about winning in 2002 and complete answer.
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Tércio Neto, ge, Rolker Gracie ministra seminário para dezenas de alunos de jiu-jítsu em RR, 24 October 2015.(opens in a new tab)
At Samir Xaud’s invitation, Rolker taught dozens of Gracie Humaitá students in Boa Vista on 23 October 2015, his first visit to Roraima.
Where in the source: Opening report and invitation paragraph.
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He explained that the Boa Vista seminar focused on using classical jiu-jitsu techniques in real self-defence situations.
Where in the source: First directly attributed Rolker quotation.
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He said weekends were used to visit affiliated academies and teach jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Second directly attributed Rolker quotation.
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Xaud said bringing Rolker to Roraima was intended to inspire children as well as the academy’s other students.
Where in the source: Final Samir Xaud quotation.
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Graciemag, Templo do Jiu-Jitsu pode estar de mudança, 14 October 2022.(opens in a new tab)
In October 2022, the announced closure of Colégio Padre Antônio Vieira raised the prospect of moving the Gracie Humaitá headquarters; Rolker said he was awaiting the school’s definitive position before updating students.
Where in the source: Article opening and Rolker quotation.
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Graciemag, Templo sagrado Gracie anuncia novo endereço, 22 March 2023.(opens in a new tab)
By March 2023, Gracie Humaitá had chosen a new headquarters at Fonte da Saudade in Lagoa, following the announcement that its longstanding school premises would close.
Where in the source: Opening three paragraphs.
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Rolker said the new academy doubled its available space.
Where in the source: First Rolker quotation.
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He thanked current students and earlier generations for helping find the new site, and the Werneck family for more than forty years of partnership.
Where in the source: Complete closing Rolker statement.
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During the transition he said daily classes would continue at the old school until the move.
Where in the source: Closing statement beginning A mudança da sede.
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Felipe Lucena / Diário do Rio, syndicated by Terra, Rolker e Royler recebem comenda com o nome de Hélio Gracie, 26 April 2023.(opens in a new tab)
On 10 April 2023 he received the municipal Mérito Esportivo Mestre Hélio Gracie honour at the inauguration of Gracie Humaitá’s new Lagoa headquarters.
Where in the source: Paragraph beginning Faixa-vermelha e branca.
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Academia Gracie, official Rio academy homepage.(opens in a new tab)
The Rio academy’s current site lists its headquarters on Rua Vitor Maurtua in Lagoa.
Where in the source: Homepage address / new headquarters.
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Rafaele Vieira Mendes, UPB, Seminário com Mestre Rolker Gracie destaca disciplina, autodefesa e transformação social, 18 August 2025.(opens in a new tab)
On 16 August 2025 Rolker taught a seminar organised by Gracie Humaitá Ilhéus at Guimarães Espaço para Eventos; local students also received belt promotions at the event.
Where in the source: Opening and third paragraphs.
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Local academy manager and instructor Adriana Lima described Rolker’s return visits as an opportunity to pass on the school’s philosophy alongside technique.
Where in the source: Direct quotation attributed to Adriana Lima.
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BJJ Heroes, Rolker Gracie biography.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes places Rolker’s emergence as one of Gracie Humaitá’s head instructors in the 1990s, after Rickson left to teach in the United States.
Where in the source: Biography second paragraph.
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He worked alongside Royler at Gracie Humaitá and remained in charge of the Rio headquarters after his brother and other coaches moved to the United States.
Where in the source: Biography second and final paragraphs.
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BJJ Heroes lists Rolker as a LINJJI Cup and Copa Company champion and a two-time Lightning Bolt Cup winner.
Where in the source: Main Achievements complete three-item list.
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