Creator credit recorded on the linked source page: Brian Schwartz · CC0 1.0
Rorion Gracie
Rorion Gracie moved from garage classes to the Torrance academy and the project that brought UFC 1 to television.
Biography
Sources for this profile
Rorion Gracie, “About Rorion,” n.d.(opens in a new tab)
Rorion Gracie's official biography identifies him as Hélio Gracie's eldest son and says that he trained under his father from an early age.
Where in the source: About Rorion — The teacher's teacher
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Rorion Gracie's official biography says that Hélio Gracie promoted him to a ninth-degree red belt in 2005.
Where in the source: The 9th-degree red belt — 2005 promotion
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The same official biography describes Rorion Gracie's red-belt promotion as ninth degree.
Where in the source: The 9th-degree red belt — 2005 promotion
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Rorion Gracie's official biography says that he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1978 before returning to the United States.
Where in the source: Law, legacy, and a call he couldn't ignore
Accessed:
Guilherme Cruz, “Rorion Gracie and the day he created the UFC,” MMA Fighting, 12 November 2013.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2013 interview, Rorion Gracie said that, after returning to the United States, he taught jiu-jitsu from his garage for ten years before pursuing a larger public format for the art.
Where in the source: MMA Fighting interview — garage teaching account
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Gracie University, “History Overview,” n.d.(opens in a new tab)
Gracie University's history states that in 1989 Rorion, Rickson, Royce, and Royler Gracie opened the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance, California.
Where in the source: History Overview — 1989: The Grand Opening
Accessed:
Chuck Mindenhall, “1993: And in the beginning, the written word,” MMA Fighting, 16 November 2013.(opens in a new tab)
Rorion Gracie worked with Art Davie on the project that became the Ultimate Fighting Championship, bringing a tournament between martial arts styles to television.
Where in the source: 1993: And in the beginning — Davie and Gracie
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Lance Pugmire, “Jiujitsu icon Royce Gracie is fired up about mixing it up with old rival Ken Shamrock,” Los Angeles Times, 17 February 2016.(opens in a new tab)
The Los Angeles Times reports that Rorion Gracie teamed with promoter Art Davie to stage the first UFC contest in Denver.
Where in the source: Royce Gracie feature — first UFC contest in Denver
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