05/21/2026
Brazilian jiu-jitsu was first developed by the Brazilian brothers Carlos, Oswaldo, Gastão Jr., and Hélio Gracie around 1925, after Carlos was taught jujutsu and catch wrestling in 1917 by either Mitsuyo Maeda, a travelling Japanese judoka, or one of Maeda's students Jacyntho Ferro. Later, the Gracie family developed their own self-defense system that they named Gracie jiu-jitsu. BJJ eventually became a distinct combat sport of its own through innovations and practices, and is considered essential for modern mixed martial arts.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is based on the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger opponent by using leverage and weight distribution. The focus is on taking the fight to the ground and using a number of holds and submissions to defeat them. Sparring, commonly referred to as "rolling" within the BJJ community, and live drilling play a significant role in training. In contrast to some other martial arts BJJ can be practiced using a gi or without it, also called 'no-gi', for this purpose rash guards are used. BJJ can also be used for physical fitness, building character or as a way of life.
