The Greatest
Of All Time.
10x Black Belt World Champion. 2x ADCC champion. IBJJF Hall of Fame. And the founder of the first Roger Gracie Academy in America — here in Frisco, Texas.
A Legacy Of
Dominance.
Roger Gracie is one of the greatest Jiu Jitsu competitors to ever step on a mat. A 10x Black Belt World Champion, multiple-time MMA champion, and IBJJF Hall of Fame member, he stands among the most decorated fighters of the modern era. Now, Roger has opened his first-ever academy in America — right here in Frisco, Texas — under the leadership of one of his most trusted black belts, Professor Alex Faria.
From Rio To The Top Of The Sport
He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and moved to London in his youth, where he opened one of the largest academies in the United Kingdom alongside his father.
Roger started training Jiu Jitsu early in life, but didn't actually set his mind on competing in the sport until his late teens, when he trained in the south of Brazil with his uncle Rilion Gracie. Later on, his uncle Carlos Gracie Junior, and cousin Renzo Gracie, would have a large influence on his training.
He quickly picked up the Jiu Jitsu game, winning several championships as a blue belt, including the Pan Ams and the Mundials (World Championship) in 2000. With an ever-growing list of achievements in jiu-jitsu, his uncle — Carlos Gracie Jr — awarded Roger his black belt in 2004.
Two years after receiving his black belt, Roger competed at the ADCC World Championships and was victorious in both his weight division and the absolute division. It was here that Roger became the first competitor to ever submit all of their opponents in both divisions.
MMA And The Final Superfight
Roger made his MMA debut in 2006, submitting veteran Ron Waterman via armbar in the very first round. He continued to pick up submission wins, and was signed to Strikeforce MMA in 2010 where he defeated Kevin Randleman via rear-naked choke. Just a few days after the fight, Roger went on to win the Mundials (World Jiu Jitsu Championships) for a record 14th time, submitting all but one of his opponents in a dominant victory.
Roger ended his professional MMA career with a record of 8–2, having faced legends such as Kevin Randleman, Anthony Smith, Tim Kennedy and Keith Jardine. He fought in the UFC, Strikeforce and ONE FC organisations — all over the world — before finally hanging up his gloves as the reigning ONE FC Light Heavyweight champion.
Having retired from MMA, Roger accepted one final challenge in sport Jiu Jitsu during 2017, facing Marcus Buchecha — the most decorated IBJJF black belt in history — for a super fight in their native Brazil.
Despite a 10-year absence from competitive Jiu Jitsu, Roger submitted Buchecha with a choke from the back, cementing his status as a true great of our sport.
His First Academy
In America.
Roger Gracie selected Professor Alex Faria — his personal training partner of many years — to lead Roger Gracie Academy Frisco. When you train here, you learn the same technical, fundamentals-first Jiu Jitsu that made Roger untouchable at the highest level.