Biography
6th-Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt | Owner & Head Instructor
My name is Professor Rolles Gracie, and I am a sixth-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with more than 35 years of experience in the art. I am the son of Rolls Gracie and the grandson of Carlos Gracie Sr., the founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
I grew up surrounded by Jiu-Jitsu and the Gracie family tradition. As I continued developing as a martial artist, my uncle Rilion Gracie played an important role in my journey and competitive development. Jiu-Jitsu eventually took me around the world, competing at the highest levels of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and mixed martial arts.
Throughout my competitive career, I had many achievements, including becoming a multiple-time Pan American Champion, with black-belt titles in both Gi and No-Gi, as well as earning a silver medal at the 2007 ADCC World Championship. I also competed internationally as a professional heavyweight mixed martial artist for major organizations including the UFC, ONE Championship, World Series of Fighting, and KSW.
Beyond competition, Jiu-Jitsu has given me opportunities to teach students around the world and share the art with people from many different backgrounds, including athletes, law-enforcement personnel, military members, and everyday men, women, and children looking to improve their lives.
While I am grateful for everything I accomplished in competition, my greatest passion today is teaching.
Jiu-Jitsu has shaped nearly every area of my life. It has taught me discipline, resilience, humility, perseverance, and the importance of continuing to grow regardless of where you are in your journey. It has given me lifelong friendships, incredible opportunities, and a purpose that extends far beyond winning medals or matches.
As an instructor, my goal is to help every student discover what Jiu-Jitsu can do for them. Some students come to us to learn self-defense. Others want to become more confident, get in better shape, compete, develop discipline, or simply challenge themselves to become better.
Whatever brings someone through our doors, I believe Jiu-Jitsu can have a profound impact on their life.
Watching students grow—not only as martial artists, but as people—is the most rewarding part of what I do. It is an honor to carry forward the legacy of my father, Rolls Gracie, and my grandfather, Carlos Gracie Sr., by sharing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with the next generation.