Introduction
Jiu-Jitsu is
one of the oldest forms of martial arts known to man. It is
said to have originated in India more than 2,000 years before
Christ, spread through China and eventually settled in Japan.
On a beach at
izumo, in Shimane Prefecture, in the year 23 B.C., before the
Emperor Suinin, Nomi-no-Sukune killed his opponent Tajima-no-Keyaya
in the first recorded contest. This was the beginning of Combat
Sumo (Sumai), in which the origins of Jiu-Jitsu lie.
Jiu-Jitsu is a
Combat martial Art developed by the warrior class (Bushi) of
Japan. It is a generic or collective term used to describe the
numerous systems which, when fused, form Jiu-Jitsu. It is often
erroneously described as a "weaponless" or "empty
hand" Martial Art. While stressing unarmed techniques,
the use of small weapons was an important part of its structure.
Jiu-Jitsu, as part of the classical Bujutsu, means it is the
Art of Flexibility, the translation of the character "Ju"
is "flexible", "pliable" or "adaptable".
Jiu-Jitsu was never a purely defensive Art. The developers were
not so naïve as to restrict techniques to purely defensive
tactics only. They realized that attack at the appropriate moment
would have better assurance of victory and was legitimate within
the broad concept of "Ju". Although there is some
limited value in the axiom "in yielding, there is strength,"
complete reliance on this factor in combat would lead to a complete
loss of effectiveness.
Although techniques
and training methods varied from school to school, striking
techniques (Atemi) were always the most important part of Jiu-Jitsu
as originally developed by the Bushi. The use of throwing techniques
(Nage-Waza), joint locking techniques (Kansetsu-Waza), strangulation
techniques (Shime-Waza) and the use of weapons encompassed the
whole combat spectrum, making Jiu-Jitsu the most effective and
complete Martial Art.
Jiu-Jitsu is a
Japanese Martial Art, although Chin Gempin (1587-1674) had some
influence on it. Historical records clearly show that Jiu-Jitsu
was being practiced long before he arrived in Japan. Jiu-Jitsu
is a product of Japan.
Historically,
Jiu-Jitsu is the singularly most important Japanese Martial
Art Because of the Martial Ways of Aikido, Judo, Hapkido, Nippon
Shorinji Kempo and some systems of karate all have their roots
in Jiu-Jitsu.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
is a cutting edge fighting art developed from traditional Jiu-Jitsu
by the Gracie family of Brazil. Even though Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
contains standup techniques for winning a fight, it is famous
for its devastating ground fighting techniques. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
was specifically developed to allow a smaller person defeat
a larger person by sophisticated application of leverage and
technique. Gaining superior position on your opponent and applying
a myriad of chokes, holds, locks and joint manipulations becomes
the foundation for this fun martial art. |
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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu History
Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu or Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art indigenous
to Brazil. It was founded and developed by the Gracie family.
Carlos Gracie learned jiu-jitsu from a Japanese judoka named
Maeda who immigrated to Brazil. The art's roots are derived
from pre-war Kodokan Judo, western wrestling, and Maeda's
own insights into combat.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu prefers bringing an opponent to the ground
and then relying on grappling techniques to subdue the opponent
utilizing holds, armlocks, chokes, leglocks, and strikes.
This strategy takes away the advantage of an opponent with
superior striking abilities. It can also mitigate the advantage
of a stronger and much larger opponent relying on wrestling
or grappling.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu favors pragmatic techniques that were
tested in numerous challenge matches by the Gracie clan and
their students. In Vale Tudo (which means "anything goes")
tournaments in Brazil, Gracie family members and their students
have fought in these no-holds barred fighting matches for
over 65 years and have fared very well against a multitude
of combative arts both western and Asian. Many martial arts
have lost their combative rationale. In Japan, for example,
the arts of war (Jujutsu) were corrupted into Judo which means
"martial way." With peace and the modernization
of Japan, dangerous and pragmatic techniques gave way to martial
arts that emphasized art over practicality as well as emphasizing
self-improvement or socialization and eventually sportive
competition. Those familiar with pre-war Kodokan Judo understand
the rapid transition of Judo towards sport and less on purely
combative effectiveness as Kodokan Judo itself veered away
from the "old" schools of jiu-jitsu and their often
"dangerous" techniques as deemed by Judo's own founder
Jigoro Kano.
The sportive aspect of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is embodied in
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. Competitors wear judo "jackets"
and pants just like their Judo counterparts except the rules
favor strategies and techniques that are oriented towards
combat effectiveness. The closest equivalent of Brazilian
or Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is Ko-sen Judo. The Ko-sen tradition refers
to the network of the oldest high schools and universities
in Japan which include Tokyo and Kyoto Universities. They
hold their own competitions, and their tournaments favor "groundwork"
or newaza (in Japanese) just like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
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From left
to right: Rolker, Royce, Rorion, Hélio, Relson, Rickson,
Royler
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Royce Gracie History
"The idea of jiu jitsu is to give the little guy, a chance to beat the big guy."
Royce Gracie
is a legend. He started the NHB world and ruled it as its
king. Before his first fights in UFC 1, all traditional strike-oriented
martial artists underestimated the importance of grappling.
From the days of the first UFC to his return to the ring of
Pride and his epic battle against the renowned champion Kazushi
Sakuraba, Royce Gracie has lived to defend the family honour
and name of Gracie and has managed to show everyone that martial
arts can be effective.
Royce Gracie
was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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The
34-year-old Gracie is one of nine children, seven of whom are
boys. His training in Jiu-Jitsu began at a very early age as a
game with his father Helio, now 88 years old. Helio never pushed
any of the children to take formal classes until they wanted to
do so, however they often went to the Academy in Rio after school
and on weekends.
Royce began competing in tournaments at age eight. He received
his blue belt at age 16 and was promoted to black belt in less
than two years. Royce moved to the United States at age 18 to
live with his brother, Rorion. They began teaching private classes
out of their garage, sometimes for more than ten hours a day.
Rorion and Royce opened the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy eleven years
ago in Torrance, California. Today it is one of the largest martial
arts schools in the country. |
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| Royce's
reputable career as a fighter began in 1993 after defeating three
opponents in the first Ultimate Fighting Championship. His brother
Rorion came up with this innovative challenge as a way to show
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to the world. Discipline after discipline was
defeated by the slight 6'1'', 180 pound Royce Gracie. His opponents
consistently outweighed him by more than 50 pounds. In the two-hour
duration of the UFC I, Royce Gracie steamrolled three skilled
opponents and collected $50,000. Several months later, he raked
in an additional $60,000 by disposing of four more combatants
in the UFC II. By the time the third UFC rolled around, tougher
fighters were starting to line up to take a crack at the unbeaten
Gracie. |
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Six
months later Gracie is back at UFC 3 defending his title as the
Ultimate Fighting Champion. His first match was against Kimo Leopoldo,
a tattooed giant that outweighed Gracie by 80 lbs. Gracie won
with an armlock, but had to be helped out of the ring as he was
completely exhausted, and did not return to action that night.
Three months later he returned to action in UFC 4, tapping Dan
"The Beast" Severn in the finals.
Gracie fought Ken Shamrock to a draw in UFC 5. Shamrock seemed
hesitant to mount an offense, and Gracie seemed content to work
from his back for the same gi-sleeve submission and heel-kicks
to the Shamrock's kidneys. Royce said for the fight "Shamrock
came in for a draw. He knows he cannot beat me. He came in for
a draw. He knew he just didn't want to lose, that's why he requested
the time limit. He knew he just wanted to have a draw, for him
that's a victory". |
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After
his victory in the first UFC 1, Gracie did not boast that his
triumph had proved to the world the superiority of his family's
style of jujutsu, nor did he brag that it had proved he was the
toughest fighter in the world. Instead, he merely said: "It
will open everybody's eyes, especially the weaker guys, that you
don't have to be a monster to be the champ. You don't have to
be the biggest guy or the one who hits the hardest. And you don't
have to get hurt in a fight." With those three sentences,
Gracie gave hope to thousands of martial artists who, like him,
may not be the biggest or the strongest in their dojo, but who
depend on perfect technique to overcome their opponents in competition.
Royce seems very proud of the fact that his system of self-defense
allows him to neutralize and control any opponent without injury
to either party. |
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"That's
why [Royce] is doing the Ultimate Fighting Championship to
show people he can subdue his opponents without kicking, without
punching, without hurting," Helio Gracie said after the
UFC 1. "He doesn't need to hit; he doesn't need to hurt."
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Royce
Gracie lost for the first time in a grappling-only match with
another Brazilian-jujutsu expert, Wallid Ismail, at the Rio
Oscars of Jiu-Jitsu at Copacobana Beach on December 17, 1998.
In the premier
match on a card that included 10 other fights, Gracie was defeated
with a "clock choke," which Ismail executed approximately
five minutes into the fight. Marco Ruas said for that fight:
"I think Royce is a great fighter, it just wasn't his day,
just like for me in Japan."
Royce lost a second
time (TKO - Towel Thrown Between Rounds) in Pride Grand Prix
2000 - Finals. In this epic battle against the renowned champion
Kazushi Sakuraba Royce fought like a lion. |
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After
the 90 minute battle with Sakuraba, 90 minutes of punishing
leg kicks, and 90 minutes without rest or water, Royce Gracie
conceded the match and had his brother throw in the towel. After
90 minutes, Gracie could no longer stand and suffered a broken
femur. He would be out of action for a while so that his leg
could heal.
Royce Gracie lost these fights, proving that he is only human.
He did not lose against any huge guys but against skilled martial
artists, proving that he will not lose against brute force and
muscles full of steroids. Even the great Muhammad Ali lost a
few fights but he still is the greatest boxer of all time.
In the ring,
the 180-pound Gracie exudes a confidence and single-minded intensity
guaranteed to destroy the mind-set of even the burliest brawler.
Yet once he steps outside the ring, he metamorphoses into one
of the gentlest, friendliest men imaginable. But that unshakable
confidence still shows through, at times even seeming like arrogance
when Gracie's comments are translated into print. |
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