Carlos Machado

Brazil
Born 1963-11-09, Rio de Janeiro
8.0

Description

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master and the eldest of the five Machado brothers. He met Chuck Norris in 1988 and became Norris's primary BJJ instructor. Norris earned his BJJ black belt under Carlos. Carlos taught Norris on the set of Walker, Texas Ranger where he ran an academy in the same building. He also appeared in episodes of the show as a stunt coordinator and actor.

Teachers (2)

  • Rolls Gracie
    sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Confirmed
    Confirmed
    CMJJ Gear states Carlos was taught and mentored directly by Rolls Gracie in Copacabana, training with him until Rolls' death in 1982, when Carlos was a blue belt
    The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    2 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    CMJJ Gear states Carlos was taught and mentored directly by Rolls Gracie in Copacabana, training with him until Rolls' death in 1982, when Carlos was a blue belt
    visibilityFirst-hand
    “After moving to the southern part of Rio de Janeiro, Copacabana, Master Carlos Machado was taught and mentored directly by the legendary Rolls Gracie. Master Carlos was very close with Rolls, and trained with him until Rolls' sudden and untimely death”
    — CMJJ Gear. History of CMJJ and Statement of Doctrinelinkhistory info
    “Throughout his childhood and early life in Jiu-Jitsu, his main instructor was his cousin, Carlos Gracie Jr but he has also trained with Helio, Carlson, Rolls and Rickson Gracie at various points during his development.”
    — Lindsey, Alex. (2020). Carlos Machado Receives His Red And White Coral Belt (Jitsmagazine). Jits Magazinelink history info
  • Carlos Gracie Jr.
    sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Confirmed
    Confirmed
    BJJ Heroes lineage lists Carlos Gracie Jr. as Carlos Machado's teacher (Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlos Gracie Junior > Carlos Machado); CMJJ Gear notes he continued training with the Gracie family after Rolls' death
    The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
    (1982)
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    4 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    BJJ Heroes lineage lists Carlos Gracie Jr. as Carlos Machado's teacher (Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlos Gracie Junior > Carlos Machado); CMJJ Gear notes he continued training with the Gracie family after Rolls' death
    “A black belt under Gracie Barra founder Carlos Gracie Junior”
    — BJJ Heroes. Carlos Machado (BJJ Heroes). BJJ Heroes link history info
    visibilityFirst-hand
    “After this family tragedy, Master Carlos and his brothers continued to train with the Gracie family.”
    — CMJJ Gear. History of CMJJ and Statement of Doctrinelinkhistory info
    “Throughout his childhood and early life in Jiu-Jitsu, his main instructor was his cousin, Carlos Gracie Jr”
    — Lindsey, Alex. (2020). Carlos Machado Receives His Red And White Coral Belt (Jitsmagazine). Jits Magazinelink history info
    “His main instructor throughout his life was his cousin Carlos Gracie, Jr.”
    — Wikipedia contributors. (2026). Carlos Machado (fighter). Wikipedia (English)link history info

Lineage

Ranks (1)

  • sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu
    receipt_longRed-and-white belt, degree 8 Confirmed
    Confirmed
    Jitsmagazine reports Carlos received his coral belt from his brothers in 2020; CMJJ Gear (his own association) states he is currently an 8th degree coral belt. The belt was awarded by his brothers, not by Carlos Gracie Jr.
    The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
    BJJ Ranking System
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    3 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    Jitsmagazine reports Carlos received his coral belt from his brothers in 2020; CMJJ Gear (his own association) states he is currently an 8th degree coral belt. The belt was awarded by his brothers, not by Carlos Gracie Jr.
    “Carlos Machado is the eldest of the five famous Machado brothers and was just awarded with his red and white belt, commonly referred to as the coral belt, from all four of his siblings at the same time.”
    — Lindsey, Alex. (2020). Carlos Machado Receives His Red And White Coral Belt (Jitsmagazine). Jits Magazinelink history info
    visibilityFirst-hand
    “Currently an 8th degree Coral Belt”
    — History of CMJJ and Statement of Doctrine link
    “Rank 8th deg. BJJ coral belt”
    — Carlos Machado (Wikipedia EN)link history info

Students (2)

  • John Carmack
    sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Probable
    Probable
    Carmack states directly on JRE
    The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
    Private lesson location_onArmadillo Aerospace badge
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    1 source expand_more
    fact_check
    Carmack states directly on JRE
    visibilityFirst-hand
    “My wife for Christmas one year got me a year of private lessons with Carlos Machado. [...] I was in a situation where I had Armadillo Aerospace, my rocketry company at the time, we had enough space. So I had a whole bunch of mats set out there and I would work with Carlos and one of the other guys there on Saturdays.”
    — (2019). The Joe Rogan Experiencelink info
  • Chuck Norris
    sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu Confirmed
    Confirmed
    Carlos Machado was Norris's primary BJJ instructor from 1988 onward; Norris earned his black belt under Carlos; confirmed by multiple sources
    The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
    (1988)
    fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
    Frederico Muñoz
    Researcher, Martialis
    2 sources expand_more
    fact_check
    Carlos Machado was Norris's primary BJJ instructor from 1988 onward; Norris earned his black belt under Carlos; confirmed by multiple sources
    “Chuck Norris went on to earn his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt under Carlos Machado”
    — Chuck Norris sparring BJJ with Carlos Machado (MixedMartialArts.com)link
    Carlos Machado (Wikipedia EN)link history info

Sources

Carlos Machado (Wikipedia EN)link history info
visibilityFirst-hand
CMJJ Gear. History of CMJJ and Statement of Doctrinelink history info
BJJ Heroes. Carlos Machado (BJJ Heroes). BJJ Heroeslink history info
Lindsey, Alex. (2020). Carlos Machado Receives His Red And White Coral Belt (Jitsmagazine). Jits Magazinelink history info

Identifiers

https://martial.is/entity/01KYG003XD92NPCBEN0M2JF8Y4
Wikidata

Cite and reuse

CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Carlos Machado. In Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KYG003XD92NPCBEN0M2JF8Y4 - CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KYG003XD92NPCBEN0M2JF8Y4, author = {Muñoz, Frederico}, title = {Carlos Machado}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database}, year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url = {https://martial.is/entity/01KYG003XD92NPCBEN0M2JF8Y4}, urldate = {ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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