Rolls Gracie
Born
1951-03-28, Rio de Janeiro
Died
1982-06-06, Resende
Description
Brazilian martial artist and member of the Gracie family, considered by some the family's best ever fighter. He trained under Helio Gracie and graduated a generation of jiu-jitsu black belts, including Carlos Gracie Jr., Rickson Gracie, and the "Famous Five". He died in a hang-gliding accident in 1982.
Teachers (5)
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Carlson Graciesports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ConfirmedConfirmedTwo independent eyewitness accounts.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkTwo independent eyewitness accounts.visibilityFirst-hand“Yes, Rolls had his father-Uncle Hélio as his teacher, but then he started to attend harder training sessions under Carlson, his older brother, who really shaped him and shaped his competitiveness.”
visibilityFirst-hand“But all of us from the old days know that Rolls went over to train under Carlson after losing to Cícero Sobrinho (Barradas student) and Carlson called him over and said: “If you spend your whole day training self-defense with Uncle Hélio, you will never be good at jiu-jitsu!” And Rolls started to visit Carlson more often, and eventually he ended up becoming a direct student of Carlson.”
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Hélio Graciesports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ConfirmedConfirmedThe family's official biography states Rolls was raised for the most part by his uncle Helio Gracie; two other sources corroborate that Helio taught him jiu-jitsu from before he could walk. Period is approximate: birth (1951) through his departure for Carlson Gracie's Copacabana academy around 1970The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.(1951–1970)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
4 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkThe family's official biography states Rolls was raised for the most part by his uncle Helio Gracie; two other sources corroborate that Helio taught him jiu-jitsu from before he could walk. Period is approximate: birth (1951) through his departure for Carlson Gracie's Copacabana academy around 1970 -
Georges Mehdisports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableWikipedia lists Georges Mehdi among Rolls Gracie's teachers.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
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Bob Andersonsports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableWikipedia lists Bob Anderson among Rolls Gracie's teachers.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
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Osvaldo Alvessports_martial_artsKōdōkan Jūdō ConfirmedConfirmedThe official Rolls Gracie biography states his first judo cross-training was with Osvaldo Alves; BJJ Heroes and the OnTheMat interview corroborate that Osvaldo introduced the Gracies, including Rolls, to judoThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkThe official Rolls Gracie biography states his first judo cross-training was with Osvaldo Alves; BJJ Heroes and the OnTheMat interview corroborate that Osvaldo introduced the Gracies, including Rolls, to judo
Lineage
- Brazilian jiu-jitsuCarlson GracieCarlos Gracie · 2 generations
- Kōdōkan JūdōOsvaldo AlvesHikari KurachiYuiti Hashizume · 3 generations
Ranks (1)
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receipt_longBlack belt ConfirmedConfirmedBlack-belt status is well-attested; the specific promotion date is not documented.The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.BJJ Ranking System
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
6 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkBlack-belt status is well-attested; the specific promotion date is not documented.
Students (8)
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Sergio Malibusports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableSingle source.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkSingle source.“Sergio Malibu trained as a blue-belt under Rolls and is a well-known figure in the jiu-jitsu community in Rio. After the death of Rolls, Malibu became a student of Rickson”
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Royler Graciesports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableHis own account only.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkHis own account only.visibilityFirst-hand“Rolls, with whom I trained with a lot when I was a kid, then I began training with Rickson.”
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Romero Cavalcantisports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ConfirmedConfirmedBJJ Heroes and Elite Sports, two independent sources, both directly state Cavalcanti received his black belt from Rolls Gracie in 1982, the last black belt Rolls ever awarded; BJJ Heroes also covers the 1974 restart of training with RollsThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.(1974–1982)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkBJJ Heroes and Elite Sports, two independent sources, both directly state Cavalcanti received his black belt from Rolls Gracie in 1982, the last black belt Rolls ever awarded; BJJ Heroes also covers the 1974 restart of training with Rolls -
Rigan Machadosports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableBJJ Heroes states Rigan started training with Rolls Gracie in his mid-teens and stayed with him until Rolls' death in 1982; the Wikipedia infobox also lists Rolls Gracie among his teachersThe evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkBJJ Heroes states Rigan started training with Rolls Gracie in his mid-teens and stayed with him until Rolls' death in 1982; the Wikipedia infobox also lists Rolls Gracie among his teachers -
Renzo Graciesports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ConfirmedConfirmedPT Wikipedia states Renzo began jiu-jitsu under Rolls Gracie at the Copacabana academy; corroborated by BJJ HeroesThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkPT Wikipedia states Renzo began jiu-jitsu under Rolls Gracie at the Copacabana academy; corroborated by BJJ Heroes -
Otávio Peixotinhosports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableHis own account only.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.(1974)
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkHis own account only.visibilityFirst-hand“I first started with Rolls Gracie in 1974.”
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Carlos Machadosports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ConfirmedConfirmedCMJJ 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 beltThe evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkCMJJ 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 beltvisibilityFirst-hand -
Carlos Gracie Jr.sports_martial_artsBrazilian jiu-jitsu ProbableProbableHis own account; Wikipedia's infobox row is not a second source.The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.
fact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources expand_moreFrederico MuñozResearcher, Martialisfact_checkHis own account; Wikipedia's infobox row is not a second source.visibilityFirst-hand“I began training in Copacabana [at the Figueiredo Academy] to be near Rolls as a brown-belt and one day he suggested to Uncle Helio that it was time and that I was ready for my black-belt.”
“While two of Rolls’ main students went on to become very successful competition team leaders, yourself and Carlinhos.”
Sources
Identifiers
https://martial.is/entity/01KYZ31HT3D978KY5GPZAGKV5G
Cite and reuse
CC BY-SA 4.0expand_more
Plain text
Muñoz, Frederico (YEAR_PLACEHOLDER). Rolls Gracie. In Martialis: Martial Arts
Lineage Database. https://martial.is/entity/01KYZ31HT3D978KY5GPZAGKV5G - CC
BY-SA 4.0. Accessed ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER.
BibTeX
@incollection{martialis_01KYZ31HT3D978KY5GPZAGKV5G, author = {Muñoz, Frederico},
title = {Rolls Gracie}, booktitle = {Martialis: Martial Arts Lineage Database},
year = {YEAR_PLACEHOLDER}, url =
{https://martial.is/entity/01KYZ31HT3D978KY5GPZAGKV5G}, urldate =
{ACCESSED_DATE_PLACEHOLDER}, note = {CC BY-SA 4.0} }
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