Relson Gracie

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Relson Gracie
Born (1953-03-28) March 28, 1953 (age 71)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Other names Campeão [Champion]
Residence Aiea, Hawaii, United States
Style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Teacher(s) Helio Gracie
Rank      9th Degree Red Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Rorion Gracie[1]
File:Anibal Lobo & Relson Gracie 1 (4936501126).jpg
Relson Gracie

Relson "Campeão" Gracie is a professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and martial arts personality. He is a member of the Gracie family. Relson currently lives alternatively in Hawaii and Brazil where he teaches Brazlilian Jiu-Jitsu at his academy in Honolulu and Rio de Janeiro.

Relson is the second oldest son of Helio Gracie, who along with Carlos Gracie, is credited with creating Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Relson began learning the art of Brazliain Jiu-Jitsu at the age of two, began competing at the age of ten, and earned his black belt when he was 23.[2] He went 22 years undefeated as the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu National Champion.[3]

On April 6, 2013, Relson was promoted to rank of grandmaster (red belt) the highest possible belt awarded to living individuals in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Relson has also taught self-defense to the U.S. Military, Secret Service, D.E.A., F.B.I., and local law enforcement agencies across the United States.

Biography

Beginnings

Relson was born in 1953, a year after the Gracies opened Academia Gracie in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1962, Helio Gracie held the first Brazliain Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Rio de Janeiro, where Relson competed at the age of 10. Relson was Brazilian National Champion in both his own weight class and the open division for an unprecedented 22 years. His record and success in Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu earned him the name "Campeão," Portuguese for Champion.

In 1975, at the age of 22, Relson was approached by Rio's Secretary of Sport Jose Morais and Manaus Senator Artur Vigilio, a Reyson Gracie trained black belt, who proposed Relson open his own academy. Because of this encouragement, Relson opened his first Jiu Jitsu academy, Ilha Clube Jardim Guanabara (ICJG). During this time Relson taught at both ICJG and Academia Gracie Humaita.

Growth Of Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu

In the middle to late 1970s Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu continued to grow in popularity, and in 1978, Academia Gracie relocated to Flamengo, an area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1982 Relson and his younger brother Rickson began competing and winning black belt divisions of Jiu Jitsu tournaments in their weight classes (83 kg and 77 kg, respectively) and openweight divisions as well, often sharing 1st and 2nd place.

The Gracie family also experienced success in Vale Tudo fights and competitions. On April 25, 1980, Rickson Gracie defeated Casemiro "Rei Zulu" Nascimento Martins by rear naked choke. Rei Zulu suffered a similar fate at the hands of Rickson again in January 1984 during their second encounter. Relson trained Rickson for both events in anticipation of fighting Zulu himself.

Move to the United States

In 1985, Relson moved from Rio de Janeiro to Monterey, California at the request of Carlos Sauer. In Monterey, Relson taught at the Eseline Therapy Institute for a year and a half. In June 1988 he moved to Honolulu and continued to teach.

Brazlian Jiu-Jitsu was relatively unknown outside of Brazil at the time. Relson taught out of his garage in the evenings after a hard day's work in the construction industry. However, the popularity of Jiu-Jitsu soon spread throughout the island of Oahu, and in the same year he expanded his classes to athletic facilities at the University of Hawaii at Manoa because of growing demand until 1996, while continuing to teach out of his garage.

Relson organized the first tournament outside of Brazil in Honolulu in 1992.

Involvement with MMA

In 1993, Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first event, UFC 1, which would launch the career of Royce Gracie.

Relson helped Royce train for the event. Royce won three of the first four UFC events.

Tournament competition in the 1990s and beyond

In 1997 Relson Gracie brought a team from Hawaii to the second World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships and became the first team outside of Brazil to win a division. Two of Relson's students, Kendall Goo and Kelly Matsukawa, took first and second place in the Adult Blue Belt Pessidissimo division.[4]

In 2000 the Relson Gracie Team joined forces with Gracie Humaita and placed in every division at the Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Florida: 1st in the Female and Master/Seniors divisions, 2nd in the Juvenile, and 3rd in the Adult.[5]

Relson is also affiliated with some tournaments: the Relson Gracie National Jiu-Jitsu Tournament has been held annually in Columbus, Ohio since 1997. Due to the success of his inaugural National tournament, Arnold Schwarzenegger approached Relson to start the Arnold-Gracie World Submission Championships in 2000, also held in Columbus.

On January 25, 2020, Relson was arrested in a bus in Rio, Brazil, on charges of drug trafficking. Relson was in possesion of medical marijuana, which he obtained legally with a prescription, and which had been legalized in Brazil in December 2019. He was released less than a week later.[6][7][8]

Personal

Relson has five children: Karina, Rishna, Rhalan, Kailani and Ka'ena. He also has 3 grandchildren. He travels the world teaching seminars. Relson received his 9th degree red belt from his eldest brother Rorion Gracie on April 6, 2013.

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ [1] Archived February 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ [2] Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ [3] Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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