History Of
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Before arriving in Brazil, it is believed that the origins of Jiu-Jitsu go back at least 4,000 years, to the Buddhist monks of India. It then spread to Japan, where it developed into an effective combat form before transitioning to become an art form.
In 1915, a world famous Japanese judoka, Mitsuyo Maeda arrived in Brazil where he started teaching Jiu Jitsu and Judo.
In 1917, Carlos Gracie saw Maeda for the first time, in Belém, and was surprised to see a man capable of dominating bigger opponents. After that Carlos Gracie, his brother Hélio Gracie and a friend Luiz França started to train with him.
Maeda’s first three students became the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Each of these pioneers contributed to the development of what is now known as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu arrived in the United States in the early 1970s, but was still relatively unknown until the 1990s, when the UFC brought mixed martial arts into the mainstream. In 2002, Carlos Gracie Jr. founded the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), which organizes Jiu-Jitsu competitions around the world.
Check the entire article to know more
