Is all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gracie Jiu-Jitsu? I was considering starting training and I am confused about the styles. What’s the difference between Saulo Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu and Machado, other than they come from different Gracie Students? Which would you say was closer to the art as developed by Helio?
I’ve actually met and trained with some of the Machado blackbelts and Saulo Ribeiro. Both are very solid although I thought the Machado system of BJJ is more rounded. Gracie Jujitsu is just there specific approach to Brazillian Jujitsu in the same way Brazillian Jujitsu is a specific approach to Japanes Jujitsu. Its all very relative.
The Machados are cousins to the Gracies.
The Gracie family “created” their style of JiuJitsu through trial, error, and experimentation, basing it on Judo, some traditional JJ techniques, and street fighting.
The Jiujitsu practiced in Brazil is almost 100% derrived from the Gracie family, so yes, essentially it is all “Gracie JJ”.
However, Rorion Gracie owns the trademark to the GJJ name, so with other qualified instructors/blackbelts etc out there, there arose the need to call it “Brazillian JiuJitsu”.