Rorion Gracie is a Brazilian-born Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Grand Master, a prominent member of the Gracie family, writer, publisher, producer, lecturer, lawyer and the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
14 Facts About Rorion Gracie
1.
2.
Rorion Gracie spent his youth learning how to teach under the tutelage of his father, Grand Master Helio Gracie.
3.
Rorion Gracie attended the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, graduating with a degree in Law.
4.
In 1978, Rorion Gracie moved to Southern California where he worked as an extra in movies and television.
5.
In 1985, Rorion Gracie invited his 18-year-old brother, Royce, to move to America.
6.
Rorion Gracie was a technical adviser for the 1987 movie Lethal Weapon providing training to actors Mel Gibson and Gary Busey.
7.
In 1988, Rorion produced the documentary Gracie Jiu-Jitsu In Action.
8.
Rorion Gracie was a technical advisor, a fight scene choreographer for Lethal Weapon 3 in 1992, providing training to Rene Russo together with martial artist Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon and a Karate instructor.
9.
Rorion Gracie was so proficient and pliable in an uke role, that Russo refused to do the throw with whoever else excluding Rorion Gracie, and insisted him to step into the action as a stuntman for a fight scene.
10.
In 1993, inspired by countless exhibition matches termed the "Gracie Challenge", a tradition that started with his uncle and Gracie jiu-jitsu co-founder Carlos Gracie, Rorion teamed with promoter and business executive Art Davie in the creation of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
11.
Rorion Gracie was only interested in showcasing his father's style, and demonstrating its dominance.
12.
Rorion Gracie enlisted his brother Royce to represent the family style in the competition.
13.
In 1994, following UFC, a small group of high-ranking military personnel, from the most elite unit in the US Army Special Operations Forces, contacted Rorion and asked him to develop an objective hand-to-hand combat course based on the most effective techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
14.
The Rorion Gracie Resisting Attack Procedures for Law Enforcement was concurrently developed with the combatives course, following a similar request from law enforcement for a defensive tactics training course, that was adopted by virtually all US law enforcement.