Early Life Renzo Gracie was born on March 11, 1967, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As the grandson of Gracie jiu-jitsu founder Carlos Gracie, grandnephew of Helio Gracie, nephew of Carlos Gracie, Jr., and son of 9th-degree red belt Robson Gracie, he had his career path laid out in front of him. By the time he was 20 years old, Renzo was a multiple-time BJJ champion in Brazil.
MMA Career
In January 1992, Gracie debuted in the Brazilian vale tudo circuit and faced kickboxer Luiz Augusto Alvareda in his first match. Renzo dominated the match and won via submission with a rear naked choke. He then moved to the United States to start teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He suffered his first loss to Kiyoshi Tamura in February 2000. After a loss to Matt Hughes in April 2010, Gracie retired, but in June 2018, Renzo was enticed out of retirement to fight Yuki Kondo at ONE Championship Reign of Kings. He won the contest via rear naked choke submission to bring his professional MMA record to 14-7-1. Gracie has victories over former UFC Champions Frank Shamrock (UFC Light Heavyweight Champion), Pat Miletich (UFC Welterweight Champion), Carlos Newton (UFC Welterweight Champion), Oleg Taktarov (UFC 6 Tournament Winner), and Maurice Smith (UFC Heavyweight Champion).
Other Ventures
Gracie is a well-established jiu-jitsu coach who has trained many fighters, including Georges St-Pierre, Matt Sera, Frankie Edgar, and Roy Nelson. He is the head instructor at the Renzo Gracie Academy in midtown Manhattan and is the former coach of the New York Pitbulls team for the International Fight League. Gracie was featured in the 2008 documentary film “Renzo Gracie: Legacy” and has co-written two instructional books on jiu-jitsu: “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and Technique” and “Mastering Jujitsu.” Gracie won Gold Medals in Submission Wrestling at the ADCC World Championships in 1998 and 2000.
Personal Life
Renzo and his wife, Cristina, have three children. They live in Holmdel Township, New Jersey. Renzo has eleven brothers and sisters, and in 2022, he released his biography written by Roberto Alvim, a Brazilian former Special Culture Secretary and theater director.
Controversy
Renzo was arrested at 1OAK in New York City in May 2014 and charged with gang assault after sending a nightclub bouncer to the hospital. Gracie says he took the bouncer down and mounted him but did not hit him. Gracie’s cousin Igor and five others were also arrested in the incident. In September 2022, a video emerged of Gracie’s involvement in an altercation with a stranger in the subway, but Renzo insisted the man approached him, making racist remarks.
