Gracie Spotlight: Roger Gracie — The Greatest BJJ Competitor of All Time

10x World Champion. Never submitted. The GOAT debate starts and ends here.

Quick Facts

The Numbers Don't Lie

When debating the greatest BJJ competitor of all time, the conversation always returns to Roger Gracie. His accomplishments are almost absurd:

• 10 IBJJF World Championship titles at black belt level

• 14 total World Championship titles (including colored belts)

• First athlete ever to win the IBJJF Absolute (open weight) division 3 times

• ADCC 2005: Submitted all 8 opponents en route to double gold—an unprecedented feat

• IBJJF 2009: Submitted all 8 opponents at Worlds—the first to accomplish this in the gi

• Never submitted in nearly 20 years of elite competition (84+ matches)

• 82% submission rate at black belt level

In an era of increasingly complex techniques, Roger proved that fundamentals—executed perfectly—are unstoppable.

The Gracie Lineage

Roger's bloodline is BJJ royalty:

• Grandfather: Carlos Gracie Sr., co-founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

• Father: Maurício Gomes, 8th Degree Coral Belt and elite competitor

• Mother: Reila Gracie, daughter of Carlos Sr.

• Uncle: Carlos Gracie Jr., founder of Gracie Barra

• Cousin: Renzo Gracie

Despite the legendary name, Roger initially showed little interest in competing. As his father Maurício recalled, Roger was "a little lazy and chubby" as a child. It wasn't until his teenage years that the competitive fire ignited.

The Move to London

A pivotal moment came when Roger was involved in a legal matter in Brazil as a young man. His mother, concerned about his path, sent him to London to live with his father, who was running a Gracie Barra academy there.

This move changed everything. Training daily under his father's guidance, Roger's game sharpened dramatically. The London environment—with fewer high-level training partners—forced Roger to perfect the fundamentals rather than develop flashy techniques.

In 2004, Roger and his father opened the Roger Gracie Academy in London, which has since grown into a global network.

The Game: Simple but Unstoppable

Roger's jiu-jitsu was almost comically predictable. Everyone knew exactly what he would do:

1. Take you down

2. Pass your guard

3. Mount you

4. Cross choke you

The cross collar choke from mount—a technique his grandfather Carlos popularized—was Roger's signature. His opponents studied it, drilled defenses against it, and knew it was coming.

It didn't matter. Roger submitted world champions with the same basic technique they had learned as white belts.

Legendary coach John Danaher explained Roger's dominance: "Mr. Gracie had a proactive positional game and a reactive submissions game. Very few people could impose a positional game in the manner in which Mr. Gracie did."

Championship Record

IBJJF World Championships (Black Belt)

ADCC World Championships

Other Titles

• 2x European Champion

• Pan American Champion

• World Jiu-Jitsu Expo Superfight Champion (2012)

• IBJJF Hall of Fame (2021)

• ADCC Hall of Fame (2021, first inductee)

ADCC 2005: The Perfect Tournament

At the 2005 ADCC World Championships in Long Beach, California, Roger delivered what many consider the most dominant performance in grappling history.

He submitted all eight opponents across both his weight division (99kg) and the absolute (open weight) division—something no one had ever accomplished.

His victims included:

• Justin Garcia

• Eduardo Telles

• Fabricio Werdum

• Jacaré (Ronaldo Souza)

• Xande Ribeiro (twice)

Eight fights. Eight submissions. Zero close calls.

IBJJF 2009: The Repeat

Four years later, Roger did it again—this time in the gi.

At the 2009 IBJJF World Championships, he submitted every single opponent on his way to double gold (weight and absolute). No points. No advantages. No need. Just clinical, crushing control followed by inevitable submissions.

The Buchecha Rivalry

Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida was the only rival who could match Roger's resume. By 2012, Buchecha was the new king of heavyweight BJJ.

Metamoris 1 (2012)

Their first meeting was a 20-minute submission-only superfight. For grappling purists, it was a dream matchup—two of the greatest ever, both hunting the finish.

The bout featured sweeps, scrambles, and near submissions. Neither man could finish the other. The match ended in a draw—but instantly became regarded as one of the greatest grappling matches ever recorded.

Gracie Pro 2017: The Rematch

Five years later, they met again. Buchecha had won multiple additional world titles. Roger had barely competed, focusing on MMA and his academy. Buchecha was the betting favorite.

At Gracie Pro in Rio de Janeiro, Roger did what Roger does: takedown, pass, back take, collar choke.

Submission at 6:52.

Immediately after, Roger announced his retirement from BJJ competition. He had done what everyone said was impossible—come back after years away and submit the reigning king.

Perfect technique. Perfect ending.

MMA Career

Roger transitioned to MMA with the same methodical efficiency he showed in grappling:

His debut against Ron Waterman was particularly notable—Waterman, a veteran UFC fighter, had never been submitted before. Roger armbarred him in round one.

His only significant MMA loss came against Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal, who knocked Roger out in the first round in 2011.

Never Submitted

Perhaps the most remarkable statistic: Roger Gracie was never submitted in nearly 20 years of elite competition.

Over 84 matches against the best grapplers on the planet—at the highest levels, on the biggest stages—and not a single person knows what it feels like to tap Roger Gracie.

In a sport where "anyone can get caught," Roger was the exception to the rule.

The GOAT Debate

Is Roger Gracie the greatest BJJ competitor ever?

The case for Roger:

• Most World Championships at black belt (10)

• Never submitted in competition

• First to win 3 absolute world titles

• Submitted opponents at will with basic techniques

• Dominant in both gi and no-gi

Counter-arguments:

• Gordon Ryan's no-gi dominance

• Marcelo Garcia's submission artistry

• Andre Galvao's longevity

But for gi jiu-jitsu—the traditional, original form of the art—Roger Gracie stands alone. He proved that perfect fundamentals, perfect timing, and perfect pressure trump all the modern innovations.

Life After Competition

Today, Roger runs the Roger Gracie Academy network, with affiliates across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. He published "The Warrior Mindset: The Tao of a Champion" (with an introduction by actor Tom Hardy) and launched Roger Gracie TV, an online instructional platform.

He received his 5th Degree Black Belt from his father, Maurício Gomes, in July 2022.

Legacy

Roger Gracie's legacy isn't just his titles—it's what he proved about jiu-jitsu itself.

In an era obsessed with innovation, Roger showed that fundamentals win. In a sport where flashy techniques generate Instagram followers, Roger cross-choked world champions with white belt techniques.

He is living proof of his grandfather's philosophy: technique defeats strength, and perfect basics defeat complicated systems.