From a two-week trip to a two-month stay, people come to Rio to train jiu-jitsu for only as much time as they can get away from the ‘real world’. For those with jobs, two weeks is usually the maximum amount of time it’s possible to duck out of work. For those Read More

MMA fans who love the UFC hate to miss an event, but there’s no reason why a visit to Rio de Janeiro should stop you from catching all the latest fights as there are plenty of ways to watch the UFC in Rio de Janeiro. MMA events in Brazil have got the best atmosphere of Read More

The legendary Carlson Gracie academy (302) in Copacabana is one of oldest BJJ gyms in the world still running. Opened 40 years ago, Grand Master Carlson Read More

If there is one piece of advice we could give to every tourist visiting Rio de Janeiro, it is this simple maxim: Don’t be a gringo. This might seem a tricky prospect to pull off, given that Read More

A long-running school from the Carlson Gracie lineage, Nova Geração is a well-known name in the world of jiu-jitsu and a popular destination for avid-competitors. Read More

Brazilian Top Team is one of the top teams in Rio de Janeiro, producing champions in both BJJ and MMA. One of the most respected teams – not just in Rio but also the world – Brazilian Top Team (BTT) is a popular destination for visitors who come to Rio to train BJJ. Founded by a Read More

One of the attractions of training in Rio de Janeiro is its rich history of jiu Jitsu and vale tudo. Rio is home to some of Brazil’s biggest teams and fighters and if you go to the right spots there’s always a good chance you’ll spot jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts celebrities, Read More

Known as the home of many amazing MMA fighters, Nova Uniao is also a jiu-jitsu powerhouse with a huge team and many international representatives. Founded by Andre Pederneiras, a Carlson Gracie student, and Wendall Alexander, who comes from the non-Gracie ‘Fadda’ Read More

I’ve got bad news for you: It doesn’t matter how healthy you are or what precautions you take – you’re probably going to get sick in Brazil. Visiting a different country will always expose you to new and interesting bacteria your body has no immunity to. Read More

How many BJJ gyms in Rio have regular no-gi training? The answer is ‘not many’, although most gyms have one or two ‘sem-kimono‘ sessions a week on their timetables. Most Rio-based teams with solid no-gi competitors are primarily MMA gyms. The majority of Read More