Master Carlos Gracie Jr. — “Carlinhos” — is the son of BJJ founder Carlos Gracie and the man who turned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into a global sport. He founded Gracie Barra, the largest jiu-jitsu association in the world, and the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) — the organization behind the World Championships that define modern competitive BJJ.
And in 1994 he tied the black belt on Master Alexandre “Soca” Freitas — the professor whose network our Glen Cove academy belongs to. His signature is one knot up our own belt line.
(living figure — awaiting a licensed / supplied photo)
Grandmaster, 2026
Gracie Barra
schools worldwide
the sport’s federation
“Jiu-Jitsu for everyone.”
Raised on the mat
Born January 17, 1956 in Rio de Janeiro, Carlinhos grew up inside the family academy and was shaped above all by his half-brother and teacher Rolls Gracie, the era’s great innovator, earning his black belt around 1977. He competed for Rolls’ team in jiu-jitsu, sambo, and wrestling, and when Rolls died in a 1982 hang-gliding accident, Carlinhos took over his students — a responsibility that changed the direction of his life.
Gracie Barra — jiu-jitsu for everyone
In 1986 he opened his own school in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and named it Gracie Barra — for the family and the neighborhood, not for himself. Under his motto “Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone,” Gracie Barra grew from one academy into more than 900 schools on six continents, with a structured curriculum that shaped how the modern world learns BJJ — including the generation of Brazilian instructors, among them Alexandre “Soca” Freitas, who trained under him and carried the art abroad.
Barra da Tijuca, Rio
Building the sport itself
Carlinhos didn’t just grow an association — he built the infrastructure of competitive jiu-jitsu. In 1994 he co-founded the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation (CBJJ) and launched Gracie Magazine; in 1996 the CBJJ held the first World Championship (the Mundial); and in 2002 he founded the IBJJF, which today runs the Worlds, Pans, Europeans, and the belt-ranking standards used by academies everywhere. In April 2026, the IBJJF promoted him to the 9th-degree red belt — the sport’s highest living rank.
Worlds · 2009
Worlds · 2008
Every belt promotion, every world title, every ranking standard in modern BJJ runs on the federation he built.
The Carlinhos timeline
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1956Born in Rio de Janeiro
Carlos Gracie Jr. — “Carlinhos” — is born January 17 into the founding family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, son of BJJ co-founder Carlos Gracie. son of Master Carlos Gracie
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~1977Black belt under Rolls Gracie
Raised inside the family academy under his father Carlos Sr., he is shaped above all by his half-brother Rolls Gracie, the era’s great innovator, and earns his black belt competing for Rolls’ team.
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1982Inherits Rolls’ students
When Rolls dies in a hang-gliding accident, Carlinhos takes over his academy and students — the responsibility that redirects his life from competitor to builder.
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1986Founds Gracie Barra
He opens his own school in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and names it Gracie Barra — for the family and the neighborhood, not himself. Motto: “Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone.”
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1994The federation — and Master Soca’s black belt
Carlinhos co-founds the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation (CBJJ) and launches Gracie Magazine. The same year he ties the black belt on a young Brazilian who will carry the art to Long Island — Master Alexandre “Soca” Freitas — the direct line into our Glen Cove mats.
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1996The first World Championship
The CBJJ stages the first Mundial — the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship that becomes the sport’s defining event and the proving ground for every generation of black belts since.
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2002Founds the IBJJF
He establishes the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, which today runs the Worlds, Pans, Europeans and the global belt-ranking standards used by academies everywhere — ours included.
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2000s–nowGracie Barra goes global
Under a single structured curriculum, Gracie Barra grows from one Rio academy to 900+ schools on six continents — the largest jiu-jitsu association in the world.
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20269th-degree red belt
The IBJJF promotes Carlinhos to the 9th-degree red belt — the highest living rank in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Master Carlos Gracie → Carlos Gracie Jr. → Master Alexandre “Soca” Freitas → the professors on our Glen Cove mats. See our full lineage →