# Carlson Gracie

> Red Belt

## Overview

**Name:** Carlson Gracie

**Belt Rank:** Red Belt


## Bio

Carlson Gracie, son of Carlos Gracie, forged his legend in the vale tudo era of the 1950s and 1960s, dominating no-holds-barred matches with a relentless, pressure-based grappling style that wore opponents down until they quit. A creative and fiercely competitive fighter, he challenged and defeated larger men like Capoeirista Cirandinha and avenged family honor by beating Waldemar Santana before a crowd of 40,000 at Maracanãzinho. Breaking from the Gracie Academy and his uncle Hélio, he opened the Carlson Gracie Academy, pioneering group classes and opening Jiu-Jitsu to the public. There he assembled a dynasty of champions—Ricardo Liborio, André Pederneiras, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort, Walid Ismail—whose eventual exodus in the early 2000s fractured the team. He passed away in Chicago on February 1, 2006.
## Specialties

- N/A

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**Last Updated:** September 08, 2026

**Data Source:** bjj.space (https://bjj.space/people/carlson-gracie)