# Royce Gracie

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## Overview

**Name:** Royce Gracie


## Bio

The youngest son of Helio Gracie, Royce Gracie was arguably the single most important ambassador for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the global mainstream, using his father’s art to win the first, second, and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments as the smallest competitor in the field. Trained from toddlerhood alongside brothers Rorion, Relson, Rickson, and Royler, he received his black belt from Helio in a ceremony co-hosted by Rickson just before turning eighteen, though his early competitive record included a submission loss to Paschoal Magalhaes at the Copa Company and a defeat to Fabio Santos. After moving to the United States to teach at the new Gracie Academy, his 1993 UFC victory—engineered by brother Rorion—cemented the family’s narrative of technique overcoming size. A 1998 superfight against Carlson Gracie protégé Wallid Ismail ended with Royce being finished by a clock choke, and his later MMA career was marred by a failed drug test for nandrolone after a 2007 win over Kazushi Sakuraba. Following Helio’s death, Royce returned to the old Gracie Jiu-Jitsu uniform, swapping his coral belt for a navy blue instructor’s belt.

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**Last Updated:** June 05, 2026

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