linhagem

Helio Gracie, Rorion, Rolls, Relson, Rickson, Rolker, Royler, Royce, Robin.

João Alberto Barreto, Alvaro Barreto, Francisco Mansur, Flavio Behring.

The list can go on and on without even touching Carlos Gracie Sr.'s side. Carlson, Robson, Rilion, Carlos Jr., Reylson, Rosley, Carley, Crolin, Renzo, Charles, Ralf, Ryan..

The Machados.

Now that the jiu jitsu that we all practiced and spread almost 20-30 years ago is now a global sport and martial art, the issue of lineage is a delicate topic. People outside of the original generation try to classify our skills and put us into boxes.

Now that both of our founding fathers have passed onto Heaven, I find myself thinking of these things. I, personally, am not worried about whose jiu jitsu is better or which team is the best. I think of the legacy of our generation. At 95 years old, Helio Gracie continued to make improvements to his jiu jitsu in the privacy of his own home in Petropolis and thoughts. I hope that our new prodigies, our successors, the young jiu jitsu stars who will take our place and our belts some day will remember the legacy we left behind. The knowledge that we all gathered together over the years must not be lost.

Romero Jacare Cavalcante, Marcio Maccarao Stambowsky, Fabio Santos, Caique, Delariva, Murilo Bustamante, Liborio, Carlos Valente, Luis Limao Heredia, Anibal Lobo...all the teams of our sport.

Alliance. Gracie Barra. Nova Uniao. Carlson Gracie. Gracie Elite. Gracie Humaita, Gracie Florianopolis...my friends. Your masters, your instructors, your coaches, your professors all remember their instructors. Regardless of the patch on your back..you are descended from a generation that once saw no distinction in teams. We were all once a family. Training with each other, surfing, and all dedicated to spreading the gospel of jiu jitsu.

We as fighters and sportsmen...who will always ask the question "Do you train?"...remember your roots!

I always will remember mine.