Where does Jiu Jitsu come from?
There are many narratives out there about the origins of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Lately, more research has been done to fill in some of the gaps, and demystify the history of our sport. Robert Drysdale, a former Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion who has studied history, recently worked with several historians to publish an in-depth exploration of Jiu-Jitsu ("Opening Closed Guard: The Origins of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil"), and I think it provides a lot of fascinating information and interviews.
The Japanese roots of BJJ
In the late 1800's, Jigoro Kano established a martial arts system known as Kodokan Judo that was based on Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu and Kito-ryu Jujutsu, Sumo and western wrestling. Kano favored tachi-waza (standing techniques like throws) over ne-waza (ground techniques like submissions). However, Kodokan Judo did incorporate ne-waza into their curriculum due to pressure to compete with other schools and organizations.
At the turn of the century, as the growth and development of Judo accelerated in Japan, and as more of Kano's students achieved the rank of black belt and became teachers themselves, Kano sought to spread Judo to a worldwide audience.
At the same time, unfavorable economic conditions and high unemployment were forcing many Japanese people to seek other opportunities in the Americas and Europe. In 1924, the "Asian Exclusion Act" in the United States prevented immigration from Asia and set quotas on the number of immigrants from the Eastern Hemisphere. However, the Brazilian government welcomed large quantities of Japanese immigrants. Among these immigrants were Kodokan Judo black belts who used their skills to make a living through demonstrations, challenge matches (many of which were fixed), and teaching.
Mitsuyo Maeda is the most famous of these Kodokan Judo black belts, with his students also playing a critical role in the teaching of Judo/Jiu Jitsu in Brazil: Jacyntho Ferro, Matheus Pereira, Waldemar Lopes, Raphael Gomes, and Guillerme de la Roque. At the time, Japanese practitioners like Maeda would use the terms Judo and Jiu-Jitsu (or Jujutsu) interchangeably. Most frequently, the term Jiu-Jitsu was used in relation to prize fighting matches, which was frowned upon by Jigoro Kano and the Kodokan.
The Gracie Family
Brazilians Carlos Gracie, along with his brothers Hélio, George, Oswaldo and Gastão Jr, were key figures in the development of what we now know as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Other notable practitioners like Kodokan black belts Geo Omori, Takeo Yano and the Ono brothers also played a crucial role in the spreading of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil, as they competed and taught at the same time as the Gracies.
It has long been believed that Carlos Gracie -- the first of the famed Gracie family to study Judo/Jiu-Jitsu and considered the patriarch of the Gracie family -- was a student of Mitsuyo Maeda's. However, some of the historical research points to Carlos Gracie actually learning directly from Jacyntho Ferro and from one of Ferro’s senior students, Donato Pires. It is questionable that Gracie ever learned directly from Maeda.
As the Gracies became experienced practitioners, they began engaging Japanese Judokas in many challenge matches. However, they quickly learned that the Japanese fighters were vastly more skilled at tachi-waza, or standing techniques and throws. In 1935 and 1936 Hélio Gracie famously had two no-points matches against Yasuichi Ono, a Kodokan Judo black belt. While they officially ended as draws, it is worth mentioning that Gracie was thrown an incredible 32 times in one match and 27 times in the other. These matches, according to speculation, were a pivotal point for the Gracies and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as they began focusing more on ne-waza, or ground techniques and submissions, instead of tachi-waza.
In 1951 Hélio Gracie had two no points matches with Yukio Kato, another Kodokan Judo black belt, and in each match Gracie was eager to keep the match on the ground. Gracie displayed improved ground fighting skills by winning the second match via choke.
The split between Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
In the 1950's and 1960's there was a push to make Kodokan Judo an olympic sport. In order to make the sport more spectator-friendly and entertaining, there was a desire to reduce the role of ground techniques in competitions. However, the Gracie family refused to have their version of the martial art, which had developed a more ground combat-oriented philosophy, be assimilated by this movement.
This refusal to purge ground-fighting out of Jiu-Jitsu would prove to be the main differentiating factor between the two disciplines, and ultimately the source of success for BJJ. In addition, many gyms in Brazil were not spacious enough to practice takedowns regularly and this also contributed to the focus on ground fighting.
In 1954, at an in-house tournament held at the Gracie Academy, they established a point system that would become the basis for the modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu point system. Over a decade later, in 1967, The Federação de Jiu-Jitsu da Guanabara was established. This was the first step to making Jiu-Jitsu an organized, structured and recognized sport.
