Archive for January, 2009

Posted on January 29, 2009 - by Jim Hughes

We will Miss, Helio Gracie, the father of Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Our Beloved Professor and friend, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Legend, Grandmaster Helio Gracie, passes on in Brazil.

Our deepest sympathy to Royce and the entire Gracie Family. While we are sad and feel an immense loss, we will honor and celebrate his life by living the  examples he gave of positive attitude and the joy of life long learning. His Art, Gracie Jiu Jitsu, gives those of us who are small, weak, and vulnerable, hope, as well as a fighting chance, in the face of overwhelming obstacles.

“Helio Gracie is a true living master. What he sparked in his students lives forever.”

Jim Hughes
Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Connecticut & New England

Posted on January 4, 2009 - by Jim Hughes

authentic origin of ct mma (& mma worldwide) is royce gracie jiu jitsu

Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu evolved by knowing what we want, being devoted to our family tradition, and being authentic. It has a rock solid foundation and it’s as real as real gets.

You should know, Royce did not set out to be a UFC Champion or Pride or K1 superstar. He just wanted to be his very best. Likewise, I did not set out to be Royce’s most prolific student developing more academies and more coaches than anyone else. I just happened to love the practice and have been fortunate to attract very good people who are committed and who love Gracie Jiu Jitsu and who are loyal to me and Royce.

It’s all about the attitude of being your very best. The thought process goes like this “I am training and fighting for the honor of my family and the well-being of the people I love.”

However, I have noticed that people are sometimes confused these days. Every once in a while we get someone who has been watching way too much television come in and say “I wanna get me some of that there MMA. . . you guys do any of that MMA here like they do down the road?”

Listen. Any goofball can buy the top position on Google and say they are doing MMA. Put up a picture with a pair of gloves on and a Tapout shirt; find some guy with a Brazilian accent or pretend to have an accent themselves; Photoshop themselves into a picture with Royce or pay to stand next to Chuck Norris or some other movie star for a photo op.

Geez, Tapout is now sold in Walmart. All I can hear in my head right now as I write is the Door’s, “This is the End.” Health clubs and fitness centers are even riding the coat tails of MMA in Connecticut by claiming to do some fancy MMA fitness workout taught by some dude with leotards under his sleeveless T-shirt and 80’s baggy karate pants, (wearing a headband saying “let’s get it on,” sporting some sparkly MMA Fighter Gloves that he got by sending in the box top from the new UFC Cereal —The Breakfast for Ultimate Fighters).

I can’t wait for Curves for Women to start their MMA class. A place where people can finally train MMA without “pressure or judgment.”

I can barely take it.

I told the announcer at one of our member’s pro fights at Mohegan that his nick name is “The Longer the Nickname the Better.” We were so disappointed that they did not bring him out and announce him with his nickname. Apparently, they prefer names like “The Ramsacker” or the “The Reaper” or “The Spine Crusher.” I guess they could not take us making fun of MMA when we were standing right in the middle of it in the arena. He won his fight against a super tuff opponent in 34 seconds without hitting him even once. The guy looked the part. Our guy took him apart, very nicely, demonstrating the effectiveness of our strategy.

Someone come in to one of our schools recently presenting like the person I mentioned above (”got any of that there MMA, I wanna do me some a dat ‘no gi’ they do over there”), I advised the coach to just say: “Look, you gotta decide between the guy saying he is doing MMA and looking the part, or those of us who train with and even vacation with Royce Gracie, the Father of what people call MMA today.”

Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu: the Rock Solid Authentic Origin of MMA. Real people. Real devotion to our family tradition. Real Self Defense that works.