Robson Gracie
{{short description|Brazilian martial artist (1935–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Carlos Robson Gracie Sr.
| image = Robson Gracie, sem data.tif
| caption =
| residence = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| birth_date = {{birth date|1935|01|16|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|04|28|1935|01|16|df=y}}
| death_place = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| nationality = Brazilian
| martial_art = Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
| teacher = Carlos Gracie, Helio Gracie
| rank = 9th deg. BJJ red belt
(under Helio Gracie)
| children =
| relatives = Kyra Gracie, Neiman Gracie (grandchildren)
| students = Renzo Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Ryan Gracie
| website =
| footnotes = {{cite web|url=http://www.fjjrio.com.br/faixaVermelha9Graus.aspx|title=Faixa Vermelha - 9º Grau/Grande Mestre|publisher=|accessdate=22 December 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230191641/http://www.fjjrio.com.br/faixaVermelha9Graus.aspx|archivedate=30 December 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gracie.com/family/tree.html#1generation|title=The Gracie Family Tree|publisher=|accessdate=22 December 2014}}
}}
Carlos Robson Gracie Sr. ({{IPA|pt|ˈʁɔbsõ ˈɡɾejsi|lang}}; 16 January 1935 – 28 April 2023) was a Brazilian martial artist. The second son of Carlos Gracie, Gracie was a 9th degree red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, affording him the title of Grandmaster.
Career
Robson Gracie learned martial arts from his father, Carlos Gracie, and his uncle Helio Gracie.{{cite web|title=Robson Gracie|url=http://geocities.com/global_training_report/robson.htm|publisher=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091026154039/http://geocities.com/global_training_report/robson.htm|archivedate=26 October 2009|accessdate=22 December 2014}} In the 1950s, Robson competed in Vale Tudo competitions. His début mixed martial arts fight was against Artur Emidio in April 1957. During the fight, Gracie submitted his opponent but refused to release him until the referee pulled them apart. Despite his small stature, incidents like this were to characterize Gracie's professional life as a tenacious fighter.
Gracie lived and taught in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where he was the president of the Jiu-Jitsu Federation of Rio de Janeiro.
Political affiliations
In the 1960s, Gracie served as a bodyguard to Leonel Brizola, the brother-in-law of the then President of Brazil, João Goulart.{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/robson-gracie|title=Robson Gracie|author=BJJ Heroes|encyclopedia=BJJ Heroes: the jiu-jitsu encyclopedia|date=14 April 2014 |accessdate=22 December 2014}} His political affiliations placed him under the scrutiny of the military regime, following the 1964 Brazilian coup d'état. His assistance to the Marxist guerrilla organization Ação Libertadora Nacional led to his arrest, and the arrest of several members of his family, by the Brazilian Secret Service. Gracie's wife, Vera Lucia, made representations to the Brazilian military government to release her husband which resulted in her own arrest; however, she was quickly released.
On 25 October 2018, shortly before the second round of the 2018 Brazilian general election, Robson Gracie handed an honorary black belt to the future President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, who has never trained in jiu-jitsu.[https://noticias.uol.com.br/politica/eleicoes/2018/noticias/2018/10/25/bolsonaro-ippon-ideologia-gracie.htm Espero dar um "ippon" na ideologia e na violência, diz Bolsonaro][http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/es/jair-bolsonaro-recebe-faixa-preta-de-jiu-jitsu Jair Bolsonaro recebe faixa preta de jiu-jitsu]
Death
Gracie died in Rio de Janeiro on 28 April 2023, at the age of 88.{{cite web |last1=de Souza |first1=Diogo |title=Robson Gracie Passes Away At 88 |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/robson-gracie-passes-away-at-88/ |website=JitsMagazine |date=29 April 2023 |access-date=29 April 2023}}[https://www.portaldoholanda.com.br/esportes/mestre-do-jiu-jitsu-robson-gracie-morre-aos-88-anos Mestre do Jiu-Jitsu Robson Gracie morre aos 88 anos] {{in lang|pt}} In November 2023, it was announced that a public landmark in Rio de Janeiro would be named after him to honor his contributions to the city.{{cite web |last1=Rogers |first1=Kian |title=Rio De Janeiro Public Landmark To Be Named After Robson Gracie |url=https://jitsmagazine.com/rio-de-janeiro-public-landmark-to-be-named-after-robson-gracie/ |website=Jitsmagazine |access-date=7 December 2023}}
Documentary
On July 6, 2023, it was announced that ESPN Films is producing a documentary series on the Gracie family directed by Chris Fuller and produced by Greg O'Connor and Guy Ritchie.{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2023-07-06 |title=ESPN Films Sets Gracie Family Docuseries, Guy Ritchie Among Executive Producers (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/espn-films-gracie-family-docuseries-guy-ritchie-1235662051/ |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- Carlos Gracie: O Criador De Uma Dinastia, Relia Gracie, 2009, {{ISBN|8501080756}} {{in lang|pt}}
{{Gracie family}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gracie, Robson}}
Category:Martial artists from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Category:Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Category:Brazilian jiu-jitsu trainers