Royce Gracie

Brazilian mixed martial artist

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Royce Gracie is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who helped popularize the sport in the 1990s. He is known for his Brazilian jujitsu skills, which he used effectively in early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) tournaments. Gracie won UFC 1 in 1993, showcasing his ability to defeat larger opponents using technique and leverage. His success demonstrated the effectiveness of grappling and submission holds, influencing the development of MMA as a more well-rounded combat sport. Gracie was the first fighter inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2003.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

mixed martial arts
Notable champions
Royce Gracie of Brazil helped bring MMA to the forefront in the 1990s. The 6-foot 1-inch (1.85-meter), 180-pound (82-kg) Gracie, who won UFC 1 in 1993, was particularly deft at using his jujitsu skills while lying on his back to defend against attacks or to…
Read More
Royce Gracie of Brazil helped bring MMA to the forefront in the 1990s. The 6-foot 1-inch (1.85-meter), 180-pound (82-kg) Gracie, who won UFC 1 in 1993, was particularly deft at using his jujitsu skills while lying on his back to defend against attacks or to…
Read More

Ultimate Fighting Championship
Notable UFC champions

Read More

Read More