03/16/2026
A message from Professor Rafael…
If you missed yesterday’s event, we celebrated something big and special
Twenty years ago, Gracie United started with almost nothing.
No big organization.
No dozens of schools.
No thousands of members.
Just a vision…
A belief in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu…
And the idea that this art could change people’s lives.
Today, twenty years later, Gracie United has grown into more than 35 locations, thousands of students, and a community that spans across multiple states.
We’ve seen incredible accomplishments.
World champions.
MMA champions.
Competitors who have stood on the biggest stages in the sport.
But if I’m honest with you… those are not the things that make me the proudest.
The greatest achievement of Gracie United is something much bigger than medals.
It’s the lives we’ve helped shape.
Today we are teaching the third generation of students.
Kids who started training years ago are now adults bringing their own children to the academy.
That is something special.
Because Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is not just about fighting.
It’s about learning how to face life.
Our kids learn how to win with humility…
and how to lose with dignity.
They learn discipline.
They learn resilience.
They learn how to stand up to bullying.
They learn how to support each other.
They develop confidence, mental strength, and purpose.
In a world where so many people struggle with anxiety, depression, and isolation… Jiu-Jitsu gives people something powerful.
A team.
A community.
A family.
A place where you belong.
At Gracie United we believe in something simple:
Loyalty.
Respect.
Honor.
These are not just words on the wall.
They are values we try to live every day on and off the mat.
Because what we are really building here… is not just athletes.
We are building the next generation of leaders.
And leadership is not about telling people what to do.
A leader doesn’t just communicate tasks.
A leader communicates direction.
A leader inspires people to move forward together.
And when I look around this room, I see so many people who have become leaders in their communities, in their families, and inside this organization.
None of this would have been possible alone.
I thank God every day for surrounding me with amazing people.
Instructors.
Students.
Friends.
Partners.
The right people who helped me grow… who helped this vision grow… and who believed in something bigger than themselves.
Because that is what Gracie United really is.
It’s bigger than any one person.
It’s bigger than any one academy.
It’s a movement.
A family.
A community built around the belief that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can make people better.
For me personally… this has been the purpose of my life.
Nothing has given me a sense of purpose the way Jiu-Jitsu and Gracie United has.
Watching people grow.
Watching kids become confident young adults.
Watching students become teachers.
Watching lives change.
That is the real victory.
So today we celebrate twenty years.
But in many ways… we are just getting started.
The mission continues.
To grow.
To serve.
To build stronger people.
And to continue changing lives through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.
And thank you for believing in Gracie United.
