Relson Gracie

In January 25th, 2020, Relson got arrested in a bus in Rio, Brazil, on charges of drug trafficking. This was based on him carrying various forms of medical marijuana, which he obtained legally with a prescription, and which had been legalized in Brazil in December 2019. He was released less than a week later.

Prior to UFC 1, Royce was just "Rorion and Relson's little brother." Relson helped Royce train for the event. Relson's style was—and still is—ideally suited to a "limited rules" type of fighting. Royce won three of the first four UFC events.

On April 6, 2013 Relson was promoted to rank of grandmaster (red belt) the highest possible belt awarded to living individuals in Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Relson has five children: Karina, Rishna, Rhalan, Kailani and Ka'ena (all Brazilians). He also has 3 grandkids (all Americans). He travels the world teaching seminars. Relson received his 9th degree red belt from his eldest brother Rorion Gracie on April 6, 2013.

In 2000 the Relson Gracie Team joined forces with Gracie Humaita and placed in every division at the Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Florida: 1st in the Female and Master/Seniors divisions, 2nd in the Juvenile, and 3rd in the Adult.

In 1997 Relson Gracie brought a team from Hawaii to the second World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships and became the first team outside of Brazil to "close out" (or win) a division. Two of Relson’s students, Kendall Goo and Kelly Matsukawa, took first and second place in the Adult Blue Belt Pessidissimo division.

Relson is also affiliated with some tournaments: the Relson Gracie National Jiu-Jitsu Tournament has been held annually in Columbus, Ohio since 1997. Due to the success of his inaugural National tournament, Arnold Schwarzenegger approached Relson to start the Arnold-Gracie World Submission Championships in 2000, also held to be held in Columbus. Between 2005 and 2008, participation has increased from 1200 to 1800 competitors.

In the pre-UFC years, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was relatively unknown outside of Brazil. Relson taught out of his garage in the evenings after a hard day's work in the construction industry. However, the effectiveness and benefits of Jiu-Jitsu soon spread throughout the island of Oahu, and in the same year he expanded his classes to athletic facilities at the University of Hawaii at Manoa because of growing demand until 1996, while continuing to teach out of his garage.

In 1993, The Ultimate Fighting Championship held its first event, UFC 1, which would launch the career of Royce Gracie.

Relson organized the first tournament outside of Brazil in Honolulu in 1992.

In 1985, Relson moved from Rio de Janeiro to Monterey, California at the request of Pedro Sauer’s older brother, Carlos. In Monterey Relson taught at the Eseline Therapy Institute for a year and a half. In June 1988 he moved to Honolulu and continued to teach.

The Gracie family also experienced success in Vale Tudo fights and competitions. On April 25, 1980, "the torch" was officially passed to Rickson Gracie when he defeated Casemiro "Rei Zulu" Nascimento Martins by rear naked choke. Rei Zulu suffered a similar fate at the hands of Rickson again in January 1984 during their second encounter. Relson trained Rickson for both events in anticipation of fighting Zulu himself, but Relson later acquiesced to Helio's wishes for Rickson to make his debut as the Gracie family champion.

In 1975, at the age of 22, Relson was approached by Rio's Secretary of Sport Jose Morais and Manaus Senator Artur Vigilio, a Reyson Gracie Black Belt, who proposed Relson open his own academy. Because of this encouragement, Relson opened his first Jiu Jitsu academy, Ilha Clube Jardim Guanabara (ICJG). During this time Relson taught at both ICJG and Academia Gracie Humaita.

In the middle to late 1970s Gracie Jiu-Jitsu continued to grow in popularity, and in 1978, Academia Gracie relocated to Flamengo, an area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1982 Relson and his younger brother Rickson began competing and winning black belt divisions of Jiu Jitsu tournaments in their respective weight classes (83 kg and 77 kg, respectively) and "open weight" divisions as well, often sharing 1st and 2nd place. "Open weight" are divisions in tournaments where any weight can compete.

Relson was born in 1953, a year after the Gracies opened Academia Gracie in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1962, Helio Gracie (Relson's father) held the world’s first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu tournament in Rio de Janeiro, where Relson competed at the age of 10. Relson was Brazilian National Champion in both his own weight class and the open division for an unprecedented 22 years. His record and success in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu earned him the name "Campeão," Portuguese for Champion.