Whoever grades you
carries you.

What is lineage?

Lineage in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is important. It is part of the tradition of jiu-jitsu — the connection between a teacher and a student, passed from hand to hand across generations.

Its significance centres on a direct connection to the Gracie family, because that connection validates the credibility of a practitioner’s belt. Whoever gives you your black belt will always be connected to you.

Lineage is permanent

Even if an instructor changes teams, their original lineage remains intact. Paulo is always going to be a Jorge Pereira black belt, and Jorge is always going to be a Rickson Gracie black belt. No move, no politics, no time can undo it.

Any student you grade as a black belt will carry your name.

That is why grading at ROOTS carries a degree of personal accountability — and why our belts mean what they say.

The ROOTS line

ROOTS BJJ maintains its connection through Master Jorge Pereira, black belt under Rickson Gracie in Rio de Janeiro. Our philosophy is grounded in Respect, Honour, Loyalty and Family — respect for the teachers who came before us, in the samurai spirit of the martial tradition.

1. Mitsuyo MaedaKodokan judo — brought the art to Brazil, 1914
2. Carlos & Hélio GracieFounded Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Rio de Janeiro, 1925
3. Rickson GracieThe standard of real jiu-jitsu
4. Jorge PereiraRickson Gracie black belt, Rio de Janeiro
5. Paulo GuimaraesROOTS BJJ — Sydney, Australia, est. 2001
6. YouThe next link in the chain