Rilion Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy (HEADQUARTERS)

Valente Bros are definitely an odd branch of bjj. Their gi sleeves are way shorter and they do punches and kicks as part of their curriculum. My first school back in the early 00's was a Gracie Miami affiliate and they drilled it into our heads that we were studying the true original form of Helio Gracie style of bjj and not the watered down stuff every one else was doing at the time. source, 2025 ↗

neutral

I cannot nor would I speak for ANY affiliate gym. I've only attended the headquarters school in Miami run by the 3 Valente Brothers themselves...the school & curriculum approved by Helio himself & a place he would visit twice a year while still alive. It is the most organized jiu-jitsu curriculum I've ever encountered...the entire years of lessons, literally every day, is planned out in advance & is made up of very effective techniques that I & many others have applied effectively in real world encounters against aggressive attackers. The school is home to a large number of po source, 2025 ↗

neutral

lol nobody is scared of this dude . I know 165 lb bjj blue belts that would MURK this dude . I don’t live in Miami or I’d easily tell him to swing by my bjj gym and it would the most humbling experience. His entire crew would literally get mopped like the Gracie’s did back in Brazil 🇧🇷 where they used to dojo storm and leave no one standing source, 2024 ↗

neutral

Yes, I switched from a very high level Rilion Gracie school in Miami, to Lucas Lepri school in Charlotte, NC. It's fun learning everyone's game and definitely got thrown to the wolves, but thankful to my professors back in Miami because the BJJ is rock solid and i've done very well in my new gym as a result source, 2024 ↗

positive

Miami 100% or MAYBE Las Vegas  ,strong bar and club culture and all the things that come with it. Plus i dont think any of these cities have a stronger MMA/BJJ scene than the  Miami metro, you have alot of serious competition in the area and people like the Gracies and Valente brothers (who trained under Helio) teaching there, also consider Ft.Lauderdale source, 2024 ↗

neutral

They haven't been a major team in a minute but Rilion Gracie/Gracie Elite has always been a good coach/team. You already said Fight Sports. Enrico Cocco's Zen Jiu-Jitsu, they aren't all affiliated with Fight Sports. Leo D’avila and Luccas Lira and the Atos Miami team are building something cool. Roberto Gordo is based in Florida. American Top Team fields some competitors. They don't have a John Danaher, B-Team, and Tackett brothers, which to me makes Austin, Texas the place to be, not Texas itself. But they have a nice scene. source, 2023 ↗

positive

My first school 20 years ago was a Gracie Miami affiliate run by the Valente Brothers. Pedro was a nice guy but they spoke a lot about how they train and teach the “true” art developed by Helio. They would make a point in saying most Gracie’s had already moved away from Helio’s style and were no longer true Gracie JJ. We did a shit load of self defense training (basically the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Book by Royce and Charles Gracie) and some rolling. My instructor was a purple belt at the time and as soon as I got my blue belt I quit. I got back into bjj 1.5 years ago and looked up my old instr source, 2023 ↗

positive

Carlson gracie>nova geracao>fight sports =heavy pressure. Leon is the man source, 2015 ↗

neutral