Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a fighting style that focuses on the ground game of fighting. Over the past eighty years, its course has been somewhat peculiar. Almost all the MMA fighters are trained in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu due to its success in MMA and UFC.

anderson silva t shirtsBrazilian Jiu Jitsu has a very long history, it goes back through the Gracie family to their original teacher, Mitsuyo Maeda and his training in the Kodokan which was the home of Judo.

Kodokan Judo which originated in Japan, reigned supreme for many years, this judo techniques were composed of stand up throwing methods. Mataemon Tanabe challenged the Kodokan in the 19th century. He was in charge of traditional Jiu Jitsu, the Fusen Ryu. Fusen ryu fighters were expert in fighting on ground, which the Kodokan lacked. The importances of dramatic ground fighting techniques are best exemplified by the Kodokan-Fusen Ryu matches. For this reason, Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, invited Tanabe to teach ground grappling. The Ground fighting technique became very famous at the Kodokan, all the students started practicing the ground grappling techniques.

Right around that time Mitsuyo Maeda began judo training and discovered that he was a martial arts prodigy. He was a member of Kodokan. Kano selected several students, including Maeda, to spread his art overseas. Maeda was sent to U.S.A. in 1904 to spread the message of Kodokan Judo. He traveled the world and saw beautiful places like Great Britain, northern Europe, Cuba, and Mexico. There he would compete against various fighters from different disciplines. On November 1914, Maeda visited Brazil and moved there. Maeda won over 1,000 fights as a professional Judo fighter. He was unbeaten.