A Gracie Bloodline.
A Name of His Own.
The Machado brothers grew up on the Gracie mats, then built a legacy that carries their own name. This is the line you step into on day one in Carrollton.
From the Gracie Compound in Rio to a mat in Carrollton, the art has been handed down by the same hands for three generations.
From Rio to the Forefront of BJJ.
- 1963
Born Into the Bloodline
Carlos Machado is born in Rio de Janeiro, the eldest of the five Machado brothers, Roger, Rigan, Jean Jacques, and John. The Machados are Gracie cousins through Luiza Machado, sister-in-law of Carlos Gracie Senior. The fighting tradition is woven into their lives from the start.
- Childhood
Raised at the Gracie Academy
Carlos begins training under his uncle, Grandmaster Carlos Gracie. The Machado brothers and the Gracie children are inseparable, sharing countless hours at the Gracie Compound. They play, eat, train, and grow up together.
- Copacabana
Mentored by Rolls Gracie
After the family moves to Copacabana, Carlos is mentored directly by the legendary Rolls Gracie. The bond runs deep, and Rolls’s sudden passing leaves a lasting mark on Carlos, then a young blue belt.
- 1982 to 1987
Five Years Under Carlos Gracie Sr.
While studying law at university, Carlos lives with his uncle Carlos Gracie Senior for five formative years, drinking from his vast well of knowledge and philosophy at every opportunity.
- 1988
The Brothers Reach America
Rigan Machado sets foot on American soil, laying the foundation by teaching alongside the Gracies in the now-legendary “Gracie Garage.”
- 1990
California Roots
Carlos and his brother John follow to Southern California, helping build the early academy alongside Rorion, Rickson, and Royce Gracie before the five Machado brothers set out to create a legacy of their own in Redondo Beach.
- Early 1990s
A Friendship That Spread the Art
Chuck Norris walks through the door searching for a new art to master. He becomes a student, a close friend, and a member of the extended family, and his reach helps carry Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu far beyond the mats.
- 1995
Jiu-Jitsu Comes to Texas
Carlos moves to Dallas to film Walker, Texas Ranger, and brings the real art with him. Before he arrived, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was virtually unheard of here. Today most BJJ lineage in Texas and the Southwest traces back to Carlos Machado.
Chuck Norris & the Machado Brothers.
In the early 1990s, Chuck Norris went looking for a new art to master and found the Machados. He became a student, then a lifelong friend. He helped the brothers open their first academy in Tarzana and featured them on Walker, Texas Ranger, introducing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to millions.
That friendship is what brought Carlos to Texas in 1995, and it is a large part of why the art took root across the Southwest. What started as one student walking through the door helped spread jiu-jitsu far and wide.
From Black Belt to Champion.
Carlos has promoted dozens of black belts who went on to make their mark in MMA and competitive BJJ, and who now run successful academies of their own. A few of them:
- Rafael Lovato Jr.
- Bellator Champion · IBJJF World Champion black belt
- Travis Lutter
- The Ultimate Fighter winner · UFC veteran
- Anthony Perosh
- UFC veteran · IBJJF World Champion
- Elvis Sinosic
- UFC veteran · IBJJF World Champion
The Godfather of Jiu-Jitsu
Before Carlos Machado arrived in Dallas, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was virtually unknown in the region. He still teaches every level personally, from first-day beginners to the black belts who continue to evolve under his guidance. When you train here, you are learning the source, not a copy of a copy.
Train in a Line That Goes Back to the Source.
Pick a class time. Show up. Train. See for yourself whether this is the right fit before you commit. No contract, no pressure, no experience needed.
Free intro class · No experience required · No long-term contract · Walk-ins welcome