It was in the 1920s when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) was first developed, originally made famous by the Gracie brothers, Carlos, George, and Hélio. It was Carlos who was taught the art of traditional Kodokan Judo by a travelling Japanese judoka in 1917. Not long after that, the Gracie family went on to create their own self-defense style called Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. BJJ is a type of combat sport and martial art that relies on grappling, ground fighting and submission holds. It teaches how a smaller or weaker person can overcome a bigger opponent through a series of weight distributions and leverage, forcing the opponent to the ground. This is where the advantage of the stronger person is diminished, and the weaker opponent can win using submissions like joint locks and chokeholds. BJJ eventually developed into its own type of combat sport through innovations and adaptations taken from Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. It also became an essential component for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).  

The International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) is the world governing body for the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The federation was formed in 2002 and is a for-profit company. IBJJF hosts several of the biggest BJJ tournaments in the world, including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, World No-Gi Championship, Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship and the European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship. It was founded by Carlos Gracie Jr., who is also head of Gracie Barra, one of the largest BJJ associations in the world. The organisation has over 800 schools in six continents. With their headquarters based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, IBJJF continues to build on the worldwide success and growth of the sport.