The Gracie family likes to take most of the credit for spreading BJJ worldwide, but it wasn’t just them. Many others also had a hand in the expansion; some may surprise you. One of the biggest names includes the martial arts legend and actor Chuck Norris.
Read the full story below on Chuck Norris and his influence on BJJ!
Chuck’s Martial Art Background
Chuck Norris is a lifelong martial artist. Throughout his life, he discovered and learned different martial arts.
He started training in the Korean art of Tang Soo Do while stationed in South Korea. After his contract with the Air Force ended, he moved back to California and opened his own martial arts studio.
Norris spent this time competing in Karate competitions before taking up Judo and entering the film industry.
Norris Trains With The Gracie Family
By the 1980s, Chuck Norris was a world-famous movie star and a multi-time champion in Karate. One year during this time, Norris took a vacation to Rio de Janeiro and trained at various martial arts schools.
He kept hearing about Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, so he found the school and began training with the family. At this time, Chuck was a black belt in Judo and thought he could hang with them on the ground.
Norris immediately changed his mind after rolling a round with Rickson Gracie. Grandmaster Helio Gracie was his last roll of the day.
After mounting Helio, the BJJ founder told Chuck to punch him. When he tried, the last thing Norris remembered was waking up.
From that point on, Norris was convinced of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s effectiveness and trained from then on. When Chuck went back to the US, he trained with Rorion Gracie at the Gracie school in Torrance for a short time.
Chuck Norris’ Time Training With the Machado Brothers
During the late 1980s, the Machado brothers had moved to Redondo Beach in LA. In their first few years in California, the brothers were teaching out of their garage.
On a random day, one of the Machado brothers ran into Chuck Norris and brought him to their home to train. From that point on, the Machado’s and Chuck became great friends.
Norris was between film projects, so he trained with Jean-Jacques, Rigan, Carlos, and John every day. Every day for six months, Chuck hung out with the brothers and trained.
The brothers were also frequently invited to Chuck’s home in Encino for barbecues and other get togethers.
Chuck Gifts the Machado Brothers Their First School
One day, Chuck Norris came to the brother’s home and told them he had a surprise for them. They all got in Chuck’s car, and he drove them to the Valley.
He took them to a shopping center on Ventura Blvd. At this shopping center, a unit was fully decked out in brand-new Jiu-Jitsu mats.
Chuck tells the brothers that this is their new school and gives them the keys. The Machado brothers were floored by the gesture, but told Chuck that they had no way of paying.
Norris politely responded: “Don’t worry, I own the shopping center. you don’t have to pay. Just run your school.”
From that point on, the rest is history, and the Machado brothers went on to build their BJJ empires.
The Influence of Chuck Norris on BJJ
At the time, nobody realized the impact that Chuck Norris’s incredibly kind gesture would have. Giving the Machado brothers their own school allowed millions of future students to discover Jiu-Jitsu.
This allowed them to achieve their dreams and teach the martial art that they loved. People like Joe Rogan and Eddie Bravo may not have started training without Norris helping his friends.
Chuck Norris holds a special place in the history of BJJ. Without this act of kindness, Jiu-Jitsu might look very different today.
Bobby is martial artist for almost 20 years with a BJJ black belt under Professor Sergio Miranda. He is also a karate black and former combat sports athlete, who loves all things grappling.