ESPN Gracie Family Documentary Series Announced
A documentary on the Gracie family was recently announced that will air on ESPN and stream on Disney+ before the end of the year.
The latest in the ESPN 30 For 30 documentary series was directed by world-famous director Guy Ritchie, who has been a BJJ practitioner for many years.
Ritchie’s inclusion in the documentary series has sparked the intrigue of many BJJ and MMA fans. Many are curious to see how the story of the Gracies will be told and the family’s influence on the development of BJJ and modern MMA.
Which Truth Will Be Told?
A question that many within the BJJ community have is which truth will be told in the documentary? It’s an undeniable fact that the Gracies played a vital part in the growth of BJJ and MMA.
However, members of the family have been known to stretch the truth and embellish stories from the family’s past.
There’s concern that the documentary, relying heavily on certain Gracie family members’ perspectives, might present a one-sided or overly glorified view of their legacy.
For example, Rorion Gracie announced that the documentary was happening and that he was involved in production.
If he had a large say in creative direction, he likely made himself and his father’s side of the family(Hélio) look more stoic than they really were.
Many within the family don’t agree with one another on how certain parts of their histories played out. Family members on Carlos Gracie’s side have a different perspective from those on Helio’s side.
No trailer or release date has been announced, but BJJ practitioners and MMA fans will be tuning in to see Ritchie’s film and how the stories will be told and presented.
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.