MMA
Most Influential Athletes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
This article ranks and analyses the most influential athletes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by using the SportsBoom MetaScale.
Gordon Ryan//Getty Images
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been around for centuries, but it has grown exponentially since its early days to the point where almost every country has something to do with the discipline. Whether it's teaching it, hosting tournaments, or having a BJJ athlete represent said country.
BJJ has gone from the streets of Rio de Janeiro to a globally celebrated sport. We know of the legends such as Helio Gracie, who is the Grandmaster, but the modern day BJJ athletes continue to grow the reputation of the sport.
In this article, we will rank and analyse the most influential athletes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Methodology
The ranking is based on measurable criteria and qualitative impact:
Achievements (40%): World championships (IBJJF, ADCC, and other notable tournaments).
Innovation (20%): Contributions to BJJ techniques, training methodologies, and strategies.
Legacy (20%): Influence on future generations, growth of BJJ, and their reputation within the sport.
No-Gi Contributions (10%): Success and innovations in No-Gi grappling.
Crossover Impact (10%): Success in other combat sports (e.g., MMA, submission wrestling).
Sources Used:
Critical Consensus: Ranking the Most Influential Athletes in BJJ
The Critical Consensus Table includes each athlete's Evolve MMA rank and Elite Sports rank, as well as their notable achievements in grappling.
Critical Consensus Table
| Rank | Athlete | Evolve MMA Rank | Elite Sports Rank | Notable Contributions |
| 1 | Roger Gracie | 1 | NR | 16 medals in international tournaments; revolutionised guard passing and submissions in Gi BJJ. |
| 2 | Gordon Ryan | NR | 1 | Dominant No-Gi practitioner with 90-5 grappling record; ADCC champion and technique innovator. |
| 3 | Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida | 2 | NR | 13 IBJJF world championships; highly decorated in Gi and transitioned successfully to MMA. |
| 4 | Marcelo Garcia | 3 | 7 | Five-time IBJJF champion; popularised the "X-Guard" and the guillotine choke. |
| 5 | Rubens Charles “Cobrinha” | 4 | 6 | Multiple-time IBJJF and ADCC champion; renowned for his guard and dynamic style. |
| 6 | Andre Galvao | NR | 4 | Four-time ADCC Superfight champion; a pioneer in training camps and BJJ academies. |
| 7 | Gabrielle Garcia | NR | 3 | Dominant female grappler with multiple IBJJF and ADCC titles; role model for women in BJJ. |
| 8 | Leandro Lo | 5 | NR | Decorated IBJJF champion; tragically passed away but left a lasting impact on modern BJJ. |
| 9 | Royler Gracie | NR | 5 | Legacy member of the Gracie family; instrumental in early BJJ tournaments and teaching. |
| 10 | Dean Lister | NR | 10 | Revolutionised leg locks and No-Gi grappling; ADCC Hall of Famer. |
SportsBoom MetaScale: Ranking the Most Influential Athletes in BJJ
The SportsBoom MetaScale takes into consideration a fighter's achievements, innovation, legacy, no-gi contributions and their crossover impact.
SportsBoom MetaScale Table
| Rank | Athlete | Achievements (40%) | Innovation (20%) | Legacy (20%) | No-Gi Contributions (10%) | Crossover Impact (10%) | MetaScale Score |
| 1 | Roger Gracie | 40 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 90 |
| 2 | Gordon Ryan | 35 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 85 |
| 3 | Marcus Almeida | 38 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 83 |
| 4 | Marcelo Garcia | 35 | 20 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 82 |
| 5 | Andre Galvao | 33 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 78 |
| 6 | Rubens Charles | 35 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 78 |
| 7 | Gabrielle Garcia | 32 | 10 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 69 |
| 8 | Leandro Lo | 35 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 68 |
| 9 | Royler Gracie | 30 | 10 | 20 | 5 | 2 | 67 |
| 10 | Dean Lister | 25 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 65 |
Most Influential BJJ Athletes: Fighter Profiles
Below, we have provided readers with a fighter profile for each Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete that is listed in the table above.
1. Roger Gracie
Roger Gracie//Getty Images
Roger Gracie is regarded as one of the best BJJ athletes to ever compete in Gi competition. Roger became a world champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 13 times in an 11-year career, before bowing out of the sport in 2017.
2. Gordon Ryan
Meanwhile, Gordon Ryan has firmly established himself as the best No-Gi grappler in the world. Ryan has put together an incredible career where he won 4 ADCC world titles, and holding a record of 157-9, and he's still competing as of 2024.
3. Marcus Almeida
Marcus Almeida had an exceptional Jiu-jitsu career before transitioning to mixed martial arts in 2021. Almeida is a 13-time world champion, accumulating 128 wins and 13 losses in his 8-year grappling career. Now, Almeida is currently 5-1 in MMA, where he competes in ONE Championship.
4. Marcelo Garcia
Marcelo Garcia is a nine-time world champion, competing between 2002 and 2011. Garcia attempted to have a MMA career, but a loss on his pro debut in 2002 put an end to that journey.
5. Andre Galvao
Andre Galvao has had a remarkable career where he has competed across four different decades between 1996 and 2022. Galvao is a four-time ADCC Superfight Championship winner. Additionally, the Brazilian competed in MMA for a short time, holding a record of 5-2 in just two years.
6. Rubens Charles
Ruben Charles won a staggering 21 gold medals across his grappling career. The Brazilian competed all over the world, and he often owned the mat wherever the tournament was hosted. Charles also won an additional 15 silver and bronze medals.
7. Gabrielle Garcia
Gabrielle Garcia became the first woman in grappling history to win four ADCC gold medals, in 2019. Before dominating the Jiu-Jitsu scene, Garcia had a short MMA career where she had an undefeated 6-0 career.
8. Leandro Lo
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artist competed between 2011 and 2022, and in that time Leandro Lo achieved ridiculous things. He was an 8-time IBJJF world champion in the black belt division, an 8-time IBJJF Pans champion, and five-time UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro champion.
Unfortunately, Lo was tragically shot dead in 2022 at a nightclub.
9. Royler Gracie
Royler Gracie won nine gold medals throughout his historic grappling career, winning an additional bronze medal, between 1996 and 2001. As well as competing in grappling, Royler had an MMA career where he won his first three fights, including a win in the second-ever PRIDE event. But, he would finish his MMA career going 5-5-1.
10. Dean Lister
Dean Lister had a 15-year grappling career in addition to a 15-year MMA career. Lister showcased his versatility by competing in two sports at the same time. The American had a grappling record of 24-13-2, whilst holding an MMA record of 13-7.
SportsBoom Suggests
Roger Gracie and Gordon Ryan lead as the most influential athletes in BJJ due to their competitive dominance and technical innovations.
Female athletes like Gabrielle Garcia represent the growing influence of women in BJJ.
Legends like Andre Galvao and Royler Gracie highlight the sport's early growth and continued evolution.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu owes its global prominence to the athletes who pushed the boundaries of the sport. From historical figures like Roger Gracie to modern dominators like Gordon Ryan, this list honors those who left an indelible mark on the art of grappling.
Tim has over 27 years experience within the sports industry, working for football clubs Arsenal FC and Millwall FC, and boxing news websites British Boxing News, Boxing Social and Global Boxing News. His boxing articles have been published in Boxing News Magazine, national newspapers, plus many other major news outlets.