Legendary BJJ figure Robson Gracie is now going to be honored with a public landmark in Rio de Janeiro to be named after him. The news was sanctioned by the Mayor of the city, Eduardo Paes, after being originally proposed by a group of the city’s local Councillors. Marcelo Arar led the charge as the president of the Parliamentary Front in Defense of Fights and Martial Arts in the Rio de Janeiro, but Marcos Braz and Felipe Michel also took part in writing the bill. It’s an incredible honor for anyone to receive and it’s well-deserved, as Robson Gracie has been a huge figure in both the martial arts world and the Rio De Janeiro community.
Tatame spoke to Arar about the news and he explained why the decision was made to honor Robson Gracie by naming a public landmark in Rio de Janeiro after him (translated from the original Portuguese):
“GM Robson Gracie, through the Federation he created and his children, was of great relevance to the growth of Jiu-Jitsu in Rio de Janeiro and the world. I can only express my gratitude for the friendship and affection he treated everyone, and for the legacy he left in the sport.”
Robson Gracie was one of the most prominent members of his generation of the Gracie Family, and he has been given the honor just a few months after he passed away at the age of 88. He was the second son of Carlos Gracie and achieved the rank of 9th degree red belt in BJJ, along with spreading the art around the world. Renzo Gracie and Ralph Gracie are just two of his children who have had a big impact on the sport, and his legacy continues even beyond them. Kyra Gracie and Neiman Gracie are among his numerous grandchildren, and both of them have achieves huge things in the sports of BJJ and MMA.
