If you are a fan of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, you have probably heard of Jean Jacques Machado. He is one of the pioneers and champions of this martial art and one of the five Machado brothers who are world-renowned for their BJJ skills. But do you know his life story, his philosophy of BJJ, his teaching methods, and his influence on the martial arts community? In this article, we will explore all these aspects and more, and show you why Jean Jacques Machado is a true legend of BJJ and one of the people that changed Gentle Art forever.
Introduction
Jean Jacques Machado was born on February 12, 1968 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is the nephew of Carlos Gracie Sr., the co-founder, and grandmaster of BJJ, and learned the martial art from an early age from his uncle and his cousins Rickson Gracie and Rolls Gracie. He also has four brothers who are all BJJ coral belts (black and red belts): Carlos, Roger, Rigan, and John.
Machado was born with a congenital disorder called amniotic band syndrome, which affected his left hand, leaving him with only a thumb and a little finger. Despite this handicap, he developed a unique style of gripping and using leverage and technique over strength. He dominated the competitive arena of BJJ in Brazil from 1982 to 1992, capturing every major title and competition award in his weight division.
In 1992, he moved to the USA with his brothers to continue competing and teaching BJJ. He gained worldwide recognition in 1999 with his performance at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) World Submission Wrestling Championships, where he won his weight division and was the runner-up in the absolute division.
He also received his 7th-degree coral belt in 2011 from Rickson Gracie in recognition of his 25 years as a black belt instructor, competitor, and champion.
Machado is married to Jaqueline Machado since 1988 and they have two daughters: Jullie and Camilla. He currently lives in Woodland Hills, California, where he runs his own academy: Jean Jacques Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy.
The purpose of this article is to explore Machado’s life story, his philosophy of BJJ, his teaching methods, and his influence on the martial arts community. We will also share some of his professional titles, achievements, and contributions to BJJ.
Machado’s Early Life and Training
Machado started learning BJJ at an early age from his uncle Carlos Gracie, and his cousins Rickson Gracie and Rolls Gracie, who were both legendary BJJ practitioners and champions.
The congenital disorder he was born with (amniotic band syndrome), which affected his left hand made it more difficult for him to practice Jiu-Jitsu. Due to the condition, he was born with only a thumb and a little finger on his left hand.
Obviously, this made it difficult for him to grip his opponents’ gi or clothes. At the time, there was no such thing as No-Gi BJJ, and everyone wore and grabbed a hold of the Gi.
However, he did not let this handicap hinder his passion for BJJ. He adapted his style to use leverage and technique over strength. He also developed a unique way of gripping with his left hand, essentially coming up with the overhook and undertook controls that are today staples of No-Gi grappling.
As a competitor, Jean Jacques dominated the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene in Brazil from 1982 to 1992. He won 11 consecutive state and national championships in Brazil in his weight division (cruiserweight). He also competed in other grappling styles such as sport sambo and mixed martial arts (MMA).
He fought some highly rated and recognizable opponents like Fabio Gurgel and Renzo Gracie on more than one occasion during his competitive career.
Jean Jacques Machado’s Move to the USA and International Success
In 1992, Machado moved to the USA with his brothers Carlos, Roger, Rigan, and John to continue competing and teaching BJJ. They opened their first martial arts school in Los Angeles, California. They also became friends with Chuck Norris, who eventually invited them to teach BJJ at a location that was convenient for him to visit, which is today’s Machado’s Beverly Hills, California Academy.
Machado gained worldwide recognition in 1999 with his performance at the ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships. This is one of the most prestigious grappling tournaments in the world that attracts competitors from various styles such as BJJ, wrestling, judo, sambo, etc.
Machado won his weight division (77 kg) by defeating Matt Serra in the quarterfinals, Marc Laimon in the semifinals, and Ricardo Almeida in the final.
He also entered the absolute division (open weight) where he defeated Egan Inoue in the quarterfinals but lost to Mark Kerr in the semifinals. He finished as the runner-up in the absolute division.
Here are more details on his awe-inspiring ADCC 1999 performance:
- Matt Serra: Machado defeated Serra by points (4-0) in the quarterfinals;.
- Marc Laimon: Machado defeated Laimon by submission (armbar) in the semifinals;
- Ricardo Almeida: Machado defeated Almeida by points (4-0) in the final;
- Egan Inoue: Machado defeated Inoue by submission (armbar) in the quarterfinals of the absolute division;
- Mark Kerr: Machado lost to Kerr by points (0-2) in the absolute semifinals;
Jean Jacques also received the Most Technical Fighter Match Award at the ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships that year, for his display of skill and technique.
His grappling record is 17 wins (11 by submission) and 7 losses (0 by submission).
In 2011, Machado received his 7th-degree coral belt (red/black belt) from Rickson Gracie at a private ceremony held at Rickson’s academy in West Los Angeles. This prestigious promotion recognizes Machado’s 25 years as a black belt instructor, competitor, and champion.
Machado’s Philosophy and Teaching Style
Machado views BJJ as a way of life, a tool for self-improvement, and a means of self-expression. He believes that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu can help anyone achieve their goals, overcome their challenges, and discover their potential.
In Jiu-Jitsu training, Machado emphasizes the importance of fundamentals, concepts, principles, and details. He teaches that mastering these elements is essential for developing a solid foundation and understanding of BJJ.
Given his disability (which can hardly be called that after his competitive successes) JJM is keen on adapting his teaching style to each student’s needs, goals, personality, and learning style. He tailors his instruction to suit each student’s level of experience, skill, fitness, age, and preference.
“I have two arms, two legs and one-and-a-half hands (laughs).” Machado famously said.
Machado encourages creativity, experimentation, and innovation in BJJ practice. He inspires his students to explore different techniques, strategies, and solutions to various situations and challenges on the mat.
Jean Jacques was also instrumental in helping his older brother Rigan Machado develop a unique style for training celebrities at his Beverly Hills Academy:
“I created a new jiu-jitsu system for people who can’t get hurt. It’s technical training. They learn jiu-jitsu and technically train, but it’s all safe.” said Rigan Machado in an interview with Jiu-Jitsu magazine.
“I created a type of jiu-jitsu for the Beverly Hills clientele. Competition, sparring… these guys can’t do that. I can’t even take a 1% chance of them getting hurt. Some guys have to sign disclosure agreements; others like Ashton Kutcher and Mickey Rourke come in regularly, while Usher comes in once and a while and Vin Diesel when he’s in town.”
Machado’s Influence On BJJ and His Incredible Legacy
Machado has influenced many prominent figures in the martial arts community, such as black belts Eddie Bravo, Dan Inosanto, Joe Rogan, Chuck Norris, Richard Norton, Chris D’Elia, Todd White, Mark Mireles, etc.
JJM has produced numerous types of instructional media for Jiu-Jitsu and grappling, such as videos, DVDs, books, and online training programs.
He has authored four best-selling books on BJJ:
- “The Grappler’s Handbook Vol. 1”,
- “The Grappler’s Handbook Vol. 2 Tactics for Defense”,
- “Championship Grappling Techniques”, and
- “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Techniques”.
He has also launched the very first online training program for BJJ back in 2006, which is now known as JJM3.0 Advanced Online Training.
Machado has founded or co-founded several organizations and events related to BJJ, such as:
- RCJ Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association,
- World Grappling Games Federation,
- UFAF Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Division, etc.
He has also organized and participated in many tournaments and seminars around the world to promote and share his knowledge and passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Machado has appeared in several major motion pictures and television shows featuring BJJ or martial arts, such as Force of the Spirit, Redbelt, Insider Training, etc. He has also performed stunts and choreographed fight scenes for some of these productions after Rorion Gracie paved the way for submission grappling on the big screen.
Jean Jacques Machado FAQs
A few more interesting things people usually ask in regard to Jean Jacques Machado are:
Yes, Carlos Machado is related to the Gracies through his aunt Layr, who was married to Carlos Gracie Sr. He is a cousin to Carlos Gracie Junior. and his siblings and an affinal cousin to the rest of the second generation of Gracie martial artists.
Who gave Jean Machado his black belt?
Jean Machado received his black belt from his cousin Carlos Gracie Jr.
How did Jean Jacques Machado lose his hand?
Jean Jacques Machado did not lose his hand, but he was born with a congenital disorder called amniotic band syndrome, which affected his left hand, leaving him with only a thumb and a little finger.
How many Machado brothers are there?
There are five Machado brothers: Carlos, Roger, Rigan, Jean Jacques, and John. They are all BJJ coral belts and instructors.
Where does Joe Rogan train BJJ?
Joe Rogan trained BJJ predominantly at Eddie Bravo’s 10th PLanet HQ in LA. Rogan also spent a lot of time at Jean Jacques Machado Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Woodland Hills, given that Machado is Eddie Bravo’s coach. Rogan is a black belt in Gi BJJ under Jean Jacques.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explored Jean Jacques Machado’s life story, the philosophy of BJJ, teaching methods, and influence on the martial arts community. We have also shared some of his professional titles, achievements, and contributions to BJJ.
Jean Jacques Machado is a true legend of BJJ. He is one of the pioneers and champions of this martial art, and one of the five Machado brothers who are world-renowned for their BJJ skills. He has overcome his handicap of having only two fingers on his left hand by developing a unique style of gripping and using leverage and technique over strength. He has dominated the competitive arena of BJJ in Brazil and internationally, winning numerous titles and awards. He has also received his 7th-degree coral belt from Rickson Gracie in recognition of his 25 years as a black belt instructor, competitor, and champion.
Machado has influenced many prominent figures in the martial arts community, such as Eddie Bravo, Dan Inosanto, Joe Rogan, Chuck Norris, etc., and produced numerous types of instructionals for BJJ, as well as a comprehensive online training program.
