Gracie University Instructors

Ryron and Rener Gracie are the eldest grandsons of Grand Master Helio Gracie, the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Their father is Rorion Gracie, one of the world's foremost experts in self-defense — the man who founded the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993 to showcase the supremacy of the Gracie system. Rorion's brother Royce won 3 of the first 4 UFC tournaments, proving that leverage-based Gracie Jiu-Jitsu could reliably defeat larger, more athletic opponents.

Introduced to the art as soon as they could walk, Ryron and Rener grew up watching their father teach private classes in the family garage. After witnessing their father and uncles — Royce, Rickson, and Royler — win challenge matches firsthand, they developed a deep appreciation for the art's effectiveness. Inspired by the life-changing impact Gracie Jiu-Jitsu had on students, the brothers committed themselves to mastering both the techniques and the teaching methodologies of their forbearers. In 2003, Grand Master Helio Gracie awarded them black belts in recognition of that mastery.

As Chief Instructors at Gracie University, Ryron and Rener revamped the existing curriculum and created several new programs collectively known as the Gracie Global Training Program — including Gracie Combatives®, the Master Cycle®, Women Empowered, Gracie Bullyproof®, and Gracie Survival Tactics. Today, Gracie University serves over 100,000 students from 196 countries, and Ryron and Rener continue to lead the worldwide proliferation of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Rener Gracie, alongside his brother Ryron, carries on the family legacy as a Chief Instructor at Gracie University. Born into a family that built the global Jiu-Jitsu movement, Rener was immersed in the art from childhood — watching his father Rorion teach out of their Southern California garage and witnessing his uncles Royce, Rickson, and Royler validate the art in real-world challenge matches.

In 2003, Grand Master Helio Gracie awarded both Rener and Ryron their black belts, recognizing not only their technical mastery but also their command of the teaching methodologies that make Gracie Jiu-Jitsu accessible to everyone. Rener has been instrumental in designing the online curriculum at Gracie University, expanding its reach through video instruction, YouTube content, and worldwide seminars.

Rener's personal mission is to share the empowering, self-defense principles of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu with as many people as possible — especially those who would never otherwise walk into a traditional martial arts school. His approach emphasizes real-world applicability, energy efficiency, and natural body movements above all else.