Rolles Gracie was born July 14, 1978 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is also mentioned several times as Roll(e)s Junior as his father was the family and BJJ Legend Rolls Gracie (although their names are slightly different).

 

Rolles started his contact with the family tradition, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu through his father and grandfather (Gracie Jiu Jitsu founder Carlos Gracie). That came to a stop in 1982 (Rolls was 6 years old) when his father passed away after an odd accident while gliding.

 

A few years later, in 1996 he restarted his tuition at the hands of his uncle Rilion Gracie, his father’s younger brother at his academy in Santa Catarina, South of Brazil. He also cross trained with his other uncle Carlinhos Gracie at Gracie Barra Rio de Janeiro. With his uncles training he went on to achieve several medals at different BJJ competitions.

 

In 1998 he moved to Boca Raton in Florida to live with his mother.  Unfortunately there wasn’t many BJJ schools nearby, so he picked up Judo practice, were he also excelled, winning important competitions in the sport.

 

In 1999 Rolles decided to go back to Rio to pursue his desire to achieve BJJ greatness. That came by the hands of Carlinhos Gracie, who handed him the black belt a few years later.

 

In 2004 Rolles moved to New York City to work with his older cousin Renzo Gracie, helping him with his classes.

Rolles lives in Homdel, New Jersey