All Aboard the Gracie Train

Book excerpt: On November 12th 1993 in Denver, Colorado, the Martial Arts world as we know it changed forever. A young Brazilian called Royce Gracie stepped into an 8 sided chain linked arena to take part in the first Ultimate Fighting Challenge (UFC). He faced a variety of Martial artists and combat veteran's in a no holds barred tournament designed to determine the best and most efficiant hand to hand combat system on the planet. Royce and his family style, 'Gracie Jiu-Jitsu' came out as the undisputed 'Daddy' of the Martial Arts universe. It would be a somewhat slow burn, but Gracie Jiu-Jitsu or Brazilian jiu-Jiu-Jitsu as it was also known would become the 'must have', Martial Art skill set to acquire for those that recognised its importance as a practical and revolutionary system. In the United Kingdom the slow burn would prove to be a really slow burn, and it would be several years before we would have access to anything resembling Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I was one of those that had been lucky enough, or savvy enough to see the importance of learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu. I had been a lifelong Martial Artist and this seemed to be the missing piece of the jigsaw that I had been searching for since Bruce Lee had influenced so many with his 'Jeet Kune Do' fighting thesis. This is my story. A light hearted romp that takes you back to 1990's Great Britain and a quest for the Martial Art 'Holy Grail', the real Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Take a trip with me as I navigate the pitfalls, the frustration and ultimately the joy that this great art and its first family The Gracie's gave to me and the Martial Arts world. All Aboard The Gracie Train is for those with a passion for Jiu-Jitsu. It doesn't matter when or how you caught the Jiu-Jitsu train, it is only important that you have gained something from its practice. This is a celebration of the art. It is the story, or at least my story, as to the origins of the art in the United Kingdom.