Known for its technical grappling and ground submissions, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s (BJJ) technical depth and rich history over the decades have seen serious rivalries and feuds that have ignited fans’ captivation worldwide. The rivalries that have occurred on the mat have created intense competitions that have been both personal and professional, and when the best go head to head in this sport, it is exciting but ferocious. These rivalries have engrossed fans and sparked massive interest in the sport worldwide. 

Many fans have started to try their hand at training in the sport, whilst others engage in the sport through gambling on the big fights. It has become so popular that many fans have even started wagering in offshore platforms that offer odds, as reviewed by Basketballinsiders, on major events in the sport.

Since its more inaugural grassroots through the earlier decades of the 20th century, the sport slowly proved itself in the MMA wider sphere and has become an incredibly important feature in the now UFC competition after many BJJ fighters proved their worth in the octagon. 

The initial rivalries in this sport were born out of a disagreements with style and ideologies surrounding the techniques used. This saw the infamous Gracie family compete against various opponents who sported different ideologies within the sport, such as the Chute Boxe Camp and the Luta Livre style. Whilst Helio Gracie put BJJ on the map through his impressive bout against Masahiko Mikura where he held his own against a much more formidable foe it was not until Helio’s son, Royce Gracie won the first, second and, fourth UFC titles in the inaugural years of the competition that BJJ was taken seriously in the MMA realm. 

This eventually led to a momentous bout between Royce Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba at the 2000 PRIDE Fighting Champs. A feud that had carried over from when Royce’s brother, Rickson, defeated Kazushi’s master, Nobuhiko Takada, 3 years prior. Gracie and Sakuraba fought under special rules, which lasted for a gruelling 90 minutes and is a revered clash in BJJ history, displaying the best talent in the sport at that time to the world. This spectacle is widely regarded as one of the best fights in combat sports history, placed in the archives alongside the likes of the ‘Fight of the Century’. Sakuraba would win this event in the end with a TKO, but this would spark Gracie’s ambition for a rematch where Gracie would win in controversial style 7 years later. 

The rivalries in BJJ extend further than just matchups against rivals. The fierce fights and competition between the Ribeiro brothers Saulo and Xande was a showcase of no-holds-barred brotherly love. With MMA having a history of producing sibling rivalries and combinations, these two masters of the BJJ art were submission and grappling experts and became household names. Saulo rose to fame initially as one of the sport’s top competitors, but it was not long until his brother Xande followed in his footsteps. The siblings would eventually face off at various tournaments, and both brothers would take their share of the victories and defeats. 

It would be a mistake not to mention Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida when discussing BJJ greats. His fierce competition with Rodolfo Vieira has been a rivalry in BJJ that has peaked interest in more recent years. Buchecha is one of the most decorated BJJ fighters of all time, and this rivalry reached its peak when Vieira, known for his explosive fighting style, challenged Buchecha’s reign on the world stage. In 2013, the two were both competing in the final of the World Championships to seek the crown in the black-belt divisions. It would be Buchecha who would win and go on to propel his glory even further in the following years, but this feud is regularly talked about by BJJ enthusiasts. 

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