Rickson Gracie is a mythical figure in Jiu-Jitsu.

Jean Jacques Machado speaks on years of experience training with Rickson Gracie. He was Rickson Gracie’s student from back in the days, from the time he trained under him in Brazil until when he moved to the USA in the 80’s.

Machado was promoted to coral belt by Rickson a few years back.

Machado would go on to say about Rickson:

‘After Training With Rickson Gracie, You Don’t Do Jiu-Jitsu, You Feel Jiu-Jitsu’.

The same was said by Henry Akins, the third American to receive a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt Rickson Gracie. Akins trained under Rickson Gracie for 15 years. Akins became the head instructor or “Professor” at the Rickson Gracie Academy from 2005 to 2008 before resigning due to a back injury.

Akins has recently released an instructional website called Hidden Jiu-Jitsu where for the first time ever, he reveals the secret details that nobody outside of the Gracie family has been taught.

Akins on Rickson’s ability to cover all weaknesses in his game:

I once asked Rickson, what he felt was the weakest part of his game and it wasn’t so much his answer that surprised me but his explanation that made a tremendous impact in how I still train myself to this day.

He told me he has no weaknesses in his game, he’s trained all the weaknesses out so that anywhere the fight goes he’s comfortable. He explained to me anytime he felt like one area of his game was weaker than the others he would work on it until he felt completely comfortable there.

Demian Maia is also considered one of the all time BJJ greats. He has won the ADCC and also is a contender in the UFC welterweight division. His BJJ for MMA is impeccable.

In this video, he goes in detail explaining about Rickson’s greatness and what sets him apart from the rest. He had the chance to spend 3 hours training with Rickson at his house in Rio De Janeiro. The concepts that he learned from Rickson truly impressed him.