Fabiano Iha, a seasoned figure in BJJ and MMA, recently shed light on one of the most controversial secrets in all of Jiu-Jitsu history: the Gracie family purposefully withholding technique details from “the outside world”.
According to Iha, the Gracie family had a methodical approach to teaching – that involved holding back certain techniques from students who were not part of the family.
This practice was not just about preserving the purity of the art, but also about ensuring that the Gracies maintained a competitive edge over others.
The revelation came to light during Iha’s appearance on the “Lytes Out” podcast, where he referenced statements made by Chris Brennan, a pioneer of BJJ in the USA:
About the Gracies not teaching details to non-members of the family, all I can say is that he (Chris Brennan) was not lying about that.
Iha elaborated on the differences he observed between Brazilian and American practitioners of the art:
My opinion between a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guy and American Jiu-Jitsu guy is that the Brazilian, they (are) born with a gift.
They don’t need like, a gift of learning and do things very, like, fluid. Without a lot of training.
On the on American side, what I see is that American guy when he’s good is he put a lot of timing, a lot of training into it, he is not as gifted as the Brazilians.
Do you agree with Fabiano Iha’s opinion?
