Jean Jacques Machado, one of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s most respected legends, has just been promoted to 8th degree coral belt!
The promotion was awarded by Rickson Gracie, himself a living legend and representative of the generation that laid the foundation for modern Jiu-Jitsu.
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The bond between Machado and Rickson goes beyond the mats.
Though they hail from different branches of the extended Gracie family, their paths have crossed repeatedly throughout the years. Machado received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr., while Rickson was promoted by his father, Helio Gracie.
Despite this, Rickson has remained closely tied to Machado’s journey, even awarding him his previous degree as well.
Reaching the 8th degree coral belt represents close to 40 years at black belt level and places Machado in an extremely exclusive club.
And, well, Machado’s competition resume speaks for itself.
He was a dominant force in the 80s and 90s, and his crowning achievement came in 1999 when he won the ADCC world title in the under 77kg division.
His performances helped shape the tournament’s early reputation, and in recognition of that, he was later inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame.
But perhaps Machado’s greatest influence has come through his work off the mats. As an instructor, he has guided and promoted some of the most influential names in martial arts, most notably Dan Inosanto and Eddie Bravo.
In fact, his mentorship of Bravo eventually led to the creation of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, one of the most recognizable global affiliations today.
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