Rener Gracie together with his brother Ryron, is the creator of the controversial Gracie Online University. He is Rorion’s son and grandson of Grandmaster Helio Gracie. Gracie University was launched after the death of Helio Gracie.
Gracie University has more than 119,000 active students (source)in 196 countries offering tailored self-defense programs for men, women, and children. At an average cost of 35$/ month, that means an estimated massive total annual revenue of between 10 to 50 million dollars (since not all members are paying- there is a free trial).
With the growth of Gracie University, the controversy is mostly about the fact that they deliver a ‘technical blue belt’ to members who learn over the internet and send in footage of them drilling the techniques. This is the only BJJ website that actually delivers belts in the mail. Many prominent members of the BJJ community have publicly criticised Gracie University: Rickson Gracie,Royce Gracie, Kron Gracie, Murilo Bustamante, recently Royler Gracie and Robert Drysdale who stated on his instagram:
I am so happy i am not the only one who feels this way. To see @roylergracie stand up for his family is truly refreshing in this day and age where money and popularity seem to have kidnapped the essence of everything Jiu-Jitsu stands for: humility and dedication. I remember helio gracie wearing a blue belt to protest people getting their black belts too soon… If only his grandfather could see his own grandchildren using his name, image and legacy to make a quick buck… He would feel shame. This is not a personal attack on @renergracie i never met him. He should give it some thought and stop dragging his grandfathers name and legacy in the mud. There are ways to make money in this world. Selling out the art of Jiu-Jitsu should be condemned by all who love it.
Rener Gracie answers his haters including his uncles and Robert Drysdale as posted on his Facebook profile:
To the loyal haters:
Yesterday, an article popped up in my newsfeed with my face on it along with a headline which suggested that mine and Ryron’s jiu-jitsu perpetuation efforts were negatively impacting the legacy of my predecessors. I was upset, and my initial reaction was to prepare a lengthy response to refute all of the myths and misconceptions about Gracie University (like the idea that GU students don’t actually get on the mat and train as much as anyone else), but when I logged on to Gracie University this morning, I noticed that new student enrollment was more than double the daily average. Over the last 48 hours, 174 new students, from 28 different countries, have began the jiu-jitsu journey with us (most of whom I tried to squeeze into the attached screenshot). Of the 174 new members, most are white belts located 100 miles or more from the nearest Certified Training Center, or any qualified academy, but have the discipline and motivation to find a group of training partners and learn like my grandfather did, through keen observation and lots of training, while using trial and error to pursue perfection. There are also a handful of blue and purple belts from non-Gracie Academies who will use their access to our linear curriculum to fill in the gaps and make sure they are learning the most important, but most neglected, aspects of jiu-jitsu. And then there are two black belts, whom I can only assume have enjoyed the journey thus far and may be skeptical about Gracie University’s effectiveness, but at least they have the courage and humility to log in and understand it before criticizing it.
I was upset at first, but after reflecting on the situation I realize that the right thing to do is to send a small gift to each of our misinformed doubters. Thanks to them, 174 new students from around the world have embarked on the GU journey!
