60 BJJ Academies in Rio de Janeiro.
Rio is the trip every BJJ practitioner thinks about taking at some point. It's where the Gracies built the art, and the academies that anchor the city — Gracie Humaitá (Rua Humaitá 52), the Nova União HQ in Flamengo (Rua Marques de Abrantes), and the Gracie Barra HQ in Barra da Tijuca (founded by Carlos Gracie Jr in 1986) — are all still active and still producing world-class players. Carlson Gracie's team rooms are also in the city.
The vibe is different from São Paulo. Rio's Gracie-lineage academies still drill self-defense, standing work, and Vale Tudo-influenced positions as part of regular classes — a holdover from the era when Rio's gyms were the proving grounds for the early UFC. If you've only trained sport jiu-jitsu, expect to pick up technique you don't see in modern competition rooms.
If you're visiting and want the easiest landing, look at Connection Rio — the first BJJ hostel in Rio. They arrange training at any academy of your choice, run transportation to gyms across the city, and the front desk handles introductions and English-speaking logistics. Even if you don't stay there, their site keeps a current list of drop-in-friendly academies (Brazilian Top Team, Alliance, Carlson Gracie, Checkmat, Terere's gym, X-Gym, De la Riva, and others), which saves a lot of cold-emailing.
Where to base yourself: Zona Sul (Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Botafogo) puts you closest to many legacy academies and the beach. Barra da Tijuca is west of the city center and has its own cluster of high-level gyms but feels more suburban. Tijuca and Méier (north zone) are where most working carioca students train.
Practical tips: bring a clean gi, introduce yourself to the head instructor before warmup, and don't assume belt order maps to the rolling intensity. Rio gyms are well-known for having very technical colored belts. Drop-in pricing varies by academy — ask the gym directly. Best months to visit: April–October, when humidity is more manageable; the IBJJF Rio Summer International Open is in January and the Rio Fall International Open runs later in the year.
617 Brazilian Jiu jitsu RJ / ASBJJ School - Vila Isabel
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Academia Gracie Humaitá - Matriz
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Academia Gracie Tijuca
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
ACADEMIA SAIMON BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Ares BJJ Brasil
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Ari Galo Jiu Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Atos Botafogo Rj
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
ATTILIO TEAM BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Brazilian Black Belt
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Brazilian Fight Jiu-Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Bushinkan Jiu-jitsu Brasileiro / RET JIU-JITSU
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Carlson Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Laranjeiras
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Centro de Artes Marciais Roberto Mendes
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Centro de Treinamento Rústico Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Clube Osvaldo Alves Jiujitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
CMT Careca MMA Team
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Crown Jiu Jitsu Academy
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
CTAM Arena Fight
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
CT ARI GALO JIU JITSU
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Dream Jiu Jitsu Maré
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Equipe Fabricio Jiu-Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Equipe Tigrinho Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - Delfim
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Escola Bruno Formiga Jiu-Jitsu - Vila da Feira
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Escola de Jiu Jitsu Tuca - EJJT
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Escola Inspire Jiu Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Estúdio de Lutas e Treinamento Brazil Evolution
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Família JM BJJ Jiu Jitsu CT Jone R.S
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Fightzone
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
FJJ - Federação de Jiu-Jitsu do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Fred Ribeiro Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
GFTeam Bento Ribeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
GFTeam Maracanã Jiu-jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gordo Jiu-Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Barra Botafogo
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Barra Catete
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Barra - Centro RJ
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Barra Copacabana
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Barra Del Castilho , RJ - Jiu Jitsu & Defesa Pessoal
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
GRACIE BARRA ICARAÍ - JIU-JITSU E DEFESA PESSOAL
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
GRACIE BARRA PORTO MARAVILHA - RJ - JIU JITSU & DEFESA PESSOAL
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Barra São Cristóvão
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Grajaú
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Gracie Humaita Centro
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Haki School - São Cristóvão RJ
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Kazulu Fights club
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Kioto Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tijuca
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Laranjeiras jiu-jitsu club
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Malibu Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Mussumba team brazilian jiu jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
MWGP- Equipe Vavá Pinheiro
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Nova União Azul Jiu Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
PAX JIU-JITSU ACADEMY
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Punk Jiu Jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Rio Dojō | Mauro Ayres Jiu-Jitsu | Carlson Gracie Ipanema
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Rio Fighters - Jiu-Jitsu - Muay-thai - MMA
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Rio Jiu-Jitsu Old School - sistema de autodefesa.
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Saporito Jiu-Jitsu / Clube Carlson Gracie
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
STRAUCH jiu jitsu
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Tatu BJJ
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Togi BJJ - Jiu Jitsu - Gracie Jiu Jitsu Tijuca
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro
Common questions.
Start here.
Picking a gym, your first class, gear, belts, and how often to train. Everything you need to walk in the door.
Read the guideWhat to wear, how the class runs, whether you'll spar on day one, and why tapping is a good thing.
Read the guideThe coach, the beginner program, the culture on the mat, and the contract. What to check and what to walk away from.
Read the guideMembership prices, real drop-in fees from listed academies, gear costs, and the fees hiding in the fine print.
Read the guide