Motivational BJJ Documentaries: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has a rich cultural background and is recognised as one of the most effective martial arts in the world. Hélio Gracie and his brothers created this grappling-based martial art while undergoing instruction from Mitsuyo Maeda, a Judoka.
BJJ is really enjoyable to learn and has a strong addictive potential. It won’t be long after you begin training before you develop a need to learn more about its history and culture. This post will discuss five of the most motivational Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu films. Now let’s go straight into our selection of motivational BJJ documentaries:
Motivational BJJ Documentaries You Ought to See
1) The History Of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
If you feel the need to understand more about BJJ, this is one of the first documentaries you should watch. It’s a thorough exploration of the evolution of Jiu-Jitsu into current BJJ, done slowly and straightforwardly. It’s jam-packed with information on historical events that influenced the development of the belt ranking system that’s currently in use in many martial arts.
In Japan, it began with the removal of the old guard since the Samurai’s antiquated methods were ineffective in the contemporary battlefield. The focus of the documentary is Jigoro Kano, a little guy who experienced bullying frequently as a youngster, and his quest for practical self-defence techniques during a period when many martial disciplines had become outdated.
The documentary tells the story of Kano’s search for instructors and his final discovery of one who was ready to teach him, Kodokan Judo. In the documentary, Mitsuyo Maeda, a pupil of Kano who subsequently relocated to Brazil to instruct the Gracie brothers, Carlos and Hélio, is also mentioned.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu History is one of the most educational BJJ films you’ll ever discover, and it’s beautifully told. After seeing this documentary, your knowledge of BJJ and its history will be much improved. You can get it for free on YouTube.
You might also be interested in reading this: The Insight: Best MMA Documentaries to watch
2) Choke
If you haven’t seen this film, you can’t honestly consider yourself a serious BJJ practitioner. One of the earliest movies on BJJ ever created, it provides an intimate glimpse into the life of a teenage Rickson Gracie as he competed in the Japanese mixed martial arts scene.
It offers an engrossing look into the head of one of the best BJJ competitors in history. Rickson’s lyrical side as well as his intensely competitive side are shown to us. Additionally, we witness how each victory he achieves in the cage serves to further establish Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as one of the most potent martial systems ever created.
The documentary also highlights the less-than-ideal aspects of mixed martial arts, as Rickson is frequently seen struggling against entities attempting to subjugate him. Promoters want to use him to develop their boxers’ names to his family’s desires.
There are others who contend that this documentary contributed even more to the mystique-laden legacy of Rickson’s Gracie in mixed martial arts. It portrays him as a genuine martial artist who felt compelled to demonstrate his abilities to the public despite not being impressed by the flashy mixed martial arts scene.
3) Roll: Jiu-Jitsu In SoCal
This documentary explores the history of BJJ in the United States and its connection to Southern California. This well-made video shows you around several iconic BJJ locations, including as the original Gracie Garage, where the founders taught their first pupils and hosted numerous Gracie challenges.
Many of their first pupils, like Scott Nelson, who went on to become well-known in BJJ, are also interviewed in the documentary. Roll does a fantastic job of taking us back to the early 1980s, when striking arts like Karate and Kung Fu were thought to be the most efficient fighting forms, from the perspective of young BJJ trainees.
4) Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – The True Story Of UFC 1
This documentary is ideal if you enjoy BJJ and mixed martial arts. It revolves around the first Ultimate Fighting Championship match, which turned out to be a crucial occasion in mixed martial arts history.
Interviews with Rorion Gracie and Art Davies, the tournament’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founders, and Royce Gracie, who represented the sport, are included. It transports you back to the 1993 competition that would forever alter the perception of martial arts, and it is full of sentimental moments that will have any fan of BJJ on the edge of their seat. It describes how Royce disproved centuries of prejudice in favour of striking-based martial arts by making them all seem archaic in comparison to BJJ.
You will discover how the concept of fighting within a cage originated, along with other wild concepts that were never implemented, such as electrifying the cage. Indeed, that was taken into account.
It provides an in-depth analysis of the one particular incident that had a significant influence on mixed martial arts. Three decades later, all of the major sports networks now cover mixed martial arts as a recognised sport. Even the inclusion of mixed martial arts in the Olympic Games has been discussed.
For all MMA and BJJ enthusiasts, Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu: The True Story of UFC 1 is a must-watch. It provides you with excellent analyses of one of the key events in BJJ history. Royce was much smaller than any of his opponents, yet his impressive results in the event inspired people all over the world to start training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Watching Royce and Art relive their bout together while the former tells the latter that it was his first-ever professional fight is entertaining. While many believe BJJ Jiu-Jitsu to be the most effective martial art ever created, you get to witness it in all of its grandeur and gain a deeper knowledge of it.
