Jean Jacques Machado

Jean Jacques Machado is one of the legends of BJJ. This Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt came to BJJ Spotlight after defeating Wallid Ismail in Brazil and continued his good fortune winning years later in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC), the World’s most prestigeous Submission Wrestling competition. He was also one of the first BJJ black belts to move to the United States his brotehrs and himself helped develop Jiu Jitsu.

 

Jean Jacques Machado in Detail

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlos Gracie Junior > Jean Jacques Machado

Main Achievements (BJJ/MMA/Grappling)

• ADCC Champion
• ADCC Silver Medalist 2x (once in the absolute)

Famous Fights: in sport Brazilian Jiu Jitsu it was probably his fight against Walid Ismail in Copa Atlantica (Jean Jaques won by judges decision after a draw on points). His other famous fight was against Ricardo Arona at the absolute Division’s Final in ADCC 2001.

Favourite BJJ Technique: Rear naked choke.

Team – Association: Machado Jiu Jitsu

Jean Jacques Biography

Jean Jacques Machado is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, which left him without fingers on his left hand. Jean’s relationship with the Gracies comes from his mother, as she is the sister of Lair, Carlinhos Gracie’s mother. The Machados are not Gracie’s by blood, but they are first degree cousins of a Gracie. They started training exactly with that one of their cousins, Carlinhos Gracie (Carlos Gracie Junior) while Carlos was a teacher at Carlson Gracie’s Academy and later at the academy that was the very beginning of Gracie Barra, training alongside “Soneca”, “Soca”, “Gordo” and many others. Jean was awarded his Black Belt in BJJ by Carlinho Gracie. While training with Carlinhos, Jean Jacques won consecutive titles in smaller BJJ shows (as there was no big stages back then like the Mundial, Pan Americans or Europeans).

Jean Jacques Machado came to the United States of America after his older brother Rigan Machado came to the country and established a small BJJ School. He came to the states to help his brothers grow the academy. In America Jean Jacques and his brothers created a new trend by giving instruction to the “Gringos” (Americans). In Brazil showing foreigners BJJ techniques was still a Taboo and something that was frowned uppon. The Machados got a lot of bad credit in Brazil for training people like Mark Kerr and Ricco Rodriguez before competitions were they were facing Brazilians. They also taught Enson and Egan Inoe (which later went to Nova Uniao) and movie stars like Chuck Norris and Steven Segal.

When Jean Jacques Machado first arrived at the USA there wasn’t any competitions in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt scene. To keep his competitive flame active and because Jean wanted to try something new, he ventured in Sport Sambo (the Russian Martial Art) were he won a few State Championships and the Pan American Championship in 1993

Before reaching success at the ADCC, Jean Jaques also tried his luck in MMA, against the then undefeated Frank Trigg. He lost a hard fought battle on the 3rd Round due to a cut (knee as he was shooting in for a single leg).

Aside from being one of the best BJJ coaches in the world and a legend of ADCC, Jean Jaques Machado and his brothers were also part of over 20 episodes of Chuck Norris’s Walker Texas Ranger and had their own film called “Bad Boys from Brazil”.

Jean Jacques Machado vs Yuki Nakai

Jean Jacques Machado vs Caol Uno

Jean Jacques Machado vs Ricardo Arona