A martial art, a combat sport, a state of mind ...
If we compare it to other martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is very young because it was imported from Japan to Brazil in the 1920s. It all started with Mitsuyo Maéda, a Japanese judoka who crossed the path of the family Gracie on her journey through the United States and Brazil. At that time Japanese Jiu-jitsu and Judo referred to the same martial art, the Gracies would draw inspiration from and develop it to create what is known today as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (or BJJ).
At the origin of this martial art which bore the name of Gracie Jiu-jitsu in reference to the family who made it what it is, the objective sought was to derive the Judo taught by Maéda into a combat sport which would allow to defend against a heavier and stronger opponent using appropriate techniques. Ground combat was very little developed in Judo whereas the Gracie family made it the basis of their martial art, the techniques of projection and control are adapted and many others are invented to obtain a formidable discipline rich in techniques of strangulation, wrenches, muscle squeezing and other submissions.
Despite its relative youth, JJB has grown considerably in Brazil, the USA and Japan. The sport is also starting to resonate in Europe, thanks in particular to the success of MMA and the media which are beginning to realize the excitement surrounding Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Switzerland, as usual, is a little behind but it has seen a notable evolution in recent years with many competitions that have emerged.