Rigan Machado has always been at the forefront of the sport’s evolution. With decades of experience in both the competitive and teaching aspects of the art, Machado has witnessed and contributed to pivotal moments in BJJ’s development, particularly in the United States. In a revealing conversation on the Combat Base podcast, Machado shared his unique insights into the future of Jiu-Jitsu, the significance of the Machado family’s legacy, and his own ventures outside of the mats.
Early Days in the United States
In the early days of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s expansion into the United States, Rigan Machado began his teaching journey at Rorion Gracie‘s garage in California. His path soon led to an opportunity provided by action star Chuck Norris, who offered Machado space in his mall location to open a BJJ school.
During an appearance on the Combat Base podcast, Machado recalled how Norris supported his early teaching efforts:
“Chuck said I have a mall here in the valley do open some Jiujitsu here you don’t have to pay me for the next three years whatever so he helped me the paperwork the lawyers forgot the work permission.”
This generous offer from Norris helped establish one of the first major BJJ academies in the Valley area. As the student base grew, Machado brought in his brothers to help with instruction, starting with Carlos and Joe Machado. The academy’s success at this location helped lay the groundwork for what would become the Machado brothers’ influential presence in American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
The transition from teaching at Gracie’s garage to having his own academy marked an important milestone in Machado’s career and BJJ’s growth in the United States. His academy became known for embracing American students and helping develop some of the first American black belts in the art.
Navigating Legal Battles and the Birth of the Machado Name
BJJ legend Rigan Machado shared insights into early conflicts over the use of the Gracie name and branding during Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu’s expansion in America.
Machado explained that when he first opened his academy in Chuck Norris’s mall, he initially operated under the Carlos Gracie name, given his close family ties and training lineage. However, legal issues arose when Rorion Gracie began asserting rights over the Gracie name and branding.
“When they start have a lawsuit I call Carlos Gracie and Carlinhos Gracie talking about what I do about this lawsuit. I don’t want to go to a lawsuit with my own cousins,” Machado recalled.
Rather than engage in legal battles with family members, Machado received advice to simply use the Machado name instead.
“Carlos said doesn’t matter if Machado or Gracie, you my cousin,” Machado explained.
This pivotal moment led to the establishment of the Machado brand in American Jiu-Jitsu. The shift proved successful, as the Machado brothers went on to become one of the most influential families in the development of BJJ in the United States. Their willingness to embrace and grade American students, particularly wrestlers and judokas, helped accelerate the growth of the sport.
Looking back on that period, Machado noted it was a “unique time” where close relationships formed between Brazilian instructors and their early American students. The naming dispute, while challenging at the time, ultimately led to the Machado brothers establishing their own distinct legacy in martial arts history.
From being a Grappler to a Filmmaker
Rigan Machado‘s journey into the film industry began with a deep love of movies instilled by his father. Growing up in Brazil, Machado and his father would bond over watching classic films starring icons like Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, and other stars of that era. This early exposure to cinema sparked a lifelong passion.
After moving to Beverly Hills, Machado began teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to Hollywood actors like Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, and other celebrities. Through these connections, he started getting involved in the film industry by advising on action scenes and choreography.
Wanting to learn more about filmmaking, Machado studied various aspects of production, from fight coordination to understanding the role of stunt coordinators. He gradually expanded his knowledge to include directing and producing, working on low-budget films to gain experience.
His efforts culminated in directing his first feature film titled Blow for Blow, which deals with themes of bullying and father-son relationships. The movie stars UFC middleweight Paulo Costa and features appearances by several members of the Machado family, including his brother Jean.
While initially concerned about the film’s title potentially sounding inappropriate due to his pronunciation as a non-native English speaker, Machado has embraced his role as a director. He’s already planning his next project— a comedy titled Machado Brothers vs. Zombies that will combine martial arts action with humor.
For Machado, this transition into filmmaking represents a natural evolution from his early days.
Bradley Cooper wanted to do BJJ in the early hours of the morning
“All my students come super early. I remember Bradley Cooper came and asked, ‘Hey, can I train at 5:30 or 6 in the morning?’ I said, ‘Sure, no problem, come anytime.’ But it is what it is. That’s major because they want to train before they work.
Ashton Kutcher
According to Machado, Kutcher was among his first celebrity clients. A list that now includes Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Mel Gibson, Joel Kinneman, and Charlie Hunnam.
On Kutcher, Rigan shared he always trains early:
“But, for example, a lot of these guys wake up so early because of their families and businesses. After 8:00, they don’t have time anymore. Ashton Kutcher is one of them. His time is crazy because he has kids but doesn’t have babysitters. His wife decided not to have a babysitter to be more involved in the kids’ lives, and I have so much respect for that. The relationship you create with your kids is phenomenal, you know what I mean? Taking them to school, watching their practices—it’s unbelievable how important and healthy that is. Kids learn from that, putting their hands on a baby carrier and stuff like that. That’s the kind of way I like to raise kids.”
Systema
Rigan Machado offered a nuanced perspective on Systema, the Russian martial art that often faces criticism from combat sports practitioners.
Despite the skepticism many martial artists express towards Systema, Machado maintains a respectful stance based on his direct exposure through sharing an academy in Beverly Hills with a Systema instructor. He acknowledges that while Systema’s approach differs fundamentally from competitive grappling arts, it serves a distinct purpose rooted in military training.
“On the beginning I didn’t understand much,” Machado explained, but he came to appreciate Systema’s focus on practical self-defense scenarios involving weapons and survival situations. He noted that like Krav Maga, Systema emphasizes real-world defensive tactics such as managing distance from armed attackers and maintaining composure under stress.”
While Machado distinguishes Systema’s methodology from the battle-tested competitive nature of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and judo, he validates its role in teaching practical self-defense concepts to civilians. He particularly praised how Systema instructs students to handle knife attacks through movement and positioning rather than remaining stationary.
Machado’s balanced assessment stands out among martial arts leaders, as he recognizes value in Systema’s tactical approach while acknowledging it serves a different purpose than combat sports.
Privates
Rigan Machado has adapted his teaching approach significantly during recent times, transitioning many of his private lessons from his academy to students’ homes.
Machado revealed that approximately 90% of his current business involves providing private instruction at clients’ residences rather than at his academy. He noted that when students have large homes, he encourages them to set up mats there for training sessions.
“Brother, don’t come to the academy, just put some mats over here, I come here,” Machado explained. “I’m just going to charge a little bit extra for the travel time.”
This shift in teaching model has proven successful for Machado, who indicated his high-profile clients prefer the convenience and privacy of home training. The arrangement has been particularly beneficial financially, with Machado noting that his clients rarely even discuss pricing before sending payment.
The Brazilian master maintains a selective student base at his Beverly Hills academy, intentionally limiting enrollment to 50 students due to parking constraints. However, the expansion into home-based private instruction has allowed him to continue sharing his martial arts expertise while accommodating the busy schedules of his clientele, many of whom prefer early morning training sessions before their workday begins.
Celebrity Clients and the Blending of Martial Arts with Hollywood
Rigan Machado opened up about his unique relationship with celebrities, including his time training actor Mickey Rourke.
Machado, who teaches many high-profile clients in Beverly Hills, shared stories about working with Rourke during the actor’s preparation for his acclaimed role in The Wrestler.
“Mickey Rourke is amazing. He trained for me but he’s so funny – he got training at 10:00, he arrived 12:30. I said ‘Man, it’s two and a half hours late!’ He’s like ‘Okay, okay,'” Machado recalled with a laugh. “Never on time, always an hour late. I learned to put extra time when he comes, but he’s an amazing guy, my favorite actor, great actor.”
Beyond Rourke, Machado has worked with numerous Hollywood stars.
A Shift Toward No-Gi
Rigan Machado shared his perspective on the future evolution of the sport. According to Machado, Jiu-Jitsu is entering a transformative phase, particularly regarding training methods and competition formats.
 “I think the way I see it, the amateur scene is going to be with the gi, and the professional scene is going to be no-gi. That’s basically what I see right now. You see Abu Dhabi is no-gi; all the major events there are no-gi, you know what I mean? And I think today, you have a choice: fight with the gi or fight no-gi. If you want to fight to make money in Jiu-Jitsu, you have to go no-gi. The ones with the gi don’t make money, but they get prestige from being a world champion in the organization. After that, you can open an academy, create your association, and do seminars—that’s the only way you’re going to make money.”
“I think the way to go is more no-gi. Right now there’s still a lot of gi tournaments, but the future is no-gi. In the long run, we can only see more professional events and people getting paid for the sport.”
While Machado acknowledged the foundational importance of gi Jiu-Jitsu for developing skills like grip control and balance, he believes that the increasing popularity of no-gi Jiu-Jitsu will lead to more professional opportunities for practitioners. He noted that this shift will not diminish the relevance of traditional BJJ but rather complement it with new opportunities for athletes to thrive in the evolving landscape of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
As the BJJ community grows, Machado’s observations highlight the ever-changing landscape of the sport and the rising prominence of no-gi Jiu-Jitsu. His forward-thinking approach to the future of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu continues to influence the development of the martial art worldwide.
