Gracie Barra North America has permanently dismissed Michael Cashman from the organization following an ethics investigation with the unprecedented step of formally ceasing his lineage within the martial arts community.
In official communications dated July 25 and August 20 2025 Gracie Barra North America‘s Safety Ethics and Compliance Team announced the termination of Michael Cashman‘s affiliation with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu organization after what they described as a
“thorough and structured process.”
According to the official statements an independent Ethics Council composed of long-standing Gracie Barra school owners with no direct relationship to Michael Cashman or any involved parties unanimously recommended permanent dismissal and lineage cessation. The council found that Cashman‘s conduct was
“inconsistent with Gracie Barra’s ethical and operational standards.”
The investigation process included:
Interviews with relevant parties and witnesses
A review of all available documentation
A full opportunity for Cashman to present his perspective
The dismissal is comprehensive removing Cashman‘s rights to act or claim any role related to Gracie Barra function as school owner head instructor coach program director or student and teach train or enter any Gracie Barra school or affiliated location worldwide.
Most significantly the organization has taken the rare step of formally ceasing Cashman‘s lineage within Gracie Barra effectively cutting off his martial arts genealogy within the system.
“This decision reflects our responsibility to protect the integrity of Gracie Barra and our shared community”
the organization stated in their communication to franchise owners across California Arizona and Idaho.
“It is not intended to be punitive or to pass judgment beyond the scope of the Ethics Council’s review.”
The Safety Ethics and Compliance Team emphasized that the decision followed
“a fair and impartial process”
and was carefully reviewed before implementation.
Per Gracie Barra procedures Cashman has seven calendar days from written notification to submit a written appeal which may include any new evidence or documentation he wishes to present.
Gracie Barra has instructed franchise owners to handle inquiries by simply stating that Cashman is no longer affiliated with the organization and that the decision followed formal impartial processes in accordance with their policies. They specifically asked owners to handle the matter with professionalism and discretion.
The organization concluded their communications by thanking franchise owners for their
“continued commitment to upholding the values of Brotherhood Integrity and Development that define Gracie Barra.”
The statement that Cashman’s “lineage within Gracie Barra has been formally ceased” represents a particularly contentious aspect of the disciplinary action. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu culture, lineage refers to the martial arts genealogy tracing back through instructors to the art’s founders, and is typically considered an immutable historical fact rather than something an organization can retroactively erase.
While Gracie Barra can certainly terminate someone’s affiliation and prohibit them from representing the organization, the notion that they can “cease” someone’s lineage raises questions about whether any single organization has the authority to rewrite martial arts history or deny the instructor-student relationships that have already occurred. This approach appears to conflate organizational membership with martial arts genealogy, suggesting a level of control over lineage that extends beyond traditional understanding of how martial arts lineages function in the broader BJJ community.
