In a revealing conversation on the JAXXON Podcast, legendary jiu-jitsu master Rigan Machado shared the extraordinary story of how action star Chuck Norris stepped in to save the Machado brothers’ jiu-jitsu academy during a tumultuous period involving a dispute with their cousins, the Gracie family.
Machado, one of five brothers who helped bring Brazilian jiu-jitsu to America, explained that when they first arrived in the United States, they operated under the name “Carlos Gracie,” representing their lineage through their maternal connection to the Gracie family. However, this arrangement quickly became complicated.
“When we came to United States, the first school we opened was called Carlos Gracie,” Machado explained. “But we had problems to control the name Gracie. I had a cousin who didn’t want to give us the rights at the time.”
The situation escalated to the point where legal action seemed inevitable. “We went to a point where they said, ‘You use the name Gracie, you’re going to be sued. I have the rights,'” Machado recalled. “I didn’t want to go to a lawsuit with my own family because of a name.”
This is where Chuck Norris, the martial arts icon and actor, entered the picture in a pivotal way. According to Machado, Norris approached him with a solution that would change the trajectory of their careers in America.
“Chuck Norris came to me and said, ‘Put Machado. It’s not worth it for you guys to fight for the name.’ That’s when the Machado name started,” he revealed.
But Norris did far more than just suggest a name change. He provided the brothers with the physical space and support they needed to establish themselves in America at a time when Machado was considering returning to Brazil.
“Chuck Norris is the reason we stayed in the United States,” Machado emphasized. “I was getting ready to go back to Brazil, and Chuck Norris came to me and said, ‘Let me show you something.'”
Norris then took Machado to a mall and pointed to a 4,000-square-foot space. “I want you to open a school over here,” Norris told him. When Machado expressed concerns about affording such a large space, Norris revealed, “You don’t understand. I own the mall. It’s my mall. You guys don’t have to pay anything. It’s for free, and you can stay here for four years. You don’t need to give me one dime.”
Beyond providing the physical space, Norris helped market the academy, performing demonstrations in the mall that drew thousands of spectators and media attention. “He went to the mall, had 5,000 people, all the media, and he put us everywhere,” Machado recalled. “He did the demonstration in the middle of the mall with us. He came and did all the arm bars.”
The support from Norris produced immediate results. “In one week, we had 200 students,” Machado said.
Norris, a black belt under the Machados, didn’t stop at providing space and publicity. He also helped the brothers secure their legal status in the United States. “He got his lawyers to get all my paperwork. His lawyers right away got letters from everybody,” Machado said. “We had 100 letters from celebrities, friends of Chuck, signing for us, and we got citizenship in one year.”
The relationship between Norris and the Machados highlights the personal connections that helped shape the early landscape of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in America. Today, the Machado name stands alongside the Gracies as one of the most influential families in the development and global spread of the martial art.
“The Machado or Chuck Norris is everything,” Machado concluded. “Without Chuck Norris, I believe no Machados. We owe everything to him.”
