During episode 45 of the Grapple Asia podcast, Nick “The Tooth” Guercio, a black belt out of Art of Jiu-Jitsu (AOJ) under Rafa and Gui Mendes, made an observation about the culture inside one of the world’s most respected jiu-jitsu academies.
The topic surfaced while discussing Robert Drysdale, the competitor and historian who has spent years researching and challenging the widely accepted narrative around the Gracie family’s role in building Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. When the host asked why Drysdale had gone so deep into that history, Nick did not hesitate.
“I think that he has… there’s a big resentment within the jiu-jitsu community with the Gracies trying to co-opt [it]. And I think it’s less so now, but back in like when I started, it was all about the Gracies.”
He then pointed to his own gym as a reflection of how the culture around that subject has shifted.
“In AOJ, there’s not even a picture of a Gracie. There’s no picture of Helio, there’s no picture of anybody. You know, even though our lineage comes up through Carlson Gracie.”
That detail carries weight given AOJ’s standing in the sport. The academy does trace its lineage through Carlson Gracie, who was himself a Gracie. Nick acknowledged that, making clear the tension is not directed at the entire family tree.
“Not just the Gracie, like Carlson Gracie is a Gracie, also, but towards like the original, you know, the Rorion clan of the original UFC and that original.”
He also noted that Drysdale’s lineage runs through Carlson Gracie, and so does his own.
Nick added that the same friction has shown up in his own online posts.
“Every time I post something that has anything to do with the Gracies, like the Samurai Jiu-Jitsu video that I put out a few times, Joel Tudor gets so angry. He’s like, ‘That’s bulls**t.'”
Despite describing that tension within the community, Nick separated it from his own feelings toward the Helio branch of the family.
“I love those guys. I mean, I think they’re great. They’re really great guys. They’ve always been kind to me. But I think within the community there’s that resentment.”
