While you’ve probably seen a thousand different instructional videos about BJJ on YouTube and Instagram, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu movies are a little harder to find. But make no mistake, there are many movies telling great parts of this sport’s history, and they can teach you a lot.
If you’re black-belt, if you’re still thinking about training or even if you just want to know more about BJJ and MMA, here’s a list of four documentaries that are easy to find and fun to watch, and one action movie that you simply must check.
1. Choke (1999)
We can’t talk about BJJ in the cinema without talking about this classic. Probably the most well-known documentary about Jiu Jitsu, Choke was released 22 years ago and it still delivers a remarkable picture on the universe of MMA competitions.
The documentary follows the World Champion Rickson Gracie as he prepares to defend his title in a dramatic tournament hosted in Tokyo. In order to keep his champion’s belt, Hélio Gracie’s son will have to fight three opponents over five hours in a one-night, single elimination, tournament.
If you’re a MMA fan, Choke offers a realistic (but colorful) glimpse of the roots of UFC and it’s backstages.
2. The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo (2010)
The Gracie Dynasty’s saga and the origins of MMA and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are deeply intertwined. And while there are many films about this highly esteemed family of champions, The Gracies and the Birth of Vale Tudo is the one that best captures their traditions and life-style.
The documentary goes from the beginning of BJJ, with Hélio and Carlos, to the martial art’s high times, with the creation of UFC by Rorion Gracie. If you’re interested in a closer look on the victories and defeats, the controversies and the philosophy of the family that forever changed the MA international landscape, this is a “must watch”.
3. Stuart Cooper Films
For a more contemporary view on the universe of professional Jiu Jitsu, Stuart Cooper’s short-films are a refreshing and beautifully shot material. Recording tournaments all around the world, the filmmaker delivers a quick (and sometimes profound) view of this universe through the eyes of fighters like Ryan Hall, Marcelo Garcia and, yes, Joe Rogan.
Most of Cooper’s videos are five to twenty minutes long, but you’ll easily find yourself diving in the rabbit hole of his playlist for a few hours. If you’re still getting to know this universe, it offers a light and fun introduction, wrapped up in the form of thrilling fighting clips with a great soundtrack.
4. Roll: Jiu-Jitsu in SoCal (2019)
This recommendation explores the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s arrival in America, and it’s settling in Southern California, where it found an atmosphere still simmering with the legacy of Bruce Lee and the recent success of Daniel Larusso and Mr. Miyagi.
Produced by Eat Films, Roll invites us to travel back to the 1980’s through the stories of the first American students of the legendary Gracie Garage in Torrance.
In comparison with the other movies on this list, this documentary is much more economic on the interviews with the sport’s big-names. But it works greatly at telling stories closer to home, with small doses of nostalgia, and at showing a bit of the variety of BJJs born after Hélio Gracie’s times.
It’s also worth mentioning another Eat Film documentary, Jiu-Jitsu vs The World, that explores the stories of regular folks and how BJJ changed their life-styles. And, if you’re considering training, this one is likely to make your mind up.
5. Warrior (2011)
We could not finish this article without talking about Warrior. Ok, that’s not exactly a BJJ movie. But, still… it’s a great movie! And if you’re a MMA fan and haven’t seen it yet, you definitely should.
Warrior tells the story of the ex-marine Tommy (Tom Hardy) and the math teacher Brendan (Joel Edgerton). They are two estranged brothers with a past history in professional MMA that, struggling in their own lives, find themselves competing in a tournament against the world’s greatest champions in order to gain a million dollars.
Beyond the captivating storyline and fine acting from names like Nick Nolte and Frank Grillo, Warrior is a nice action movie for the family (a couple hours of fun guaranteed), with great fighting scenes. And if you’re looking for some Hollywood Jiu Jitsu, you’ll definitely find it there.
Coming soon
Getting back to the realistic, “history part” of this list, Netflix is producing a historic-drama about the roots of BJJ, from the XIX century to the present days.
Directed by José Padilha (The Elite Squad and Narcos), the movie Dead or Alive will begin it’s story with Mitsuyo Maeda, the Japanese master of Hélio and Carlos Gracie, moving forward until the creation of UFC by Rickson Gracie.
Do you want to know more about the origin of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? Discover the legacy of the Gracie family.