Yesterday, the UFC announced it has partnered with Grapplers Quest to host the first ever UFC sponsored grappling tournament.

Held in conjunction with the historic UFC 100 event, the tournament will be held on July 10 and 11 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of the previously announced UFC Fan Expo.

Open to the first 1,500 registered competitors, the announcement stated the UFC expects the event to "be the largest submission, grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament in history".

The Grapplers Quest event will award "thousands of dollars in prizes" across multiple divisions that include men, women and children from all skill levels.

Registration is currently open for the event. Entry fees start at $89 to register in one division and include a free two-day pass to the UFC Fan Expo – a $50 value.

The tournament schedule includes all adult, no-gi divisions and superfights on Friday, July 10, while all children, teen and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu divisions will be contested on Saturday, July 11.

Grapplers Quest held its first event in 1997, the first ever submission grappling tournament contested in the US. Current UFC fighters Mark Bocek, Kenny Florian, Matt Hughes, Denis Kang, Eliot Marshall, Mike Massenzio, Kurt Pellegrino, Matt Riddle and Brandon Vera have all competed in previous editions of Grapplers Quest.

The Grapplers Quest tournament is the latest addition to the UFC Fan Expo's growing two-day lineup of events. The organization has also planned meet-and-greets with several current and historic stars of ZUFFA-owned organizations as well as mixed martial arts demonstrations and training sessions.

Registration for the grappling tournament is available at Grapplers Quest's official website, while tickets for the UFC Fan Expo can be purchased the event's official website. Ultimate VIP Packages for the event have already sold out.

Rolles Gracie will return to action on April 17 at Ring of Combat XXIV at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The son of Rolls Gracie's previous and only mixed martial arts fight was for his cousin Renzo's New York Pitbulls team in IFL Team Championship Final in September 2007 when he submitted Sam Halloway with a rear naked choke in first round's 1:49.

Gracie is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and won a silver medal at the 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships in the over 99 kg division. His compatriot, UFC veteran Fabricio Werdum, came in first place.

On April 17, Gracie (1-0) will take on the promotion's 2007 "Beast of the Northeast" Light Heavyweight Tournament Champion Ricardo Romero (6-1) in a heavyweight bout.

Ring of Combat XXIV also features "The Ultimate Fighter" competitor Dante Rivera and UFC veteran Sean Salmon.

29.01.2009
Master Helio Gracie (1913-2009)
Jiu-Jitsu loses its icon

It is with great sadness that GRACIEMAG.com announces the passing of Grandmaster Helio Gracie. At 95 years of age, the great icon and one of those most responsible for Jiu-Jitsu's success in Brazil and the world died this morning, at Beneficencia Portuguesa Hospital, in Petropolis, mountain region of Rio de Janeiro.

"I created a flag from the sport's dignity. I oversee the name of my family with affection and nerves of blood," said the Professor, as his last worlds.

The Master will be buried this Thursday afternoon, at 5 pm, at the Chapel of the Petropolis municipal cemetery.

Helio Gracie's last public appearance occurred in December of last year, during a belt-promotion ceremony held by Gracie Humaita at the Guanabara Yacht Club.

In October, Helio Gracie celebrated his 95th birthday at the Gracie Humaita academy, in Rio de Janeiro. Click here to see how the party went.

In one of his most famous interviews, published in the special 100th issue of GRACIEMAG, the professor had declared: "I've already told my sons that when I die I want there to be a party. No drinking, no debauchery."

All workers at Gracie Publishing, the company responsible for GRACIEMAG, NOCAUTE and GRACIEMAG.com are in mourning and express their condolences and sadness to the bereaved family, his wife Vera, sons Rorion, Relson, Rickson, Rolker, Royler, Royce, Rherica, Robin and Ricci.

We will be back with more information shortly.

Source: GRACIEMAG.com

The Gracie family refers to the lineage of Brazilian businessman and politician Gastão Gracie. They are known as the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and for their success in mixed martial arts, vale tudo, and submission wrestling competitions. As a family, they uphold the Gracie challenge. The Gracie family heritage came from Scottish ancestors.

Gastão Gracie founded the family as it is now known in the early 1900s while living in Brazil. He befriended Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese prize fighter while assisting Japanese immigrants in their move to the country. In exchange for his friendship and hospitality, Maeda offered to teach Gracie's son Carlos the Japanese martial art Jiu-jitsu. Carlos along with his oldest son Carlson and brother Helio Gracie founded "Gracie Jiu-jitsu".

Carlos Gracie, the first Brazilian to learn jiu-jitsu, in turn taught his brother Helio Gracie. This marked the founding of what is now called "Gracie Jiu-jitsu." He founded a martial arts academy to pass on this knowledge, and taught the fighting style to his family.

The most recent family champions have been Rolls Gracie and Rickson Gracie. The most successful current active Gracie is Roger Gracie, who holds the Confederação Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu World Super Heavyweight and Pan-American Open Weight titles and the ADCC heavy weight and openweight champion. The most famous member of the Gracie family may be Royce Gracie, winner of three UFC tournaments.

Taken from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracie_family