Rener Gracie

Rener Gracie was born into the family that founded Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). His jiu-jitsu journey began before he took his first steps, and he earned his black belt at nineteen. In 2009, with the help of his brother, Ryron Gracie, he broke the mold of traditional martial arts instruction by creating the first interactive online learning center for Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which today boasts over 350,000 students in 196 countries. Headquartered in southern California, Gracie University has over 200 certified training centers worldwide. With over 25 years of experience teaching jiu-jitsu, Rener is most passionate about introducing the life-enhancing benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu to new audiences. Leaning on the principles of jiu-jitsu, Rener has achieved success in other areas as well. He the founder and CEO of several multimillion-dollar companies; has invented several products including Quikflip Apparel, the sweatshirt that converts into a backpack, and the Sleeper Hold, the world’s best travel pillow; and has appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank.