Marcio Gomes
Instructor Profile
My first contact with the Gracies happened when i was 9 or 10 years old. I was walking back from the beach in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro where I grew up, with a friend of mine and his mother through Olegario Masciel road. That was the place where Gracie Barra academy was born. At this time the academy was a little blue house where the Gracies and a few other people trained everyday ( few people and black belts from Gracie barra had the opportunity to see this place).
We approached this house and man who was a black belt talked with my friend's mother inviting us to train at the academy while I was poking my head through the door watching them train. I don't know why I didn't start to train there. Possibly because I didn't have anyone to take me there, so I started to train Judo in the complex that I used to live in. Later on i met the Gracies again in a Judo competition. Which they always won! Later on i started to train Muay Thai with Manitou, a pupil of Marco Ruas and then later with Marco Ruas himself, Pedro Rizo, Babalu. However it would not be for a long time as I grew up in the middle of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. I was the only one who did not train in Jiu-jitsu (although I used to sometimes train with my friends), it wouldn't be long once the atmosphere was 100% Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
One night my friends and I (all Jiu-Jitsu fighters) were at a party in Fisilabor (place in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro) where I met another champion of Gracie Barra, His nickname is Big Head and then he called me to train at his academy. Finally my time arrived to join them.
Later on Big Head had to stop teaching for some reason, and the academy closed. Some of my friends went to train at the Gracie Barra academy, some of them are still there. Other went to train with another champion from Gracie Barra that you may know, Roberto Correa (Gordo), once again I was lucky and he opened the doors of his academy to me. An academy full of champions. World Champions, Brazilian Champions, European Champion, Pan-Americans Champions, State Champions, and Champions of other hard competitions that happen only in Brazil.
Gracie Sussex Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy is lead by Marcio Gomes, black belt from Roberto Correa - Gordo (black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr.) one of the most renowned names in Gracie Barra - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. In England coached by Roger Gracie.
The academy prides itself on being a friendly environmental of people who share the objective to improve their technique, learn the true Gracie jiu-jitsu and grow together as a family priding the name of the academy. If you are looking for learn self-defense, competitions, want to get in shape or just have fun you are welcome.
