At the present time, we are unaware of a Gracie Barra franchise in Reno Nevada. For those who have previously trained with Gracie Barra and are seeking a similar environment, we will attempt to identify the key similarities and differences between SBG and Gracie Barra.
The sheer size of Gracie Barra and its similarities to SBG in Gi based training means that SBG has many students who have trained at Gracie Barra at one time. Both organisations are global with affiliated schools all over the world and both have structured approaches to training both in the gym and with their online courses for home study.
Gracie Barra, through its founder Carlos Gracie Jr., has a more targeted focus on Gi orientated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions. Whilst SBG competes in Gi competitions and almost all SBG schools train in the Gi at least some of the time, SBG is best known for its competitors in Mixed Martial Arts competitions like the UFC. SBG-trained UFC Champions include Conor McGregor and Forrest Griffin, and although Randy Couture is largely known as a Team Quest fighter, he credited Matt Thornton’s coaching role in his early UFC title wins, even appearing in a TV commercial for SBG to recommend its approach.
Thornton’s early training with what became Team Quest alongside Dan Henderson and the fore-mentioned Randy Couture helped shape SBG’s heavy focus on Greco Roman orientated clinchwork against the Cage Wall which remains to this day. SBG operates 3 curriculums; striking, clinch and ground. SBG gyms usually offer comprehensive striking programmes designed for MMA and Self Defense first and foremost with specific competition rule sets usually only considered seasonally. Although some Gracie Barra gyms now offer striking classes, SBG gym’s typically have more dedicated classes for striking than Gracie Barra in a typical week with many SBG athletes possessing heavy striking backgrounds.
SBG also offer a lot of No Gi classes whilst still offering students the chance to grade in Jiu Jitsu. Many SBG’s are operating a shirt based grading system in striking classes, where a student can earn coloured shirts just like a Jiu Jitsu belt grading. UFC standout Davey Grant, who owns SBG Bishop Auckland holds black belts in both Kickboxing and BJJ and possesses many knockout victories.
In terms of lineage, SBG are members of the Jiu Jitsu Global Federation, through their connection to Rickson Gracie, who awarded many belts to SBG’s senior coaches around the world. Many SBG competitors are still IBJJF registered athletes and SBG has recorded IBJJF Black Belt World Champions such as Leah Stumpf and Amanda Loewen (now 10th Planet), although clearly, Gracie Barra specialises in IBJJF tournaments. SBG has had several ADCC competitors, with Gunnar Nelson, taking 4th place in the absolute despite competing at welterweight in the UFC. Gunnar now holds more submissions than any other athlete in UFC history.
Hopefully this has given you some idea of how SBG and Gracie Barra differ in approach.
