Two Brazilian jiu jitsu black belts are proposing training two UK refugees in the martial art that revolutionised MMA
Rener and Ryron Gracie are offering world class training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to the refugee children being bullied at a school in Huddersfield.
The two brothers are of BJJ pedigree, grandsons of grandmaster Helio Gracie – one of the founders of the martial art. They are the family that launched the UFC.
On Tuesday November 27, a video allegedly showing a 15-year-old boy being choked, slammed and waterboarded at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire was viewed millions of times.
The incident took place on October 25 and a 16-year-old boy will be charged with assault following an interview with West Yorkshire police.
A separate video, which surfaced in the following days, allegedly shows the 15-year-old boy’s sister being pushed to the ground.
Following these incidents, the two Gracies offered both children free training time at Gracie University and also set up a crowdfunder to pay for their travel expenses.
At the time of writing the fund had raised $22,645 for the Syrian refugees. Any additional funds not needed to pay for flights, food and accommodation will be paid directly to the family and, according to the brothers, a family trip to Disneyland if there is enough left over.
Another UK-based crowdfund campaign has raised more than £150,000.
Ryron Gracie said: “We’ve reached out to other bullying victims in the past and the training we provided completely changed their lives.
“Everyone is offering support but no one is offering the solution.
“With your help we’re going to change his life forever.”
Rener Gracie said: “With your help we want to fly him to California, to give him the tools that he needs, so that if this happens again he’s ready.
“He needs the confidence to stand up for himself and the technique to stay safe if this ever happens again and, at Gracie University, this is what we do.”
The brothers have offered similar training to other children, which you can see below.
