Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting with the goal of gaining a dominant position from which to strike or submit an attacker. The system is based on the ideal of a smaller, weaker person using leverage and proper technique to defend themself from a bigger, stronger assailant. BJJ can be trained for self defense, sport grappling tournaments (gi and no-gi) and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. Sparring and live drilling play a major role in training, and a premium is placed on performance, especially in competition.

The art began when Mitsuyo Maeda, a master of Japanese Judo, emigrated to Brazil where he taught his system to Carlos Gracie, who passed it on to his younger brother Helio. The brothers trained many of their sons, who now carry on the family tradition today. The Gracie family continued to develop the system throughout the 20th centrury, often fighting vale tudo matches (precursors to modern MMA), during which it gained its focus on ground fighting and refined its techniques.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu came to prominance in the United States when Royce Gracie won the first three Ultimate Fighting Championships in the earlier 90s. It has since become a staple art for many MMA fighters and is largely credited for bringing wide-spread attention to the importance of ground fighting. Sport BJJ tournaments continue to grow in popularity worldwide and have given rise to no-gi submission grappling tournaments, such as ADCC.

Staff and Students of Elite Martial Arts Academy have the distinct pleasure and advantage of having a Direct Link to Authentic Brazilian Jujitsu Masters in and from the Birth Place of BJJ, Brazil. Sensei Boyd Cochennic oversees the day to day Brazilian Jujitsu and Submission Grappling instruction at Elite Martial Arts Academy. Sensei Boyd is a Certified Brazilian Jujitsu Instructor, and is an Accomplished and Charismatic Teacher. Sensei Boyd's Instructor is Professor Thadeu Vieira who is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, now living and heading up several ground breaking and successful academies in the Sarasota, Florida area. Professor Thadeu's long time Instructor is World and International Champion Master Paulo Wesley Lopes, who is also the head of several "Pagels" Jiu-Jitsu Teams in Rio. Master Paulo was awarded his Black Belt from 9th Degree Red Belt Grand Master Francisco Mansur, Head of Kioto BJJ. Grand Master Mansur is the founder and owner of "Academia Kioto de Jiu-Jitsu," one of the most traditional and successful Jiu-Jitsu schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is very proud to be one of only six men outside of the Gracie family to be granted a professor's diploma directly from none other than 10th Degree Red Belt, Grand Master Helio Gracie.