Renzo Gracie takes equity stake in UJITSU, joins as global ambassador
What's the deal? Renzo Gracie, the two-time ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) world champion, has taken an equity stake in UJITSU, a UAE-founded company building a digital platform for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He joins as global ambassador and strategic partner, replacing a standard endorsement with ownership.
The deal was signed on November 8 at a free seminar and open mat on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, attended by more than 250 practitioners. The ceremony was followed by a seminar led by Gracie.
What's the endgame? UJITSU runs a platform with tens of thousands of users and more than 38,000 academies on its map. Gracie will support its international growth and help build partnerships with academies and instructors.
The company lets practitioners carry their belts, training history, and progress across academies and countries, with promotions verified by coaches on the platform.
Why now? Gracie's ties to Abu Dhabi date to 1998, when he won gold at the first ADCC World Championship there. He won a second ADCC title in the city in 2000, and in January 2023 received his 7th-degree coral belt there.
His UAE network also includes Renzo Gracie Dubai, which opened in 2023 as his first academy in the country.
As a competitor, instructor, and academy owner, Gracie brings direct experience of the people UJITSU targets. "I want to help build something that works for both the athletes and the academies, not just put my name on it," he said.
He joins a roster of ambassadors that includes IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation) world champions João Miyao and Gabrieli Pessanha, and four-time Abu Dhabi World Pro champion Daniel "220v" Poncio.
The signal: "Having him with us, with a stake in our success, sends a clear message: UJITSU is built by the jiu-jitsu community, for the jiu-jitsu community," said founder Merdan Gurbanov. The move reflects a wider shift toward athlete partnerships that pair promotion with ownership — though its payoff will depend on whether Gracie's role drives measurable growth in users, academies, and partnerships rather than name recognition alone.
Read more: mmacrazies.com
Image credit: Mark Bonica
