Daily Inspiration: Meet Thiago Graca

Today we’d like to introduce you to Thiago Graca.

Hi Thiago, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m from Brazil. Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil is a huge thing (Brazilian Jiujitsu). I started training jiu-jitsu at the age of 13 back in 2012. I started because of health problems such as the high risk of diabetes and etc. I always wanted to train jiujitsu because my dad used to train and we had many jiujitsu magazines at home.

I never could train jiujitsu before because first- we were poor; second, I had really bad behavior. My parents thought that I did jiujitsu I’d learn how to fight and things could get worse. When I finally got to a doctor to check my health, they realized that I actually needed to exercise to avoid those problems. I was way too have for my age and size.

My aunt who lives in Japan was able to convince my parents and she got me to sign up and started to pay for my membership. On my first day, I was extremely happy to finally be in! I wanted to win the world and be a professor since day one. It was very hard after a certain age to still be in jiujitsu. My aunt couldn’t pay anymore so did my parents.

I spoke to the professor and I got a free membership. All I had to do was clean up and help with classes. I was 14-15 years old. (2013-2014). I started learning how to be an adult on the streets and at jiujitsu. I was still hanging out with bad people and at the same time great people. At that point, I was been, my own mom and dad. I could have become a thug. People that grew up with me became. People really close to my own family chose the wrong path.

Jiujitsu was literally what saved me. I got away from all that bad stuff from the streets and I got really close to my professor in jiujitsu. I just didn’t want to make him and his wife upset since that looked out for me so much. More than my parents. They used to call me all the time and ask how my day at school was. Of course, always asking things like “what did you do today? Be honest”.

I felt love and I had all I didn’t have from my parents. Some family members that chose that wrong path Andy’s family was broken apart. All we cared about was where some of my family members were and if they were alive. (We were all the same age) three bad kids. I was living in an eternal storm.

With time I got really good at jiujitsu and I was way too into it to mess it up. I was just training and working at the gym. Of course, I worked in many different jobs as a teen. At the age of 15, I worked as a security guard and Waiter. And the tough life of basically taking care of myself brought a lot of responsibility to my life. I had to act right and take care of myself.

I started to win good tournaments and started to be recognized in my city. Being on the regional journals many times. Started teaching for teens and kids of my age and younger. I had a great example of how to be a better human being right at the gym. I had family and support at the gym. At the age of 18, I was able to be closer to people that planted in my mind the idea of competing out of Brazil. The idea of coming to the USA and becoming a world champion.

I started learning English on YouTube. I was doing my very best to educate myself as much as I could sense I wasn’t a good student and couldn’t learn anything at the school. In 2017 (blue belt), I was already very known in my city. Teresopolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I told everyone that I was coming to the USA to compete in the world. I was competing since 2012 and probably never lost in my city. I was doing good in the state tournaments and I felt ready to win.

I started selling raffle tickets to everybody I knew at the time. My city is very small and it’s easier to contact people. I got helped with my plane ticket, hotel, and tournament sign-up. I’d never be able to raise money on my own not even for the plane ticket which was the biggest problem. Also, I had a friend who paid for my visa to the USA.

I was already very mature and a jiujitsu coach. I followed all the guidelines and rules. I was straight up on the right path and I was even able to bring more friends that I knew had the struggle to jiujitsu and tried to help them as well. In the same year, I came to the USA and got third place at the world championship. Losing by 1 advantage. (It’s almost like 1 point).

Got even more popular and my confidence went super high up. Got helped again in 2018 and came to the USA. Had an invite to come and spend three months after the 2018 jiujitsu world championship here in Arizona. I ended up being invited to stay and be part of my team, Gracie Barra, here in the USA. The team paid for my visa. And it got approved really fast. (Like 2 weeks)

One month later I became a purple belt NoGi world championship. Fast forward, today I’m a black belt. I became the Captain of the Gracie Barra Arizona competition team. The biggest jiujitsu organization in the world. Today, I compete at the professional level. I lead hundreds of people. Including kids, teens, adults, and elders.

I’m able to help my family with money. I’m a sponsor of multiple athletes in Brazil. I’m grateful to everybody who helped me. I’m grateful to jiujitsu for saving my life and changing it. I became an adult. Black belt in and out of the mats. It’s an honor to be teaching the martial art that saved me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
it was always hard and tough but I always believed in myself. Be crazy enough to follow my dreams.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Brazilian jiu-jitsu professional athlete. Two times podium at the jiujitsu world championship. Arizona state champion.

Podium at the jiujitsu American nationals. Becoming the captain of the competition team of Gracie Barra Arizona. The biggest jiujitsu organization in the world.

What do you think about luck?
I just had amazing friends. I still do. Nobody gets anywhere alone.

Contact Info:

• Email: Thiago.aso@gbarizona.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thiagoasogb/

Image Credits
Dionatan Santos Toxa