Gracie Sydney Association

Gracie Sydney was founded in 2001 when Bruno Panno emigrated from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, specifically to introduce Gracie Jiu Jitsu to Sydney, Australia.

Prof. Bruno Panno is a student of the Gracie family of Brazil, the founders of this style of martial art. After learning the art in the most prestigious academy in the world and being awarded his teaching qualifications directly from the arts founders, Bruno is the Gracie family’s chief representative in Australasia.

Bruno was only eight years old when he started training Gracie Jiu Jitsu at the Gracie Humaita Academy in Rio de Janeiro in 1985. The Academy’s director was grand master Helio Gracie, and Bruno trained under masters Royler and Rolker Gracie. The legendary Rickson Gracie was also coaching at Humaita during that time. When Bruno was nineteen, Royler and Rolker Gracie awarded him a purple belt, and invited him to work as an assistant instructor for the Gracie Academy, which he proudly did for five years.

On 31 March 2001, after three years of hard training as a brown belt, Bruno received his hard earned and desired black belt directly from the hands of Royler Gracie. Bruno arrived in Sydney in July 2001 with the goal of developing Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Australia. In 2002, Bruno founded the NSW BJJ Federation and remains a director of the organisation today.

Since arriving in Australia and establishing Gracie Sydney’s headquarters in Coogee, Bruno has established many Jiu Jitsu academies in the Sydney area. Bruno’s passion and talent for teaching is exemplified in his success in sharing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to such a diverse student base and where his dedication is producing Australian athletes of international standards.