Our Teams

Team Ralph Gracie

Logo of a martial arts gym featuring a man in a gi with a combat stance, fists raised, in front of a triangle and circle design, with the text 'Ralph LP Hong, Jiu-Jitsu, Karate, Jiu-Jitsu' around the circle.

The Ralph Gracie Team is one of the most respected and influential families in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)—a direct branch of the legendary Gracie lineage that helped shape modern martial arts and launch the global rise of MMA.

Who is Ralph Gracie?

Ralph Gracie is the younger brother of Renzo Gracie and a grandson of Carlos Gracie Sr., one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Known as “The Pitbull,” Ralph earned a reputation in Brazil and the U.S. during the 1980s and 1990s as one of the fiercest competitors in the family. His aggressive, relentless style earned him both fear and respect on the mats.

The Team’s Legacy

  • Technical Lineage: Ralph’s schools and affiliates emphasize a no-nonsense, pressure-heavy jiu-jitsu—focused on submissions, positional dominance, and effectiveness in both sport and self-defense.

  • Notable Fighters: His students and affiliates have gone on to become champions in BJJ and MMA, competing in top organizations like the UFC and ADCC.

  • Worldwide Reach: The Ralph Gracie Team has affiliates across the U.S. and internationally, spreading his direct style and approach to BJJ.

Why It Matters

Being part of the Ralph Gracie Team means carrying forward one of the most authentic and battle-tested BJJ traditions in the world. It ties a school directly into the legacy of the Gracie family—whose innovations proved that a smaller, more technical fighter could overcome size and strength through skill.

At Chicago MMA, this affiliation means your students are learning techniques and principles that have been tested in competition, refined over generations, and passed down from one of the most iconic martial arts families in history.

Team Sityodtong

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Origins

Team Sityodtong traces its roots back to Pattaya, Thailand, where Grandmaster Yodtong Senanan (1935–2013)trained and produced some of the greatest Muay Thai fighters in history. He was revered as one of Thailand’s most respected Muay Thai teachers, and his camp, Sityodtong, became synonymous with excellence in striking.

Global Legacy

  • Fighters: Under Grandmaster Yodtong, the camp produced over 50 Muay Thai champions, including multiple Lumpinee Stadium and Rajadamnern champions—the highest honors in Thailand.

  • Expansion: The Sityodtong name spread internationally through his students, most notably Kru Mark DellaGrotte, who established Sityodtong Boston. Mark became a world-renowned coach in both Muay Thai and MMA, training UFC fighters like Kenny Florian, Stephan Bonnar, and more.

  • Modern MMA: Team Sityodtong has played a critical role in integrating authentic Muay Thai into modern MMA, with fighters showcasing devastating striking at the highest levels.

Training Philosophy

Team Sityodtong is known for its authentic Thai training methods—a mix of traditional pad work, clinch fighting, conditioning, and technical precision—combined with a global outlook that makes the art accessible to beginners, athletes, and professional fighters alike.

Why It Matters

By affiliating with Team Sityodtong, Chicago MMA connects directly to this rich heritage of Thai striking. Students here don’t just learn kickboxing for fitness—they train under a lineage that produced world champions and shaped modern MMA striking. It’s authenticity, power, and tradition brought straight from Thailand to Chicago.

Team Luta Livre

Logo featuring an illustration of a muscular lion with arms crossed, a shield outline, and text reading 'USA LUT A LIVRE' in white and red on a dark blue background.

Luta Livre Esportiva (“free fighting”) is a Brazilian grappling art that developed alongside Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Unlike BJJ, which grew out of judo, Luta Livre has roots in catch wrestling and was historically practiced without the gi. It emphasizes submissions, positional control, and leg attacks, making it highly effective for MMA and no-gi grappling.

For decades, Luta Livre and BJJ were fierce rivals in Rio de Janeiro, each producing fighters who tested themselves in vale tudo (no-rules fighting) matches that shaped the early identity of Brazilian MMA.

Hugo Duarte

Master Hugo Duarte is one of the most iconic figures in Luta Livre’s history. Rising to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, Duarte became known for his toughness, his rivalries with members of the Gracie family (including a legendary beach fight with Rickson Gracie), and his role in bringing Luta Livre into the vale tudo and MMA arenas.

  • Fighter & Innovator: Duarte competed in Brazil, Japan, and worldwide during the formative years of MMA, proving that Luta Livre could stand alongside BJJ, wrestling, and striking arts in real fights.

  • Coach & Mentor: Today, he is recognized as a living link to the golden era of Brazilian martial arts. Through Luta Livre USA, he has spread the art internationally, teaching the next generation of grapplers and MMA fighters.

Why It Matters

By representing Luta Livre USA under Hugo Duarte, Chicago MMA connects students directly to this historic tradition. It means learning authentic no-gi submission grappling from one of the pioneers of Brazilian MMA—a system built for practicality, intensity, and effectiveness in both sport and self-defense.