Inspiring Conversations with Marcelo Galizio of Rilion Gracie Denver – Jiu-Jitsu Academy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcelo Galizio.

Hi Marcelo , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Marcelo and I’m 38 years old. I was born and raised on an island in the south of Brazil. I grew up by the ocean surfing and scuba diving and for the past decade and a half, I’ve traveled around the world working as a professional whitewater kayaker where I got to run some of the biggest waterfalls on the planet.
I’ve started training Jiu-Jitsu when I was 10 years old, most of my childhood friends are black belts now and even though I dedicated most of my life to a different sport, martial arts has always been part of my life and I’m truly honored to represent the most important family when comes to combat sports, the Gracies.

Master Carlos and Hélio Gracie changed the world by adapting the Japanese art of Judo to what’s know today as Brazilian Jiujitsu, a martial art that is currently used to train the military and law enforcement agents across the globe. Their family invented the ultimate fighting championship (UFC) and Master Carlos’s youngest son, Rilion Gracie is the founder of one of the biggest jiujitsu academies in the world.

The very first UFC event happened here in Denver, which is a place I’ve always felt drawn to because of all the beautiful mountains and rivers of Colorado and it’s a dream come true to be able to open the first Rilion Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy of the state and teach this amazing sport to kids and adults that come train with us.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It ain’t easy being a one man army, there’s so much that goes into being an entrepreneur but I’m learning as I go. From making a website, working on the curriculum and class structure, marketing, taxes, social media etc..
It’s challenging to start a new business but it’s been extremely rewarding and I’m very excited for the future and to keep growing our community, witnessing our students become stronger, more confident and a better version of themselves. We have been open for less than 3 months and I’d say things have been great so far. We are currently ranked 3rd Top Academy with most Gold Medals in the state of Colorado in the past 100 days and we are holding 2nd place for the Academy with the best win/loss ratio. Our goal is to not only be a great place for beginners and people who want to learn self defense, but also to be one of Colorado’s best competition teams in 2026.

As you know, we’re big fans of Rilion Gracie Denver – Jiu-Jitsu Academy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Here are Rilion Gracie Denver Jiu-Jitsu Academy, we teach self-defense and the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Our classes are tailored to all skill levels, from kids to advanced competitors. Our academy fosters confidence, respect, self-discipline and help you take life with a different perspective.

There’s a lot of places in Denver for you to choose if you decide to sign up your kids or train but with us, you’ll learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Brazilian professors that are only two generations away from the person who invented the sport. We have only been open for 2 months and already collected over 17 medals at the local tournaments and if your goal isn’t competing, our beginners classes are still pretty small and extremely detailed, you are guaranteed to have the professor’s attention on a personal level and won’t ever feel like you are not part of the team.

We are extremely proud of representing Master Rilion Gracie’s family and helping change lives in this beautiful town.

Please visit our website for the weekly schedule, membership plans, photo gallery and immerse yourself in the world-renowned Rilion Gracie method of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

How do you think about happiness?
Tô witness my students growth and watch them understand the sport’s concepts is very rewarding. I receive so many beautiful messages from people who train with me or parents of the kids telling me how Jiu-Jitsu has changed their lives and I think that is what motivates me the most. I know it sounds cliche but Jiu-Jitsu goes so far beyond just the physical activity, it turns people in to a better version of themselves and gives them a different kind of confidence and problem-solving skills that they will carry forever.

Pricing:

• Visit our website for membership plans for both adults and kids

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.riliongraciedenver.com
• Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/riliongracie.denver/

Image Credits
Rilion Gracie Denver