Congratulations Master Carlos Machado
On Your Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award
Introducing Master Carlos Machado
The Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
He can also be seen HERE on the Go2 Karate Home Page
He can also be seen in the G2K Recognition Award Wall Of Recipients
To all my fellow Martial Artists,
Carlos Machado: The “Godfather of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” in the U.S.
It is with great honor that our board has selected Master Carlos Machado for the Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award.
Master Carlos Machado is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and martial arts worldwide. A member of the legendary Machado family, he grew up training alongside his cousins, the Gracie’s, and helped introduce BJJ to North America in the early 1990s. Known as the “Godfather of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” in the U.S., Carlos blends old-school fundamentals with modern innovation, creating a system that is both effective and accessible to practitioners of all levels.
A former multiple-time Pan American and World Champion, Carlos has coached thousands of students globally, including elite competitors, law enforcement professionals, and Hollywood celebrities. His deep technical knowledge and passion for teaching earned him the rank of 8th Degree Coral Belt, a testament to decades of dedication to the art and the Martial Arts Industry.
Carlos is the founder of the Carlos Machado Jiu-Jitsu Association, with schools spanning the United States and abroad. Beyond producing champions, his mission is to empower people through the life-changing benefits of Jiu-Jitsu—instilling confidence, discipline, and resilience.
Author, mentor, and pioneer, Master Carlos Machado continues to shape the evolution of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, ensuring that his family’s legacy thrives while inspiring a new generation of martial artists. Please read more about him and what he does for charity below under his interview. A man who gives back and has a big heart.
Tracy Lee Thomas
8th Degree
Go2 Karate Recognition Board Member
Founder | Go2 Karate
Lifetime of Legacy
Add your voice to celebrate the award and the man behind it. We invite you to leave a congratulatory note for Master Carlos Machado in honor of his Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award. Whether you are a student, an instructor, or part of the martial arts industry, your words of recognition and celebration are welcome. Share your message and join the community in honoring his lasting impact.
Stephen Oliver
9th Degree Black Belt
Mile High Karate/Martial Arts Wealth Mastery
Evergreen, Colorado
Congratulations, Master Carlos Machado.
I still remember the first time we met—sweat-soaked mats in Chuck Norris’s garage gym down in Navasota, Texas. Even then, it was obvious: you weren’t selling sizzle; you were the steak. Precision, humility, and relentless standards. That’s the DNA you’ve brought to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for decades.
You’re the real deal—leader, teacher, and a builder of black belts and better human beings. Congratulations on this milestone and on a lifetime of raising the bar for all of us.
Greg Moody
Chief Master
KarateBuilt Martial Arts
Cave Creek, Arizona
Congratulations to Master Carlos Machado, a true legend in martial arts. His championship record and decades of teaching have inspired students worldwide, while his leadership has shaped the growth of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu across North America. It is an honor to recognize his lasting impact on our industry.
Denise Morin
5th Degree Black Belt
Virginia Beach, Va
Master Carlos Machado’s your lifelong dedication and legendary success in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu continue to inspire generations. Congratulations on receiving this well deserved award!
Master Thomas
8th Degree Master Instructor
Congratulations to Master Carlos Machado on receiving the prestigious Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award. Your decades of dedication, leadership, and impact on the martial arts world have inspired generations of practitioners worldwide. We proudly honor your legacy and the incredible mark you continue to leave on our community. - Tracy Lee Thomas | Go2 Karate Founder
As a martial artist, a veteran, and a woman, I want to sincerely congratulate you, Master Carlos Machado, on receiving the Lifetime Recognition Award.
You’ve long been known as the “Godfather of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” in the U.S., but what truly stands out is how much heart you’ve poured into sharing the art. From shaping champions and building schools to supporting veterans, empowering women, and helping communities in need, your impact goes far beyond the mat.
For me, this recognition isn’t just about your titles or accomplishments—it’s about the lives you’ve touched, the confidence you’ve inspired, and the example you’ve set for all of us. Thank you for showing what it means to lead with both strength and compassion.
Congratulations, Master Machado. This honor is so well deserved.
With respect ,
Denise Morin
5th Degree
Go2 Karate Recognition Board Member
Go2 Karate Editor
It is an honor to recognize Master Carlos Machado for his extraordinary contributions to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the martial arts community worldwide. As a 10x Brazilian National Champion, 8th Degree Coral Belt, and founder of the Carlos Machado Jiu-Jitsu Association, he has dedicated his life to sharing the art with thousands of students across the globe.
I have had the privilege of watching Master Machado’s work in our industry for many years. His consistent excellence on the mat, his leadership in building one of the most respected Jiu-Jitsu associations, and his reputation as the “Godfather of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the United States” have left a profound mark on martial arts.
Through his teaching, Master Machado has elevated countless practitioners—from world-class competitors to everyday students seeking confidence, discipline, and resilience. Just as importantly, he has used his influence to support charitable causes, empower veterans, and open doors for communities through Jiu-Jitsu.
Please join me in congratulating Master Carlos Machado on this well-deserved recognition. His career stands as a model of integrity, innovation, and service to martial arts worldwide.
Respectfully,
Greg Moody
8th Degree
Go2 Karate Recognition Board Member
An Interview With Master Carlos Machado - Go2 Karate Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
Conducted by Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine
Interview Highlights:
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Welcome, everybody. I'm really glad to have you today. Today we're joined by Master Carlos Machado, 10-time Brazilian national champion, 8th degree, coral belt, founder of the Carlos Machado Jiu Jitsu Association.
You're just a legend in martial arts, I'm so pleased to be And I'm so glad to get to talk to you.
We had a pre-conversation and I've thoroughly enjoyed it."
Master Carlos Machado:
"So thanks so much for being here. My honor and my pleasure, sir. Thank you"
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Okay. Well, great. Well, tell me a little bit about how you started. What was it like growing up in the Machado family and training?"
Master Carlos Machado:
" think you started training when you were very young. Yeah. So I'm a first degree cousin to several of Gracie cousins.
You know, my family is related to the Gracies. And we, when I was four years old, my mom used to take me to train with the late patriarch, Haleel Gracie, Grandmaster Haleel Gracie.
That's where I started doing some training. Then I trained with late Grandmaster Carlson Gracie, Holtz Gracie, then Carlos Gracie Jr., and then from then on, he became my main instructor for most of my life.
Uh, so, so it was kind of like we're, we're born into it, sort of. So it became very natural.
Um, my. My I have several cousins that are peers to me, and all my brothers, we are very close in age, so at one point in time, everybody was on the mat at the same time, training, and growing together with that culture, and I was a student, I was never, the part about teaching and being involved as a career path in the martial arts was not something that I planned in my early years, but it kind of felt natural after a while."
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"I think that happens with a lot of us."
Master Carlos Machado:
"Yeah, well, they're bringing your peers, my peers kept me honest, you know, a lot of times, you know, within my family and my cousins, had the hierarchy on the mat, we all knew who was the top gun, we all knew that if we select in our training, you'd be there reckoning anytime we came back to train.
So even my brothers, you know, all of them were notable in their own rights. So it was an amazing experience with our peers. Thank In terms of us being very tight, close together, we competed together, and I'm very fond of the little memories I had.
Of course, there was a lot of pressure being related to your instructor, you know, like anytime you're on the mat, you want make sure that you make him proud.
So when I had classes, I always had butterfly in my stomach, sometimes going to class because I had some, you know, classmates that are really tough and I want to make sure that I didn't fall behind whenever the training session was.
But this was just part of, you know, growing up and eventually growing out of it as we got wiser"
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Well, you grew up with some legends that you were training with. Maybe they didn't, maybe for you, from your point of view, maybe it wasn't that way, but they certainly turned into legends in the martial arts community."
Master Carlos Machado:
"Yeah, quite, I mean, most of them, most of the individuals. The that I trained with are notable and exponentially, you know, popular."
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Yeah, that's amazing. How old were you when you started their first class?"
Master Carlos Machado:
"My first class, I was four."
Dr. Greg Moody, Chief Master, Go2 Karate Magazine:
"Oh, four years old. Okay. So back then, and you know, we're more than we're more than 20 years old, think, between the two of us. Back then, there weren't probably as many kids doing martial arts."
Master Carlos Machado:
"Ironically, some academies were specialized in kids. And what city in Brazil was that? Okay, so it was in the, I would say, in the mid to late 60s.
That's when I started to compete. Uh huh. And I would have, I would see some other academies that, they had a strong component of kids, you know."