Neiman Gracie

Neiman Gracie carries one of the most storied bloodlines in the history of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Born on December 12, 1988, in Brazil, he is the great-grandson of Carlos Gracie — the founding figure of Gracie jiu-jitsu — the grandson of 9th degree red belt Robson Gracie, and the son of Master Márcio Stambowsky. Few athletes enter any sport with such a direct connection to its origins, yet Neiman built his reputation within the BJJ community on competitive merit rather than family name alone.

His earliest development on the mats took place at Gracie Barra in Rio de Janeiro, where he trained under the close guidance of his great-uncle Carlos Gracie Junior. There, Neiman earned all of his belts through purple, establishing a technical and philosophical foundation rooted in the Gracie Barra tradition. In 2007, his family relocated to the United States East Coast, opening a new chapter that would sharpen every dimension of his game.

Following the family's move to the East Coast in 2007, Neiman Gracie continued his development at Renzo Gracie Academy in New York under his uncle Renzo Gracie. The transition from Rio de Janeiro to New York represented more than a change of geography — it placed him inside one of the most competitive grappling environments in North America, where world-class practitioners pushed every aspect of his game.

At the Renzo Gracie Academy, Neiman earned both his brown and black belts, completing a journey that had begun at Gracie Barra in Brazil. The dual-academy path — from Carlos Gracie Junior in Rio to Renzo Gracie in New York — gave him a breadth of perspective and forged the submission-focused style that would become his calling card in both gi competition and, later, the MMA cage.

Building a Decorated Purple Belt Résumé

Neiman Gracie's competition record spans nearly a decade of elite-level performance across gi and no-gi formats, beginning at blue belt and extending through his black belt years. His most dominant stretch, however, came at purple belt, where he assembled a run of results that few competitors in his era could match.

His podium appearances began early — he reached the podium at the World Championship as a blue junior belt in 2005, signaling elite-level potential from the outset. In 2007, he captured the American National Championship at purple belt. The following year, 2008, proved to be his most decorated season, with gold medals at the Pan American Championship and the Pan American No-Gi Championship, alongside a third-place finish at the World Championship. The NY International Open Championship in 2009 added another gold to his purple belt résumé.

Black Belt Competition and Transition to MMA

Neiman's competitive drive carried through his transition to black belt. He finished as runner-up at the NY International Open Championship in 2012, earned third place at the World No-Gi Championship in 2013, and reached the runner-up position again at the NY Summer Open Championship in 2015. The consistency of his podium appearances across Pan American, World, and regional events — in both gi and no-gi formats — reflected a well-rounded grappling game that translated effectively when he turned his attention to mixed martial arts.

In 2013, Neiman Gracie made the decision to transition into mixed martial arts, signing with the World Series of Fighting organization. He made his cage debut on the WSOF show in September 2013, submitting his opponent via armbar in the first round — an outcome entirely consistent with his BJJ-first identity and a clear statement of intent for his MMA career.

Neiman recorded two submission victories during his time at WSOF, building an undefeated MMA record before departing the organization. The WSOF stint served as a proving ground, confirming that the elite grappling credentials he had developed over nearly a decade of competition translated directly into the cage. The armbar and submission finishes that defined his early MMA appearances were a natural extension of the technical foundation he built at Gracie Barra and Renzo Gracie Academy.

Signing with Bellator and Welterweight Identity

Neiman Gracie signed with Bellator MMA in October 2014, arriving at the promotion with an undefeated record built entirely on submission finishes. He competes in the Welterweight division at 170 lbs (77 kg) — a detail worth clarifying, as he is sometimes incorrectly listed at a higher weight class. His Bellator profile and MMA record databases confirm the Welterweight designation.

Inside the Bellator cage, Neiman applied the submission-heavy approach that had defined his career from the beginning, bringing genuine high-level BJJ craftsmanship to the promotion. His grappling identity remained the foundation of his fighting style, and his finishing ability continued to reflect the lineage and training he carried into competition.

Professional Record in Context

Neiman's tenure at Bellator was not without adversity. While he entered the promotion undefeated, the sustained demands of competing against elite welterweight opposition brought losses alongside victories. His professional MMA record stands at 13 wins and 6 losses (13-6-0) — a mark that places his career in honest perspective. He arrived at Bellator as an undefeated prospect and faced the full measure of elite competition across his time with the organization. The losses are an integral part of his professional story, providing context for a career defined by a submission finishing rate that few fighters at any level can match.