Chris first started training Wing Chun Gung Fu in 1983 aged 12. He trained with several Wing Chun masters and travelled the length and breadth of the country. He gained his black sash in Wing Chun in 1988 under The British Tai Chi and Shaolin Kung Fu Association. Also in this year he hooked up with Steve Jones who was then training in Wing Chun Do under James Demile an original student of Bruce Lee. It was this link that allowed him the opportunity to train with Mr Demile directly.

Chris trained in this system for several years, as it seemed like a natural progression in the work he was doing and he trained under several instructors in this field and Jeet Kune Do. In 1993 he spoke to another one of Bruce Lee’s students and grappling legend Larry Hartsell. It was two years before he was able to finally bring Larry over to the U.K. 1995 was the first year that Chris brought Larry to the U.K organising a seminar and private training. This seminar and his contact with Larry radically changed his view towards combat and showed him the power of functional grappling. Chris represented Larry for a further 9 years bringing him over to the U.K. and training with him in America and Europe.

In 1996 Chris trained at Michigan State University in Lansing where he had the opportunity to train Shooto with UFC veteran Erik Paulson, Boxing with Julian Loredo, Jeet Kune Do with Burton Richardson, Kali with Punong Guro Edgar Sulite and of course integrated grappling with Larry Hartsell. In 1998 /1999 Chris started to train in gi type grappling coming into contact with Chen (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) and Neil Adams (Judo). This is also the period that he came into contact with Gracie Barra at its best in the form of Mauricio Gomes (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu).

Between 1983 and present day Chris trained with several top ranking martial artists including Braulio Estima, Vitor Estima, Gordinho, Erik Paulson, Ze Radiola, Tim Tackett, Mick Shore, Steve Jones, Richard Wild, Nino Bernado, Laki, Michael Tze, Mark Jackson, Ben Poppleton, Carlos Gracie Jnr and Sem. Chris has represented Larry Hartsell’s Jeet Kune Do Grappling Association between 1995 to 2003/4, gaining instructor status in 1999 and continuing to train with Larry till his death in 2007. Mick Shore took hold of the representation ropes in around 2003/ 4 and continues to promote and teach Larry’s street functional grappling and Jeet Kune Do to this day.

In 2005 Chris’s club became a part of Team Lagarto Gracie Barra and he gained his blue belt around 2004 awarded by Carlos Gracie Jnr and Braulio Estima. In Summer 2006 Chris graduated from Bolton University gaining a first class honours degree in sports science and coaching. In Summer 2007 he also graduated from Bolton university after completing his post graduate certificate in education.

In 2008 Chris was awarded his Purple Belt by Lagarto.

Richard has trained with Chris Brown for almost 15 years but started training even earlier, back in 1978 aged just 7. He started Shotokan Karate, taught by his father, a 3rd Dan, and by his 11th birthday, Richard was a 1st Dan in the art. School commitments forced him to abandon training but he resumed his interest in the martial arts at University, again studying Karate but also Tai Chi, which he found interesting and complementary to the Karate training but not physical enough, so on leaving University in 1993 he sought out a local, well recommended Wing Chun club run by Chris Brown.

Richard studied under Chris as the club evolved from Wing Chun with JKD concepts into pure JKD. In 1995 Richard joined Chris in his diversification into grappling under the tutelage of the late Sifu Larry Hartsell (former student of Bruce Lee). Richard also branched out into traditional Japanese Ju Jitsu in 1997 and achieved a brown belt by 2001. In 2004 he took up Brazilian Ju Jitsu, under Chris’s instruction and was graded by Roger Gracie to blue belt level in 2005. This diverse history of training has led Richard into the practice of modern MMA (as seen in the UFC), which he now trains and teaches, combining the disciplines he has studied over the years.

Lucio ‘Lagarto’ Rodrigues is one of Gracie Barra’s high profile jiu jitsu fighters, up there with the likes of Braulio Estima and Roger Gracie and, like Braulio and Roger, he has now based himself in the UK in an effort to improve the standard of the BJJ academies in the North of England and to raise the profile of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in general to a new level.

Receiving his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr in 2003, Lagarto’s competition record speaks for itself, with a Gold medal and three bronze medals in the Mundials to his credit and two European gold and two Brazilian gold medals in the bag. With the Europeans in Portugal close on the horizon this year, Lagarto is aiming to notch up his third winners medal at the event.

Not content with success on the mats, Lagarto has also tested his mettle in the ring and recently competed in his first MMA fight; in similar vein to team mate Roger Gracie’s successful debut against Ron Waterman, Lagarto finished his fight easily in the first round with a submission over his opponent.

The future is looking bright for the gifted Brazilian, with future success assured both in jiu jitsu and the mixed martial arts arena; therefore I take pleasure in introducing to you, The Lizard of Gracie Barra!