[5] He also trained Pancrase fighter Gabriel Vella and jiu-jitsu world champion Fabio Leopoldo while in Brazil.
PRIDE billed Ryan as the "bad boy" of the family who reputedly gained experience fighting in the streets of Brazil.
Ryan was the leader and head coach of Gracie São Paulo, one of the largest jiu-jitsu associations in Brazil, with affiliated schools spread over the world.
Supported by his cousins Carlos Russo, Daniel Simões, and Renzo Gracie, the academy is home to several world champions.
[8] In October 2005, Gracie suffered an accidental gunshot wound to the leg while reaching into a closet in his sister's house in Rio de Janeiro, according to a report by GracieMag.com.