Pedro Sauer Association · Crystal Lake, IL

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Team Curran carries one of the most authentic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu lineages in Illinois — directly through Master Pedro Sauer, a legendary black belt under Rickson Gracie himself.

See Our BJJ Program

The Lineage

Where Our Jiu-Jitsu Comes From

Mitsuyo Maeda

Founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Japanese judoka who brought jiu-jitsu to Brazil in the early 1900s and taught the Gracie family.

Hélio Gracie

Co-Founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Hélio refined Maeda's teachings into the leverage-based system known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, proving that technique beats strength.

Rickson Gracie

Gracie Family Champion

Widely regarded as one of the greatest BJJ competitors of all time, Rickson has a legendary undefeated record spanning decades.

Master Pedro Sauer

9th Degree Red-and-Black Belt · Pedro Sauer Association

A personal black belt under Rickson Gracie, Master Pedro Sauer is regarded as one of the finest technicians and teachers in the history of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. He established the Pedro Sauer BJJ Association with schools worldwide.

Professor Jeff Curran

5th Degree Black Belt · Team Curran Crystal Lake, IL

A direct black belt under Master Pedro Sauer, Professor Curran has trained under and alongside the Sauer Association since the 1990s. He founded Team Curran in Crystal Lake in 1997 and has carried the authentic Gracie teaching tradition ever since.

Why It Matters

Not All BJJ Is the Same

As Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has exploded in popularity, many schools have opened that lack a verifiable connection to the original Gracie family system. Lineage is how you trace exactly where the art you're learning comes from — and how faithful it remains to the principles Hélio Gracie developed.

At Team Curran, there is no guessing. Our lineage runs directly from Hélio Gracie through Rickson Gracie and Master Pedro Sauer — one of the clearest, most respected chains in all of BJJ. When Professor Curran teaches you a technique, he learned it from people who helped define the art itself.

This is particularly rare in Illinois. There are very few Pedro Sauer Association schools in the state, making Team Curran's Crystal Lake academy one of the only places in northwest Chicagoland where you can train authentic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at this level.

What Makes Pedro Sauer BJJ Different

  • ✓Emphasis on self-defense as the foundation of all technique
  • ✓Leverage and timing over strength and athleticism
  • ✓Moral and ethical development alongside physical training
  • ✓Respect for lineage and the original Gracie system
  • ✓Technical precision — every position has a reason

One of Illinois's Only Pedro Sauer Schools

If you're searching for authentic Gracie or Pedro Sauer BJJ in the Crystal Lake, Algonquin, McHenry, or Lake in the Hills area — Team Curran is your source.

Train Authentic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Start at Team Curran

Try our Adult BJJ program or Kids Jiu-Jitsu for two full weeks. 102 W Woodstock St, Crystal Lake, IL 60014.

Get Your 2-Week Trial — $45