Bad Boy began in Jiu Jitsu in the early nineties by sponsoring Rickson Gracie, son of the legendary founder of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Helio Gracie, for a seminar that he was giving in Rio de Janeiro. That seminar made the cover story in a national magazine and the cover photo featured Rickson Gracie wearing a Bad Boy Kimono. As Jiu Jitsu continued to grow in Brazil, attracting athletes from around the world to the no-nonsense academies peppering the Brazilian coastal cities, Bad Boy continued to sponsor both the Gracies and Jiu Jitsu tournaments.
In Brazil, Bad Boy was the first lifestyle brand to make everyday apparel that both popularized and legitimized Mixed Martial Arts to the general public. In Japan, their sponsorship of the K-1 Hero’s legend Jerome LeBanner has demonstrated the mass appeal of MMA to fans of all ages. They are again pushing the envelope, adopting the latest performance product innovations and applying them to Bad Boy MMA Gear and everyday apparel.
