Here's the 5-minute version. More on this later!
So... it goes like this:
Japanese Ju Jutsu, the Gentle Science...then Kano decided to make it better.
It was called Kano's Ju Jutsu.
Kano felt it was important for it to be a way of life. So Kano Ju Jitsu (the Gentle Science) became Kano Ju Do (Gentle Way).
After a while, it be came known as just Ju Do....and you know it as Judo.
Then Maeda was traveling the world, showing off Judo...but at the time, many people were still calling it Kano Ju Jitsu, including Brazilian newspapers.
Brazilian popular culture stuck to the Jiu-Jitsu name instead of Judo, but it was the same.
Maeda taught George Gracie. George taught his brother Helio.
Helio modified it for the weaker, smaller people. This modified Judo became Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Helio taught Rorion, Rickson, Royce, et al.
Helio AND Rickson taught Pedro Sauer.
Pedro Sauer taught Jake Johnston.
Jake teaches us.
So, in summary: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (and all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) is directly descended from Judo, Not Japanese Jujutsu.
Note: Jiu-Jitsu, Jiujutsu, JuJutsu, and Ju jutsu are literally the same. Most people adhere to the Brazilian=Jiu-Jitsu / Japanese=Jujutsu convention.
