Gracie Barra Westchase is the Gracie Barra school in Houston's Westchase district, on the west side of the city, and it trades under that name rather than as "Gracie Barra Houston". It has been open since 2011. Graciemag covered its third anniversary in August 2014.

The owner and head instructor is Ulpiano Malachias. BJJ Heroes says he started jiu-jitsu at 17 in a class taught by his friend Erik Wanderlei, and received his black belt from Carlos Gracie Jr. in 2006. Graciemag described him as a second-degree black belt in 2014. As a competitor he won the IBJJF American Nationals three times (2004, 2005 and 2008) and the 2006 Asian Open. He also took bronze at the 2008 No-Gi World Championship and medalled at the Pan Americans. Before Houston, he opened Gracie Barra Santa Ana in California with the support of Professor Draculino.

Competition is a focus. Malachias says it has a strong competition team, and Graciemag reported a dedicated competition class alongside the kids and adult programs. The coaching staff has included black belt Inacio Neto, and striking coaches were added for MMA and fight classes. In 2019, Graciemag featured the academy as an example of a Gracie Barra premium school, with jiu-jitsu, MMA and other fight classes and a full-service locker room. The academy has hosted seminars with Gracie Barra figures such as Marcio Feitosa and Romulo Barral.

Visiting and first class

• Address: 2610 Fondren Rd, Houston, TX 77063, per the academy's website, which also lists a phone number.
• Programs: the site lists adult gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu, kids and teens classes (including kids no-gi for ages 7 to 13), youth and high-school wrestling, Muay Thai, MMA, cardio kickboxing and women's self-defense.
• Free class: the site invites new students to book a free class. It does not publish a drop-in policy. Gracie Barra says members can train at any official school.
• Other Gracie Barra schools nearby: Gracie Barra Champions, on Tomball Parkway in northwest Houston, has its own page on Gracie Barra's site.

Details above were checked on the academy site, Gracie Barra's site, BJJ Heroes and Graciemag in October 2026. Confirm the current schedule with the school before you go.