Monir Salomão was a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach and founder of the Academia Monir de Jiu-Jitsu in the Vista Alegre neighbourhood where he several high class black belts such as world champion Marcos Barreto and GF Team leader Julio César Pereira as well as Rafael Caldeira.
Master Geraldo Flôres is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu red belt (9th degree) from the Oswaldo Fadda lineage, and one of the main developers of Jiu Jitsu in the northern area of Rio de Janeiro. Flôres has also been involved in the development of BJJ figures such as Wendell Alexander, Sergio Bastos and Ignácio Santos Silva.
Nahum Rabay is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu red belt (9th degree) and a student of one of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu founders, George Gracie. Aside from being an important musician and a highly regarded figure in Sao Paulo’s BJJ, Nahum Rabay, curiously, was directly involved in the first case of “creontagem” in Jiu Jitsu.
Deoclecio Paulo, also known as “Mestre Deo” (Master Deo) is a red belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu who started practicing the sport in the 1940’s, being a direct descendant of the Oswaldo Fadda lineage. A highly regarded instructor, Deoclecio Paulo has taught in different areas of Brazil, having also brought Jiu Jitsu to Chile in the 1970’s. Master Deo’s also founded the Associação Deo Jiu-Jitsu one of the top academies in Brasilia.
A pioneer for jiu jitsu in Sao Paulo during the 1950s and 1960s, Octavio de Almeida (senior) was a student of George Gracie and the Japanese Ono brothers. He held the jiu jitsu flag in the state of Sao Paulo when there were very few instructors in the area and opened one of the greatest BJJ schools for children in the country.
Carley Gracie, often referred to as: “The Lion of the Gracie Family”, is the 11th child of Gracie jiu jitsu founder Carlos Gracie, and the first person to bring Brazilian jiu jitsu to the United States (in 1972). Carley Gracie is also the father of two jiu jitsu practitioners, Ralston and Clark Gracie, being the later, one of the main BJJ competitors in the world.
Master Francisco Sá is a jiu jitsu red belt and one of the main instigators for jiu jitsu in the region of Ceará, Brazil. Francisco Sá, who was graded as an instructor by Takeo Iano, established his academy in Fortaleza in the 1960’s, an academy that flourished with the combined effort of himself and his son Carlos Pinto Sá (also known as “Sazinho”) becoming a beacon of excellence in that Northern Brazilian state.
Mestre Alvaro Barreto is a jiu jitsu red belt (faixa vermelha) and one of the most important figures in BJJ, being also the brother of João Alberto Barreto and Sergio Barreto, two illustrious figures of the sport. Alvaro Barreto became a certified instructor at the famous Gracie Academy by the age of 17, years before he opened his academy where he instructed and graduated great figures of the sport.
A great figure in Brazilian jiu jitsu, Master Francisco Mansor has had tremendous influence in bringing jiu jitsu to the world. The founder of the Kioto BJJ academy, Master Francisco Mansor was also part of the exclusive group of 6 men to have earned their black belts from the late Great Master Helio Gracie.
Grand Master Joao Alberto Barreto (9th degree red belt in BJJ) is a legendary figure for Jiu Jitsu world wide. Graduated by Helio Gracie himself, Joao Alberto became one of the top competitors of the Gracie Academy in the 1950’s being unbeaten in Vale Tudo matches (the early MMA). Barreto was also part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a referee in the early stages of the famous organization.
Father to two of BJJ’s biggest stars in the 1980’s, Flavio Behring was also of great contribute to the growth of the sport in Sao Paulo. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Red Belt in Jiu Jitsu, Flavio Behring has trained Jiu Jitsu since 1947 and became one of the Gracie Academy’s top students in the 1960’s.
A living encyclopedia of Jiu Jitsu, Paqueta is famous for being Carlson Gracie’s best friend and for having the greatest catalogue of Jiu Jitsu and MMA tapes in Brazil. A fantastic character from the BJJ World that everyone should know.
Oswaldo Fadda (15th of January 1921 until 1st of April 2005) was one of the greatest figures in Jiu Jitsu History. Not comming from a Gracie lineage, Fadda reached the “nono grau” (9th Dan) – Red Belt in BJJ, the greatest honour a non Gracie can ever achieve, he was also the first instructor to take Jiu Jitsu to the poor(er) comunities living in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro were only the rich practiced the sport.
Here is a chance to meet one of the most legendary figures in the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The Red Belt from Reyson Gracie is a top instructor in the sport today and was one of the biggest figures of the 1960s as a competitor.
Armando Wridt is one of the 7 people to have received a red belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from the hands of the late Helio Gracie.
Carlson Gracie was one of the most important figures in jiu jitsu, and still is considered today to be one of the best representatives of the sport both as a competitor and as coach through his Carlson Gracie Academy. His legacy will live for many years to come, as many of the world’s premiere BJJ teams came generated from his lineage, teams such as Nova Uniao, American Top Team (ATT), Brazilian Top Team (BTT), Nova Geração and many others.