Helio Gracie, the father of Gracie jiu-jitsu, has passed at the age of 95. Gracie passed in his sleep early Thursday in Itaipaiva, Rio de Janeiro, after he had been admitted to a local hospital a few days prior for stomach problems.

“He passed the way he always wanted to –- quick and fast,” said an immediate relative, who asked not to be identified. The relative said Gracie’s body would be buried on Thursday.

The youngest of Cesalina and Gastao Gracie’s eight children, he learned traditional jiu-jitsu by watching his brother, Carlos, teach it, but his small frame made it difficult for him to execute the moves. As a result, he adapted techniques to fit his limited physical ability and gave rise to modern-day Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Gracie was involved in two legendary fights. He lost to Masahiko Kimura -- a man who outweighed him by some 80 pounds -- in 1951 when Carlos threw in the towel after Kimura broke Gracie’s arm with the shoulder lock that now bears his name. Four years later, Gracie fought former student Valdemar Santana for nearly four hours and won by technical knockout after Santana succumbed to exhaustion.

His impact on the sport of mixed martial arts was profound. His son, Rorion, was credited with developing the concept that became the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and another of his sons, Royce, won the first two UFC tournaments in 1993 and 1994. Two other sons, Rickson and Royler, also competed in MMA.

Gracie is survived by his wife Vera; his sons Rickson, Royler, Rolker, Royce, Relson, Robin and Rorion; his daughters Rerika and Ricci, as well as numerous siblings, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. 

Team:

We'd like to thank Professor Bruce Shepherd for conducting another incredible workshop at Spencer County Martial Arts. The focus today was on submission escapes...what to do when you're almost to the point of no return. We'll have a highlight reel and photos posted in the near future. If you weren't able to make this one, we plan to have him back very soon for another workshop.

In addition, we wouldn't be able to offer such seminars and workshops at the Academy if it were not for the support of our students and the larger jiu-jitsu community in Louisville and beyond. With that, we'd like to thank all of today's participants for supporting the growth of the art and the advancement of technique.

There's much more to come, too!

Our sister school, Louisville Martial Arts Academy, will host Luis "Limao" Heredia (a Master Pedro Sauer, 4th-degree black belt representative) again on March 22 and 23, one week after the Rickson Gracie seminar in Nashville.  

More details will follow on Professor Heredia's seminar.

In the meantime, we'll see you on the mat -- tomorrow night!

Team:

If this synapsis of Rickson's seminar series in Brazil is anything like what we're about to experience in Nashville in March, then we're in for an experience of a lifetime:

Rickson opens his box

In 2009, Gracie plans to hold seminars in eight Brazilian cities

The man who most knows Jiu-Jitsu decided to export, at the end of 2008, the knowledge he has acquired over nearly half a century of life. Thus, when Rickson takes a seat and prepares to open the box he carries, everyone’s eyes fix on him, with unmasked eagerness. It’s not a metaphoric box, but a Styrofoam cooler.

From it, the icon of the gentle art removes a morsel of white cheese, half a watermelon and a vast bunch of bananas. The scene plays out in the glorious Flamengo rowing club, where the restaurant is nearly as run down as the current Carioca squad is, which explains the suspense. What could the master from that pitiful buffet?

And thus fed, and with the aid of a two-liter bottle of an American brand of isotonic drink that Rickson has noticed had the best effect on his body, the professor replenishes his energy for a 150-person seminar, over 12 hours stretching over Saturday and Sunday. The idea is, in 2009, to take the series of seminars, which is actually a “course” divided over ten stages, to eight cities in Brazil. 

The class in Rickson’s city of birth, Rio de Janeiro, on the 11th and 12th of October, was the first stage of his personal project, which was covered in a six-page report in the mainstream press. “I want to take awareness of the martial art to the mainstream. Today, Jiu-Jitsu is efficient as a fighting style, but not to the point of boosting one’s development,” said the Gracie to the “Jornal do Brasil” newspaper on December 14th. On the seminar in Rio, he remarked: “It was one of the most moving moments in my life. I realized Jiu-Jitsu is still a family.”

And there really were even family members among the participants, alongside world champions, veteran black belts and young white belts from an assortment of academies. “When I was really small,” says Kyra Gracie, “I remember having asked Renzo: ‘Uncle, is Rickson everything they say he is?’ And the answer has stuck in my head since: ‘No. He’s much more.’”

Kyra didn’t regret it, and confirmed her cousin’s technique. In three hours, before lunch time, the Gracie has escaped every mount, surprised everyone with technical details and tought details even regarding solid base standing. He showed it in practice to all the students. And he didn’t even come close to getting tired, perhaps the most impressive part.

“For every position, Rickson showed invisible mistakes, practiced by all fighters or competitors, whether amateur or world class athletes. Hence, he would show the reasons for losing positions or excessive use of force when performing simple positions, in which minute details in adjusting or angling, posture or balance, mean enormous differences in the final outcome of the position or, the greater objective, in finishing off the opponent,” related Breno Sivak, Rickson black belt and co-organizer of the event.

Felipe Costa, roosterweight world champion, approved: “Rickson’s seminar was without a doubt a great investment in my career. I didn’t learn any revolutionary new technique in the seminar, it was work on the basics with very interesting concepts, aimed a pure technique, the whole time.”

After lunch, Rickson re-started the seminar laying out the importance of eating properly for quality of life and physical conditioning. And, on moving his diaphragm to show the benefits of yoga-based breathing, one of the younger participants at the seminar realized he was living out a moment from the movies: “Hey dad! That’s from the movie The Hulk!”

Alliance leader to participate for second time

After top black belt competitor Michel Langhi hinted that his teacher would be participating in the upcoming European Championship, GRACIEMAG.com set off after master of superstars Fabio Gurgel for confirmation, and confirmed it.


“I think it’s really natural [competing]. I’ve been doing it my whole life and still do, firstly because I like it, secondly because I think the new generations need to see Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t end at 30, and to keep myself up to date and closer to my students. As my master, Jacare, says, ‘a general should be on the front lines,’” stated the experienced black belt.


Fabio Gurgel, at “3.9” years of age, as he likes to say, will compete in a European Championship for the second time, at the European 2009, to take place from January 30th to February 1st, in Lisbon, Portugal.


In 2007, the Alliance top man took gold in the Senior I super heavyweight category. Besides being an example, the general, as he is affectionately known by his students, demonstrates how time and experience really are what set veterans apart when facing reality. 


“The state of spirit is what motivates me to compete, since during each phase of life one faces it differently. Even if I’ve fought the same adversary before it may be completely different this time around. I go into tournaments knowing that even though I’ve competed thousands of times it may be completely different,” stated Gurgel, who has been training at the Alliance branch in Turku, Finland, for the past week.



“Today I’m starting another week in Helsinki. I’ve been training a lot, preparing and organizing our team here. Truth is I’m missing the quality of training we have in Brazil, but on the other hand I have more time to rest and prepare myself. It’s a trade that I’m not yet sure whether it’s good or bad, we’ll see next week,” he said, jokingly.


With a confident posture, Gurgel said he hopes to have a good championship. Not just himself, but his team. “Alliance has been growing for some time and at we’re organizing ourselves for the European. It wouldn’t be a surprise to us if we win the championship, but we’re not favorites, since not many will be coming up from Brazil. Nevertheless our team here is strong and we’ll be taking nearly 100 athletes,” said the master of beasts like Sergio Moraes, Gabriel Vella and Demian Maia in finishing.