Helio had four sons, Royler, Rolker, Royce and Robin and two daughters, Rerika and Ricci. He held a 10th degree red belt (Grandmaster) in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a 6th degree black belt in Judo. Helio Gracie lived to be 95 years old, from Octoto January 29, 2009. A modern-day legend, Helio Gracie gained international acclaim for his dedication to the dissemination of the art and is recognized as the creator of Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. They all declined.Ī dedicated family man who exemplified a healthy life-style he was the epitome of courage, discipline, determination, and an inspiration to people everywhere. ![]() Widely regarded as the first sports hero in Brazilian history, Helio also challenged boxing icons Primo Carnera, Joe Louis, and Ezzard Charles. It was the recognition by the world’s best to Helio’s dedication to the refinement of the art.Īt 43 years old, Helio and former student, Waldemar Santana, set the world record for the longest uninterrupted no-holds-barred fight in history when they fought for an incredible 3 hours and 40 minutes! Kimura won the match, but was so impressed with Helio’s techniques that he asked Helio to go teach in Japan claiming the techniques Helio presented during their bout did not exist in Japan. His victory against Kato qualified him to enter the ring with the world champion, Masahiko Kimura, the best Jiu-Jitsu fighter Japan has ever produced, and who outweighed Helio by almost 80 pounds. He fought 18 times, including matches against onetime world heavyweight wrestling champion, Wladek Zbyszko and the #2-ranked Judoka in the world at the time, Kato, whom Helio choked unconscious in six minutes. In order to prove the effectiveness of his new system, Helio openly challenged all the reputable martial artists in Brazil. Emphasizing the use of leverage and timing over strength and speed, Helio modified virtually all of the techniques and, through trial and error, created Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Eager to make the techniques work for him, he began modifying them to accommodate his weak body. Helio soon realized that due to his frail physique, most of the techniques he had learned from watching Carlos teach were particularly difficult for him to execute.
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