The writer asked Omori who is the best professional jiu-jitsu man in Japan? “Despite his age, Toku is the best” [o exponente maximo do jiu-jitsu] Omori said. The writer asked about Roberto Ruhmann, the São Paulo strongman and pro wrestler, who Omori had recently fought. Omori said, “Strong arms, relatively weak legs”. Ruhmann was one of the many fighters in São Paulo whom he beat under luta livre rules he explained, possibly forgetting that he had lost to Ruhmann six months earlier on June 13.
As Fernandes pointed out a bit later, one of the luta livre rules that was at issue, and would be many times in the future, was encostamento dos espaduas [pinning the shoulders]. In luta livre but not jiu-jitsu, one could win the match by holding the opponent’s shoulders flat on the ground. It was convenient for maximizing the pay-off for a mixed fight. After losing the first fight by rules outside his specialty, the loser could reasonably ask for a rematch using the rules of his own art. Even if there was no rematch, a loser could plausibly spin his defeat into some sort of victory.
One of the capoeira partisans who challenged the Gracies after their dubious jiu-jitsu versus capoeiragem tournament was Mario Aleixo. Being middle-aged, he challenged Carlos, the oldest of the brothers. Carlos accepted, but then somehow found a reason why he couldn’t fight and substituted George instead. “I challenged Carlos Gracie but I’m going to fight George. He [Carlos] accepted my challenge, however he then asked me to fight George”, Aleixo complaimed.105
Aleixo was not pleased with this development, but perhaps thinking that his knowledge of jiu-jitsu would compensate for the considerable age disadvantage, decided to go ahead with it. The fight was initially scheduled for October 8,106 postponed to October 15, then again to October 22, due to an injury to Aleixo’s ankle.107 Eventually he recovered and the fight was re-scheduled for December 3, 1931.108
Capoeiragem versus Jiu-Jitsu
The Mario Aleixo versus George Gracie confrontation was greatly anticipated. Aleixo was regarded as a great star of capoeiragem [um grande astro de capoeiragem].109 Previous jiu-jitsu versus capoeiragem tests were widely viewed as logros [frauds], and the representatives of the national game as “medicore fighters who only know how to play act” [“capoeiras medicores, que sósabem fazer enscenações”].110
It was expected that Aleixo would deal devastating justice to the pretensions of the jiu-jitsu cartel. At the same time, fans hoped to see George redeem the family name after Carlos’ pitiful performance in August against Manoel Rufino.111
The bases [rules] for the fight were negotiated in a meeting of all concerned including promoter J. Correira, at 5:00 p.m., Monday October 5.112 The rules were made public on October 10. The fight would consist of five 5-minute rounds with 1-minute breaks between rounds. George would wear a kimono. Aleixo would wear the type of shirt that sailors wore [blusa simples de marinheiro]. All techniques of each style would be permitted except attacks to the eyes and genitals, chops, punches, slaps, and pulling the hair [serão permitidos todos os golpes comuns a cada escola, menos nos olhos, partes genitais, cutelada, socos, bofetadas e agarra pelos cabelos].
In other words, the fight was (expected to be) jiu-jitsu versus legs.
The fight would be decided by knock-out (or unconsciousness), or any form of “desistencia”, including tapping or leaving the ring. Also, Aleixo would be declared the winner if he managed to cleanly knock George down three times. Finally, if the fighters made contact with the ropes [cordas] they would be conducted back to the center of the ring.113
Afficionados of capoeiragem pinned their hopes on Aleixo, who in turn promised to repeat Cyriaco’s feat [“vou repitir o feito do Cyriaco”]. On the day of the fight he re-emphasized his intention: “I want to, I can, and I will repeat Cyriaco’s feat” [“quero, posso e vou repetir o feito de Cyriaco“].114
Aleixo had apparently studied Cyriaco’s game plan which he described in the following terms: “Cyriaco took the posture necessary to avoid being clinched, a precaution that has been ignored by the capoeiras who were beaten recently”. When his opponent [Sada Miyako] got close, Cyriaco unleased the fatal blow. There is nothing else that I plan to do. Needless to say, George Gracie will not touch me”. In that case, he didn’t see defeat on the horizon [“não e crivel, pois, que eu seja derrotado”].
George had a different view. He explained, “the stage at the Republica is big but not enough to run. If he stays in the ring, I will grab him. When I do, Aleixo will be defeated quickly and completely”. They both agreed that the key to the fight was distance. Aleixo was confident that he could maintain it, George was equally confident that he could close it.115
The fight took place Sunday December 3, 1931 at Theatro Republica, on avenida Gomes Friere, 82, in Rio.
Massacre
It was a major let-down. Aleixo had been over-confident. Far from repeating Cyriaco’s feat, he couldn’t apply a single technique. He was helpless. It was a massacre [Mario Aleixo foi fragorosamente derrotado].
Diairo de Noticias described the fight in the following terms. “The ring performance of Mario Aleixo, professor of capoeiragem and a former jiu-jitsu teacher to the civil guards, was worse than it is possible to describe. Mario Aleixo didn’t apply a single technique of capoeiragem and didn’t know how to take advantage of the opportunities that he had. He seemed like a neophyte in front of George Gracie, and approached him imprudently”.
In the first round George Gracie attempted a gravata. Mario Aleixo managed to pull his head out. Nothing else happened. Aleixo’s major mistake was trying to play George’s game. In the second round, Aleixo stood in front of George, keeping him off with kicks to the lower leg [pontapé sobre a tibia]. George fell [or deliberately dropped to the ground]. Aleixo followed him and tried to apply a gravata. He was on top.
The writer didn’t mention whether George had his legs in play, but from the rest of the account, it seems clear that he did.
With George still on the bottom, Aleixo initiated a light exchange of slaps [sopapos]. George went for another gravata, possibly as a feint. He then sweeped Mario Aleixo [fazendo uma ligeiro volta sobre Mario Aleixo], and immediately applied an “efficient armlock”. The fight was over.116
“It was a pathetic performance. George Gracie beat Mario Aleixo but it wasn’t a victory for jiu-jitsu over capoeiragem, because there was no capoeiragem in the fight. If Mario Aleixo had fought like a capoeira, the outcome would have been very different. Rest in Peace Mario Aleixo.”117
There were three other fights. In the first of two capoeiragem matches, Jack defeated Miguel (or Waldemar, according to Correio da Manhã) by disqualificationin the third round. In the other, Euclydes (Velludinho) defeated Mané por varias quedas [throws] after five rounds. In their luta livre match, Jayme Martins Ferreira and Geo Smith drew [empatou].118 Diario da Noite felt that Ferreira and Smith seemed to be afraid of each other and didn’t exchange a single luta livre blow during the 15-minute fight, which was a disgraceful bomb [um fracasso vergonhoso]. The police should hold the fighter’s purses in the future to discourage such incidents, the paper suggested.119
Capoeiragem Undefeated
Diario de Noticias followed up the next day with more detailed analysis of the fight and some transparently weak excuse making, for both Mario Aleixo and for capoeiragem.
Mario Aleixo was beaten as a poor jiu-jitsu fighter [“Mario Aleixo foi vencido comoum máo lutador de jiu-jitsu”]. “George Gracie beat Mario Aleixo but jiu-jitsu didn’t beat capoeiragem. Mario Aleixo was defeated because he didn’t want to use capoeiragem. He preferred not to use a single technique of the Brazilian fight”.
Some people began to have doubts that Mario Aleixo really knew jiu-jitsu at all.
“Mario Aleixo did not fight as a true master would have done. From that it can be concluded that his knowledge of the Japanese game is limited. No real jiu-jitsu master would fight with his arms extended and his neck exposed”.120
Even after his lop-sided victory over the old master, the press didn’t wa
nt to give George his due. Even with his limiations as a jiu-jitsu fighter, Aleixo lasted into the second round, they pointed out. If Aleixo had been in the ring with Conde Koma, he wouldn’t have lasted 30 seconds.121
Analysts tried to figure out what Mario Aleixo had been thinking. Why would a master of capoeiragem not use his superior skills, but instead try to beat his opponent at his own game? Moreover, it went without saying, the match was supposed to be “capoeiragem versus jiu-jistu”. It made no sense. The only explanation writers could come up with was that “Mario Aleixo wanted to demonstrate the quality of his jiu-jitsu knowledge”.122 He seemed to want to show the public that he was not only a master of capoeiragem but also a jiu-jitsu expert.123
Most people had great confidence in capoeiragem. The problem wasn’t the national game, but rather the fake and weak capoeiras who were masters at putting on shows but could not even execute a single technique of the national game correctly. Some of them didn’t even know the difference between a pantana and a rabo de arraia. Their so-called “fights” were nothing but clown acts [palhaçadas].
Until now, with the exception of Mario Aleixo, the Gracies had beaten flawed and limited capoeiras who lacked advanced knowledge of the secrets of capoeiragem. Mario Aleixo knew these secrets, but he didn’t put them into practice against George Gracie. Sympathizers of jiu-jitsu had no right to boast that jiu-jitsu was superior to capoeiragem, Diairo de Noticas cautioned.124
Enthusiasts of the national game had placed high hopes on Mario Aleixo. They had thought that he was a true master. They were profoundly disappointed.125 What made it even worse was that George looked like a child, with his blond hair, short pants, and skinny body.126
The disillusion was complete. Everyone who saw the fight agreed without reservation that Mario Aleixo had been demolished. They also agreed that the defeat was his alone. Mario Aleixo foolishly tried to match his middle-aged “jiu-jitsu” against George’s and came out second best. Capoeiragem had not been defeated because it had not been used.
Looking at the fight in retrospect, it is obvious that Aleixo understood exactly what he needed to do to stop George, which was to prevent him from getting close enough to clinch and take the fight to the ground. He explicitly said so [“não deixaria agrarrar pelo adversario”]. He simply wasn’t good enough, or young enough, to do what he knew he needed to do.
In that sense it was true that capoeiragem hadn’t been defeated because it hadn’t been used. But that was exactly what George Gracie intended. Like every jiu-jitsu fighter, his strategy was to defeat capoeiras, and other strikers, precisely by not letting them do what they did best.
The public and press were unkind to Mario Aleixo. His reputation never recovered. No one mentioned that he had lasted longer against George Gracie than Matsuda and Sada Miyako did against Sam MacVey and Cyriaco in 1908 and 1909, respectively.
Jiu-Jitsu versus Luta Livre
São Paulo was too small to contain a man like Geo Omori. São Paulo was a business town. Paulistas were generally too busy making money to have time for fun. Rio, in addition to being the political capital of the country, was also the national party town. One of the things that Cariocas [Rio people] liked doing was watching fights. Consequently, Rio had plenty of fighters. Everyone sooner or later went to Rio.
As early as January 1929, Omori publically expressed the desire to fight in Rio. Diario Carioca reported that “Geo Omori, the capable jiu-jitsu champion wants to come to Rio to confront our fighters“ [“Geo Omori, um habil campeão de jiu-jtsu, quer vir ao Rio enfrentar nossos lutadores”]. For the benefit of local readers who did not know him, Diario Carioca explained that Omori was, like most other Japanese, small, but had beaten enormous men, such as Ervin Klausner and Ismail Haki and other notable boxers, as well as numerous capoeiras of middling ability [mais ou menos habeis].127
As noted above, Omori was in Rio again in November 1931 to challenge any Brazilian or foreign capoeiras, lutadors do “catch-as-catch-can”, jiu-jitsu, or luta greco-romana who wanted to meet him in the ring. Many quickly responded. Doing so committed them to nothing but guaranteed public attention for whatever purpose they or their “managers” had in mind.
One who stepped up was the strong Portuguese luta livre champion Manoel Fernandes. Negotiations immediately ensued, most of which were regularly reported in the daily newspapers. Details to be ironed out included when and where, what the rules would be, and how the money would be divided. Fights could and were arranged on a few days notice, but usually negotiations dragged on for many months. There were more often than not numerous delays and postponements, some for unexplained and mysterious reasons, others due to training injuries, scheduling conflicts (football games had priority), disputes over payment, and mau tempo (bad weather, generally rain). Sometimes after many months of publicity and postponements, the fight simply never happened. In some cases, the commission got wind of a “work” and banned the fight. Other times, most probably, the fight was never intended anyway and was simply publicity, possibly for different fights, possibly to advertise an academy.
The Omori versus Fernandes fight, organized by Carlos Gracie, was scheduled for December 17 at Theatro Republica. It was postponed until October 1932 but it is worth looking at now because it represents the standard course of marketing for a fight during the 1930’s.128
Carlos Gracie represented Omori in the rules negotiations. Carlos was opposed to fighting “sem kimono” [without kimono], especially against a larger opponent. Omori didn’t care. It might have been a disadvantage, or rather lack of an advantage depending on one’s point of view, but for Omori, it was primarily an economic decision. Most of his potential opponents were luta livre fighters and didn’t want to wear kimonos.
Omori accepted that fact. But Omori objected to the pinning rule, citing Fernandes’ 15-20 kilo weight advantage.129 This was always a problem. Pinning [encostamento dos espaduas] was part of the luta livre rule-set, so luta livre representatives pleaded that they would be handicapped if they couldn’t make use of it. It was one of the “resources” of their game. Jiu-jitsu stylists said the same about the kimono. Obviously concessions needed to be made. More often than not the luta livre wrestler’s larger sizes provided the pretext. Kimonos and pinning could be used to adjust for weight. As Omori emphasized “I’m so certain that I will beat him anyway that I gave him the handicap, as promised, of letting him step into the ring without kimono, and other concessions”.130
It was quickly agreed that prohibited techniques included cuteladas, [chops], soccos [punches], puxões de cabellos [pulling the hair], joelhadas [knee strikes], golpes baixo [low blows] and all prohibited techniques of jiu-jitsu. That was unproblematic. Those were the rules in almost all mixed styles fights up until the 1933 George Gracie versus Tico Soledade fight. To put it in modern terms, most, or almost all mixed fights were “submission grappling” matches.
Capoeiragem and boxing were obvious exceptions, as they were basically the arts of kicking and punching, respectively. However, mixed matches involving strikers were uncommon in the 1930’s (it was more common for boxers to participate in luta livre matches, which could but usually didn’t include some types of strikes. Naturally, their gloves handicapped them in the grappling part of the fight). Everything was negotiable but fighters did not want to risk unnecessary injury if there wasn’t a good monetary reason for it.
The boxers who participated in luta livre fights or mixed fights, were generally not among the elite of their profession. Ervin Klausner was the only one who won substantially more than he lost. Tavares Crespo had a winning record, but just barely. Antonio Portugal won 7 of his 26 fights. It is not even sure whether some of them should be considered boxers, rather than luta livre men who occasionally boxed. Ismail Haki for example had only 15 boxing matches in seven years, winning five, losing ten. Some luta Romana men also (occasionally) boxed. Jayme Ferreira for example had a boxing record of 1-2-0.131
The newspapers and fight people had a mutual i
nterest in providing or inventing stories about fights. Editors needed to fill their pages. Fight promoters were usually nearby available to offer predictions, drop hints, share secrets, stir up controversies, and pose for pictures alongside their fighters. “Can Manoel Fernandes manage to defeat Omori with the kimono?” a headline in A Noite asked [“Manoel Fernandes, sem kimono, conseguirá vencer Omori?”]. “His fans think so”, it answered [“Os adeptos do lutador Lusitano pensam que sim”]. It was not exactly news but it was content. It sold newspapers and made advertising space valuable.
In addition to the semantically vacuous filler material (“Fernandes’ fans think that he can win”), some genuine, if tentative, information was provided. Preliminary matches were announced. Euclydes versus Velludinho, and Bahiano versus Pacháin capoeiragem matches; a jiu-jitsu demonstration by the Gracies and a luta livre match between Ismario Cruz and Geo Schmith (Smith). And the final fight; a luta livre match pitting Géo Omori versus Manoel Fernandes.132
A small box ad above the article read “Academia de Jiu-Jitsu, curso em 36 aulas, rua Marquez de Abrantes, 106, telephone 5-2538.” Learning the art of the samurais from the Gracies in 1931 required 36 lessons.133
But apparently not every detail had been ironed out. Fernandes complained that his purse was insufficient. “I don’t need to fight for peanuts”, he said [“Ainda não estou morrendo de fome”]. He threatened to not fight on the 17th.134 Omori felt that Fernandes was afraid of him [“esta com medo de lutar!”].
It was an audacious challenge to the strong Portuguese fighter [um repto audaciosa ao forte lutador portuguez].
In the same article, Manoel Rufino dos Santos, instructor of luta livre (“catch-as-catch-can”) at Associação Christa de Moças (A.C.M) complained that promoters were using the name “luta livre” for unqualified people. He called it a “grande bluff.” The only qualified luta livre people, he said, were his own students Luiz Ferreira Lins, Alvaro, Salamiel [de Oliveira], and Manoel Lima.135
Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1) Page 16