Choque: The Untold Story of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil 1856-1949 (Volume 1)

by Roberto Pedreira

  The fight was held at São Christivão Athletic Club (SCAC) on Saturday November 5, 1932. It was fight with no limit of rounds, no kimono, and no points. And no striking.

  There would be three other luta livre fights: Dudú versus Kid Walker, six 10-minute rounds; Manoel Fernandes versus Laurindo Armando; and Tavares Crespo versus Manoel Parada, six 5-minute rounds.

  The fight was considered a boring flop. Correio da Manha simply reported that “Fred Ebert drew with Gracie. There was no winner”.129

  A Noite reported that the fight didn’t end, but instead, the police suspended it after 110 minutes [O combate Helio Gracie x Fred Ebert não terminou. A policia suspendeu-o depois de 110 minutos de luta].

  The preliminaries also did not offer much exctitement. Tavares Crespo and Manoel Parada drew, Dudú defeated Kid Walker, and Manoel Fernandes defeated Antonio Rocque Filho, both by “desistencia” [give up]. Geo Omori gave a demonstration of throws with the aid of Dudú.130

  Diario de Noticias provided more details about the fight. Ebert was the first to enter the ring. Both fighters appeared calm. Twice Ebert tried to throw Gracie out of the ring, but Helio grabbed the ropes to avoid that. Ebert fell out through the momentum of his own throw, but he immediately climbed back in eager to continue the fight.

  The fight was not exciting [não empolgou]. There were too many limitations on the techniques that could be used. If the international rules of luta livre had been strictly followed, the public without doubt would have seen a more stimulating fight. Ebert would have attacked with cuteladas [chops], joelhadas [knee strikes], and cotoveladas [elbow strikes]. These were prohibited. Ebert’s big mistake was agreeing to that restriction. One time, Ebert applied a simultaneous tesoura ao pescoço [neck lock applied with the legs] with a chave de pé [footlock]. It seemed that Gracie would be finished. But sweat allowed the Brazilian to escape. Helio initiated his own attacks. He displayed audacity, bravery, agility, and calmness. Twice Gracie attempted his favorite‘armlock’ but Ebert easily nullified them.

  In the tenth round the police intervened. It was late and they did not want the fight to go on. But after interested parties requested, the police allowed one more round. If there was no winner in the next round, the fight would be stopped. The fight continued with neither man able to achieve a conclusive result. At the end of the eleventh round the police brought the hammer down. The fight was history.

  The Boxing Commission informed the press that the fight been suspended by the authority of the police, without a decision [ficando sem decisão]. Columnist Puncher complained that the commission should not have authorized a no-time limit fight with the winner decided only by give up or KO, and then stop it, claiming so-called unspecified “irregularities” (“que irregularidades houve?” He asked).

  The fight was not “catch as catch can as practiced in North America, he complained, but instead a strange mixture that couldn’t satisfy anyone.131

  Officially there was no winner. Unoffically, Ebert claimed victory because Helio hadn’t finished him within two rounds as he and his brother Carlos had promised. Helio claimed victory because Ebert outweighed him. For marketing purposes, one claim was as good as the other. Both were still undefeated.

  Manoel Rufino had said that if a Gracie could manage a draw with Ebert, he would consider Ebert to have lost. But Rufino had no official role in the fight. His opinion counted for no more than any other fan.

  No one, it seemed, was particularly impressed with either man’s performance. Helio’s defense, under the circumstance, was adequate. Ebert wasn’t able to put into play all of the resources of his game. Unlike in his recent “academic fight” with Dudú, the fans were not pleased with his performance. They wanted action and results, preferably a decisive result, not a “moral” victory or a victory by not losing.

  There was one man who jiu-jitsu partisans believed could provide it.

  George Gracie versus Fred Ebert

  George was actually the first Gracie to challenge Ebert. Helio got the shot but then failed to deliver on his promise to stop Ebert within two rounds. Indeed, he couldn’t do it in 11 rounds [Helio garantiu derrotar Fred Ebert em dois rounds para não consegui-o em onze rounds] .The public wanted to see if George could do better than his brother did [faça uma melhor figura que seu irmão Helio].132

  George signed to fight Ebert on November 18. The fight was scheduled for December 10. George weighed 62 kilos, Ebert about 90 kilos. The fight would be held at SCAC and would begin at 22:30. Jiu-jitsu rules would apply (desistencia ou knock-out). Pinning [encostar da espaduas] was not permitted, in view of Ebert’s weight advantage [para contrabalançar a differencça de peso existente entre os lutadores].133 Three other matches were also planned: Manoel Pires versus Emilio Palestino in an 8-round boxing match with 4 ounce gloves; Herminio de Oliveira versus Al Faria; and Roberto Coelho versus capoeira Andre Jansen, in six-round (of 5 minutes) luta livre matches.134

  A Batalha introduced six typical techniques of luta livre that fans might expect to see Ebert use. The techniques were: (1) scissor hold with armlock [saisor hold com chave de braço] (2) carotid choke [ataque de carotid] (3) kidney scissor [thesoura de rins] (4) rear naked choke with legs around waist [gravata de costas com thesoura de rins] (5)”headlock,” and (6) hammer lock with kidney scissor [hammerlock com thesoura nos rins (not shown)].135 All were ground techniques. As Rufino Santos said, jiu-jitsu didn’t have a monopoly on ground fighting. The ground held no mysteries to a luta livre stylist.

  Fans hoped that George could do what his brother couldn’t. Helio had eleven rounds to beat Ebert but couldn’t do it. His defense was impressive but fights couldn’t be won in 1932 with defense alone.

  Many people believed that George would have an easy job beating Ebert [muitos accreditam que George terá tarefa facil em vencer o seu forte antagonista]. They based their faith on the fact that George had more ring experience than Helio. Unlike Helio, George declined to predict a round [“náo declara em que round vencerá”] but promised not to disappoint his admirers [“saberei me conduzir para a victoria decisiva”].136

  Carlos Gracie disapproved of the fight, worrying that George would be defeated without his (Carlos’) guidance. Carlos added that George did not represent the Gracie Academy.

  George, writing from his training camp in Paty do Alfares [about 120 km. from Rio], replied that Carlos was exactly correct, because he (George) had left the Gracie Academy and had established his own academy at rua do Cattete 310, where he was developing his own and better technique of jiu-jitsu. He was in top shape, thanks to his primary trainer, Dudú.137

  On Thursday December 8 George claimed to feel “indisposto” [unwell] and requested a postponement.138

  On Tuesday December 13, Dr. Cesar Gareez, 2º (delegado auxiliary) refused São Christovão Athletic Club’s request for a license to hold the Ebert versus Gracie match, citing the great difference in the fighters’ weights.139

  It was just one of the many surprises that luta livre fans had already come to expect. Both George Gracie and Ebert went about their business. George immediately began getting ready for a major jiu-jitsu show-down with the Japanese master Geo Omori followed not long after by what was probably the most significant fight in vale tudo history, the July 8 rumble with Tico Soledade, arguably the first true vale tudo fight in Brazil. Ebert returned to his specialty of fighting professional wrestlers of the more conventional kind. His next fight was with Roberto Ruhmann.

  On December 15, Jayme Ferreira announced that he would be opening a school of self-defense, luta livre, and capoeiragem on December 20 at the Luar Dance Studio, formerly the Flamengo Box Club.140

  Jiu-Jitsu versus Muscles of Steel

  In the last month of the year, Helio Gracie was set to climb into the ring with Geo Omori on December 4, for a jiu-jitsu match. The match was postponed sine-die [indefinitely].141 Instead Geo Omori signed to fight Roberto Ruhmann again. It was the third time that year.

  The fight was scheduled for
December 17 at Estadio Riachuelo, on rua Riachuelo, n. 221. It was postponed due to mao tempo [bad weather] and was reset for December 20.

  The fight had a tumultuous and unforeseen result.

  Ruhmann was disqualified and Omori was declared the winner. A columnist called “ISBI” commented that the disqualification was a mistake, resulting from referee Ignacio de Loyola Daher’s ignorance of luta livre.

  In addition, Ruhmann was profoundly unlucky that night. On his way to the ring, he tripped and fell on his already injured knee. Despite atrocious pain he entered the ring where Omori was waiting.

  At the start of the fight it could be seen that the fighters were not disposed to make their maximum effort. The reporter felt that the fighters were faking and didn’t really want to fight.

  Nonetheless, the first round had some exciting moments. Omori applied a thesoura de rins and golpe de estrangulamento [choke from guard position]. Thanks to his prodigious strength Ruhmanan was, not without great effort, able to free himself from Omori’s hold.

  In the second round the same thing happened. But then Ruhmann applied his famous gravata esquerda [left side head lock] from which it seemed Omori was lost. But Omori was saved when the referee separated them because they had gone beyond the ropes.

  Ruhmann then took Omori to the ground. It seemed that Ruhmann held Omori’s shoulders to the canvas for more than two seconds. But the referee didn’t notice. The president of the Boxing Commission, Ataiba Dutra, declared that Omori’s shoulders had not touched the ground. Ruhmann disagreed, but accepted the ruling.

  The fight continued monotonously. Omori took Ruhmman to the ground and they both fell out of the ropes. The referee did not send them back to the center of the ring. Ruhmann secured a kidney lock [thesoura de rins] on Omori. This time the referee ordered them back to the center of the ring. Ruhmann protested this double standard. Ruhmann was still in pain from his knee and frustrated by the referee’s inconsistent enforcement of the rules. Ruhmann wore shoes as permitted by luta livre rules, Omori didn’t as was his option. However when Ruhmann kicked Omori [golpeou com a pé], he was admonished by referee Loyola who thought that only Omori could do that (being bare-footed).

  In the ninth round Omori attacked Ruhmann with golpes á garganta [throat techniques] and poked Ruhmann in the eye. Ruhmann retaliated by punching Omori twice. Omori complained to the judges and then kicked Ruhmann in the stomach.

  Referee Loyola Daher, without consulting the other official, Celso Furtado de Mendonça, held up Omori’s hand in victory.

  There was protest and applause. Some fans thought Ruhmann should have won.142

  After the fight, Ruhmann was disgusted. He liked Brazil he said, but didn’t feel he could get a fair shake from the establishment. He might go to Argentina, or Europe, or the United States.143

  Ruhmann stayed in Brazil and had many more fights, usually with luta livre stylists, but also some with jiu-jitsu representatives who were not averse to participating in “pro-wrestling” matches.

  The list of jiu-jitsu practicioners who engaged in pro-wrestling essentially included all of them, with one definite exception. Their reasoning was, no doubt, that the time for proving the efficiency of jiu-jitsu and the time for paying the rent were different, and the later was a necessity rather than a luxury. Engaging in a pro-wrestling match did not reflect on jiu-jitsu, in their thinking. The one exception, Helio Gracie, disagreed.144

  .Chapter 12 Notes

  Chapter 13

  1933

  In December of 1932, Orlando Americo da Silva, more familiarly known as Dudú, was helping George Gracie prepare for his fight with Fred Ebert. The fight was cancelled but Dudú continued helping the other Gracie brothers as well. Helio and Oswaldo were planning to confront large luta livre fighters, and needed the assistance of a “sparring” [training partner] who knew the game and could simulate it in a training environment.

  Unfortunately, one day at the academy, things went terribly wrong.

  On Wednesday January 11, while training luta livre versus jiu-jitsu at the “Academia de Jiu-Jitsu dos Irmãos Gracie”, Dudú broke Oswaldo’s leg in three places [Dudú quebrou uma perna de Oswaldo Gracie em tres logares!].

  Geo Omori was asked for a comment. Without knowing the details of the incident, Omori said he could only speculate. It was possible, he said, that Oswaldo didn’t know how to fall correctly. He added that many people don’t realize that one of the great advantages of the Japanese fight is the skill of falling safely.1

  Typically when such accidents occurred, someone would offer to provide an x-ray or medical report. None was offered in this case. But Oswaldo did not enter the ring again until November 1934. What that proved is unclear. Possibly that Dudú was a strong and capable fighter, or possibly that as Omori conjectured, Oswaldo hadn’t perfected the Japanese art of falling.

  Or it might simply have been bad luck. Accidents did happen in training from time to time. On the other hand, real or alleged accidents were also commonly used as pretexts to postpone fights, substitute one fighter for another, or simply generate publicity.

  The incident provides some hints as to how people trained in 1933. The Gracie brothers, as did Geo Omori, trained with luta livre fighters. They may even have learned some techniques from them, and vice-versa. Not surprisingly, both luta livre and jiu-jitsu men from time to time said that the two arts were different mainly in emphasis. Of course, when they were engaged in marketing, it was important to emphasize the differences. An art can not be superior if it is not different. One can not charge a premium for something that is the same as something else that is being provided at a lower price, or free.

  Between January 17, 1933 and February 7, 1933, the Academy of Jiu-jitsu moved from Marquez Abrantes 106, to Marques Abrantes 117 (the telephone number was the same, 5-2538). The ad was revised to say that anyone of any age could learn jiu-jitsu [“em qualquer edade (sic)”]. The first class was free [“Experimente uma aula gratuita”].2

  Serious challengers and publicity seekers kept coming. In February João Allemão appeared in the newspapers to challenge all and any luta livre practitioners, especially the taciturn Japanese Geo Omori [o japonez taciturno] and the man with muscles of iron [o homem de musculos de aço], Roberto Ruhmann. Allemão was shown in two photos. The writer commented that Allemão did not have an impressive physique, but rather resembled a typical luta greco-romana stylist, who tended to be top-heavy and ample in the middle. Nothing else was reported about him and nothing ever came of the match. Maybe he used the fact that Omori and Ruhmann did not respond to his challenge to promote a gym.3 It wouldn’t be the last time that happened.

  There was more than one way to get publicity. On Saturday February 11, Helio Gracie gave a jiu-jitsu demonstration for the police. In the same program, Joe Assobrab fought an exhibition boxing match against Armandinho. Many years later Helio would mistakenly describe his first opponent Antonio Portugal as the boxing champion of Brazil (campeão brasileiro de boxe). In fact, Joe Assobrab was the lightweight champion of Brazil.4

  Jiu-Jitsu versus Jiu-Jitsu

  Postponements were the rule rather than the exception. The Geo Omori versus George Gracie fight was set for December 14, 1932,5 then changed to December 16,6 then to February 14, 1933.7 On February 17 it was announced that it would be transferred to an unspecified future date, probably a little after Carnival. It was scheduled for April 1, postponed still again to April 8, when it finally took place.

  The fight was to be eight 10-minute rounds to leave no possibility that a winner wouldn’t be decided. Omori’s student Albino da Costas (known by the nickname “o Indigesto”) would meet boxer fighter Tavares Crespo in a six round (of 5 minutes each) jitsu match.8

  The fight was approved by the Commissão de Pugilismo do Rio de Janeiro and would be held at São Christovão Athletic Club, on rua Figueiro Mello. There would be eight 12-minute rounds, later shortened to 10 minutes.9

  Omori was training at Associação Christa de Mo
ços (ACM) where he taught, and also at his academy in Botafogo, with Sakushi Nansiki [probably referring to Takashi Namiki], Saburu Senda, Gabadinha, Ouchida, and Mineyos [probably Mineyoshi Fukuhima].

  George was a professor of the Special Police [Policia Especial] and owner of an academy on rua do Catete, 310. He was training everyday with his brothers Carlos, Helio, and Oswaldo at rua Marquez de Abrantes.10 In addition to their personal motivations, the prestige of their respective academies was at stake.11 The fight would determine whose academy offered the most perfect (or complete) method of teaching.12

  Omori and George were both confident. George said “Geo Omori won’t be proud to have beaten a Gracie because he will be beaten by me” [“Geo Omori não terá orgulho de vencer um Gracie, pois que será derrotado por mim”]. Omori replied that “I won’t beat one Gracie in one night, I’ll beat the four brothers on the same night, because they don’t understand real jiu-jitsu” [“Eu não vencerei um Gracie em uma noite, vencerei os quartos irmãos no mesmo espectaculo; pois elles estão enganados quanto aos recursos do verdadeiro jiu-jitsu”].13 It was expected to be the most violent jiu-jitsu match yet seen in Brasil [amanhã será disputado o mais violento encontro de jiu-jitsu assistido no Brasil].14

  The fight was less violent than had been predicted. The fight was entertaining [O embate agradou plenamente] but Omori was unable to impose his will on the Brazilian. Due to bad weather the crowd was not as large as hoped.15

  Diario de Noticias’ impression was less positive. From start to finish the fight was “monotonous and devoid of technique. There was too much grabbing and not enough fighting. It was an 8-round disappointment.”

  The paper also complained that the event was poorly organized and the journalists were not provided with comfortable seats with a place to record their notes, which may have contributed to their negative review.16