Brazil has a strong tradition of martial arts. During the last century the country developed a reputation as home of some of the greatest fighters and combat athletes around. Immigrants from Asia and Africa fueled the boom, bringing indigenous arts with them and creating new styles that found receptive audiences. Brazil is also the birthplace of the modern no-holds-barred fighting movement that led to the creation of modern mixed martial arts. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, the world’s leading MMA organization, has its roots in Brazil. It was created by Brazilian Rorion Gracie of the legendary Gracie family in 1991 to promote "style against style" clashes to determine the most effective martial arts.
Capoeira
According to Master Nestor Capoeira, this art developed from the fighting style of African slaves brought over to Brazil. It is athletic and graceful, including signature moves like spinning kicks and cartwheels. The ginga, or rhythmic movement, is the heart of capoeira. The acrobatic moves make it popular with stunt performers.
Capoeira is a stylized art resembling a martial dance. Groups of capoeiristas form a circle, known as a roda. Two will engage in the middle, exchanging movements and attempting to find openings to strike or perform a takedown. These exchanges are usually non-contact. The rest of the circle sings and plays traditional instruments. The two major schools of Capoeira are Angola, which is slower and focuses on trickery to confuse opponents, and Regional, which emphasizes speed and flamboyant jumping, spinning moves.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, also known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu or BJJ, is a grappling art that originated when Japanese Judo expert Mitsuyo Maeda came to Brazil in 1914. He taught the art to members of the Gracie family, who made the art their own by focusing on the ground fighting aspect, acording to 6th Degree black belt and MMA fighter Renzo Gracie, who expands on this history in his book, "Mastering Jujitsu."
Practitioners wear cotton pants and a jacket, known as a gi or a kimono. It is primarily a sport where the aim is to submit an opponent via a choke or a joint lock. BJJ training emphasizes live sparring, known as rolling, and competition. Earning a black belt in BJJ usually takes around 10 years to achieve.
BJJ black belt Royce Gracie won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship, introducing the world to grappling by submitting several men larger than him. BJJ has since become almost obligatory for every MMA fighter.
Vale Tudo
Brazilians have a long history of no holds barred fighting. Vale Tudo is Portuguese for "anything goes." It resembles MMA in style, although rules differ and gloves are not worn. Vale Tudo was originally the term used for the style-against-style, no-holds-barred fights held in Brazil, before becoming recognized as a style in its own right featuring striking, grappling and any other moves that worked.
Luta Livre
Luta Livre Esportiva is a type of submission wrestling created by Euclydes Hatem, who fought in several Vale Tudo matches. Luta Livre literally means ‘free fight." It is similar to BJJ, featuring chokes, locks, sweeps and takedowns, although practitioners do not wear a gi. Luta Livre historically has a strong rivalry with BJJ.
References
- "Mastering Ju Jitsu"; Renzo Gracie; 2003
- "The Little Capoeira Book"; Nestor Capoeira; 1995
- International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation
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