Helio Gracie
Hélio Gracie ( ɛliu ɡɾejsi ; born October 1, 1913 in Belém do Pará ; † January 29, 2009 in Petrópolis ) was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, made the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) internationally known.
Life
When he was 16 years old, he practiced the martial art Kano Jiu-Jitsu (now called Judo ). Gracie was theoretically confident in the techniques of Kano Jiu-Jitsu, but the practical execution of the techniques was difficult to carry out due to his small stature and light weight. Therefore, he optimized Kano Jiu-Jitsu by inventing techniques that can be used effectively with minimal force. With the help of these new techniques he was able to defend himself against much larger opponents or even defeat them.
Until his death, Helio Gracie was the only living 10th degree grandmaster in the system. He is also considered to be one of the first sports heroes in Brazilian history. He was the father of famous fighters Rickson Gracie, Royler Gracie, Royce Gracie , Relson Gracie and the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Rorion Gracie.
Web links
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Gracie, Helio |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Brazilian martial artist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 1, 1913 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Belém do Pará |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 29, 2009 |
| Place of death | Petrópolis |