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RIP Carlson Gracie!
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[BR]
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
by Gleidson Venga and Josh Gross
Carlson Gracie Sr., the man responsible for the careers of Murilo Bustamante (Pictures), Mario Sperry (Pictures), Wallid Ismael, Andre Pederneiras, Ricardo Liborio (Pictures), Vitor Belfort (Pictures) and countless other professional fighters and jiu-jitsu players*, passed away in a Chicago hospital Wednesday morning. He was 72 years old.
Carlson Sr., who suffered from diabetes, was hospitalized after experiencing complications from kidney stones, though he appeared to doing well as late as Tuesday evening, his son, Carlson Jr., told ADCC News. The jiu-jitsu master’s body will be sent to Brazil for burial.
Born on August 13, 1935 in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Carlson Sr. would become one of the most prolific fighters in the history of the Gracie family and is considered by some to be the best mixed martial artist of his era.
Victories over Waldemar Santana, which helped avenge the name of his Uncle Helio after he went down to defeat against Santana, and Ivan Gomes highlighted what was a uniquely important ride in the world of "vale tudo" fighting in Brazil during the 1950s and ‘60s, when few restrictions were imposed.
Receiving his black belt from his father, Carlos Gracie Sr., the patriarch of modern Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Carlson Sr. was iconoclastic when it came to teaching and refining the grappling art. At the time of his passing, Carlson Sr. had earned the rank of 9th-degree red and black belt.
After parting ways with Helio early in his career, Carlson’s efforts led to the creation of BJJ and fight academies around the world, including the potent Brazilian Top Team and Nova Uniao, which have churned out some of today’s best MMA fighters, including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) and Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures).
Brazilian Senator Artur Virgilio, a jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlson Sr., has directed the Table of the Senate be registered at the Annals Vote of Commiseration in honor of the man he called "the greatest MMA fighter in the world and the Brazilian idol in the 1950s."
(*Sherdog.com incorrectly identified Fabio Gurgel as a Carlson Gracie Sr. black belt. Gurgel earned his ranking under Romero Cavalcanti, a Rolls Gracie black belt.)
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That is a schock to me...we just saw him on Ultimate Fight Night...RIP.
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Well he did not leave without anything, is legacy is enormous.
RIP
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Left a huge legacy behind him. He will never be forgotten
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Certainly one of the greats.
R.I.P.
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RIP
he did a seminar here in vancouver last year, good guy
