Judo in Brazil

Maeda's first Brazilian students

Mitsuyo Maeda introduced Judo to Brazil in November 1914. Maeda was a member of the Kodokan, and one of five of Judo's top groundwork experts. Judo founder, Kanō Jigorō sent Maeda as something of an ambassador to broaden Judo practice on a worldwide level. Maeda introduced Judo, (designated ‘Kano Jiu-Jitsu’ in that period) to Carlos Gracie, the first of several in his family that would take up the sport and eventually mold it into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, sometimes referred to as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

After winning fights against boxers and Savate fighters in Europe, Japanese judoka Masahiko Kimura decided to accept an invitation from Gracie Jiu Jitsu co-founder Helio Gracie to fight him in Brazil. In 1951, Kimura defeated Gracie in a submission Judo match held in Brazil.[1] During the fight Kimura threw Gracie repeatedly, however, Helio was undeterred.[2] Unable to subdue Helio solely by throwing, the fight proceeded into groundwork. Kimura maintained dominance in the ground fighting portion, eventually positioning himself to apply a reverse ude-garami (now commonly referred to as a Kimura). Gracie however did not submit to the technique which ultimately resulted in his elbow being dislocated as well as the radius and ulna bones being broken. Gracie's corner threw in the towel at this point, it has been speculated that they delayed this action due to being instructed against it by Hélio. This marked a significant event in the history of Judo in Brazi, as stated by Kimura; "20,000 people came to see the bout including President of Brazil". After being declared the winner, Kimura said "Japanese Brazilians rushed into the ring and tossed me up in the air".[3]