Joe Moreira
Encyclopedia
Jose Carlos Moreira is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
practitioner and a former mixed martial artist
.
. His first title for the Gama Filho University team was won by age six. Around that time he began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
career under the tutelage of Mauricio LaCerda.
At age nine, he began training in Jiu-Jitsu at the schools of the legendary Carlson
and Rolls Gracie
, where he was taught mainly by Reyson Gracie
and Pinduka. Across the street there was another studio owned and operated by Reylson Gracie
, another son of the legedary Carlos Gracie
. A chance visit to the studio resulted in Moreira spending the next 15 years under the tutelage of Reylson, who took a liking to the young fighter's style and groomed him to become an instructor. During this period with Master Reylson, Moreira also learned to produce tournaments and championships. This would later help him to organize one of the most important Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in Brazil, including the first international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu event, Atlantico Sul.
Another respected Jiu-Jitsu master, Francisco Mansour, awarded Moreira his black belt in 1984. By competing in the most important Jiu-Jitsu tournaments of the 1980s, such as Copa Company, Copa Lightning Bolts and Copa Cantao, Moreira's collection of titles grew. His participation in such events garnered Moreira's respect and recognition as one of the toughest fighters of his time.
Around that time, the Gracie family
was always looking for tough opponents to take on the undefeated Rickson Gracie
. It wasn't long before Moreira accepted the challenge to face his idol twice in the same competition (weight - category final and absolute) despite not having good partners with whom to train. Although he was submitted in both matches, Moreira gave the Jiu-Jitsu legend something he was not used to: a tough fight. Following these bouts, a great friendship evolved between the two fighters.
By 1986, Moreira was a black belt in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The next step in his evolution came in the form of internships at Tenri University
, in Japan, and at the Kodokan
, the traditional Judo academy established by Judo founder Jigoro Kano. After four months of training with the Japanese Olympic team and completing a course with more than 1,000 black belt students, Moreira became vice champ in an international tournament: the Judo World Cup.
After a year of invaluable training in Japan, Moreira returned to his Brazilian academy in Rio de Janero and produced his first tournament: the Atlantico Sul Cup, which saw the debut of world names such as Ryan Gracie
, Renzo Gracie
, and Ralph Gracie
, SHOOTO welterweight champion Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, UFC veteran Jorge Patino
, Nino Schembri
and Marcio Feitosa
, Cleber Luciano, Wander Braga
, Wallid Ismail
, Jean Jacques Machado
, Fabio Gurgel
, Murilo Bustamante
, Mario Sperry
, Allan Goes
, Ricardo de la Riva Goded, and others who helped to establish it as a premier tournament. Nine Atlantico Sul Cup events were held between 1986 and 1994, produced with the help of his partners and friends, Claudio Franca and Marcus Viniclus.
In the early 1990s, an invitation from Reylson Gracie prompted Moreira to sell all of his possessions in Brazil and travel to the United States
to be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor. "He promised me everything," Moreira remembers, "but when I got there, it was pretty different." Because of some financial disagreements, he decided to go it alone and forge his own path.
After two difficult months in the United States - and despite not speaking a word of English - Moreira teamed up with entrepreneur Cab Garrett to build his own gym, "Joe Moreira Jiu-Jitsu de Brazil", in Irvine, California
. During his eight-year partnership with Garrett, Moreira opened 30 branches of the school across the country.
Moreira also founded the United States Federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and played a major role in the dissemination of the art in America. As president of the federation, he created the first international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament, the Joe Moreira Cup, and organized the first edition of the Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu tournament with Carlos Gracie, Jr.
, president of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation. Those events launched the first top representatives of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in America - names like BJ Penn, Garth Taylor, Egan Inoue
, Mark Kompayneyets, Chris Brennan, Eddie Bravo
, Javier Vazquez
, Ricco Rodriguez
, and many others that later transformed the United States into the second Jiu-Jitsu power of the world.
. On February 16, 1996, Moreira fought the six-foot-eight-inch, 360-pound Paul Varelans
in the UFC 8
and lost by a narrow decision.
fighters, Moreira started to teach his good friend, Kimo Leopoldo
. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community was shocked by his breach of protocol and labeled Moreira a traitor.
Eighteen months later, following his first MMA victory over Uri Vaulin at the UFC 14
, Moreira shocked the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community again by revealing that he trained with Marco Ruas
to fight the Russian boxer - without the help of the Gracie family
or anyone else from the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community. Seeing the good ground technique presented by Ruas, who trained in Jiu-Jitsu for 15 years, Moreira gave him a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and caused a commotion among his fellow Brazilians. These two important decisions helped pave the way for his cross training to take its now-prominent role in fight training.
|Loss
|align=center|2-2
|
United States Paul Herrera
|Decision
|Hitman Fighting Productions 2
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Santa Ana, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-1
|
South Korea Joe Son
|Submission (terror)
|Xtreme Pankration 2
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|N/A
|Los Angeles, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-1
|
Latvia Yuri Vaulin
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 14
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|15:00
|Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-1
| United States Paul Varelans
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 8
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|10:00
|San Juan, Puerto Rico
|
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
practitioner and a former mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
.
Early life and career
Joe was born inside a taxicab in front of a Rio de Janeiro hospital. His dark skin and blond hair prompted the affectionate nickname of "Macaco." By age five, Moreira's older brother, Marcos, influenced the youngster to start fighting in JudoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
. His first title for the Gama Filho University team was won by age six. Around that time he began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
career under the tutelage of Mauricio LaCerda.
At age nine, he began training in Jiu-Jitsu at the schools of the legendary Carlson
Carlson Gracie
Carlson Gracie, Sr. was a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was the eldest son of Carlos Gracie, founder of the system with his uncle Hélio Gracie, and learned the art from his uncle and his father. He was a member of the legendary Gracie family.- Biography :Carlson Gracie would later split...
and Rolls Gracie
Rolls Gracie
Rolls Gracie was a notable practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a member of the Gracie family.- Biography :...
, where he was taught mainly by Reyson Gracie
Reyson Gracie
Reyson Gracie is the 3rd son of Carlos Gracie, the founder of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a member of the Gracie Family. Like his father, he has structured his life around three pillars: Jiu-Jitsu, the Gracie Diet and Spiritualism...
and Pinduka. Across the street there was another studio owned and operated by Reylson Gracie
Reylson Gracie
Reylson Gracie is the son of Carlos Gracie the co-founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.- Biography :Grandmaster Reylson Gracie is an 8th degree red and black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Reylson Gracie is known around the world due to his unique self-defense program and his teaching style...
, another son of the legedary Carlos Gracie
Carlos Gracie
Carlos Gracie was the first Gracie to learn Judo from Otávio Mitsuyo Maeda. Based on this judo training, Carlos and his brothers founded the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
. A chance visit to the studio resulted in Moreira spending the next 15 years under the tutelage of Reylson, who took a liking to the young fighter's style and groomed him to become an instructor. During this period with Master Reylson, Moreira also learned to produce tournaments and championships. This would later help him to organize one of the most important Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in Brazil, including the first international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu event, Atlantico Sul.
Another respected Jiu-Jitsu master, Francisco Mansour, awarded Moreira his black belt in 1984. By competing in the most important Jiu-Jitsu tournaments of the 1980s, such as Copa Company, Copa Lightning Bolts and Copa Cantao, Moreira's collection of titles grew. His participation in such events garnered Moreira's respect and recognition as one of the toughest fighters of his time.
Around that time, the Gracie family
Gracie family
The Gracie family is a prominent sporting family from Brazil known for their founding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . They have been successful in combat sport competitions including mixed martial arts, vale tudo and submission wrestling events...
was always looking for tough opponents to take on the undefeated Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.-Biography:Rickson...
. It wasn't long before Moreira accepted the challenge to face his idol twice in the same competition (weight - category final and absolute) despite not having good partners with whom to train. Although he was submitted in both matches, Moreira gave the Jiu-Jitsu legend something he was not used to: a tough fight. Following these bouts, a great friendship evolved between the two fighters.
By 1986, Moreira was a black belt in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The next step in his evolution came in the form of internships at Tenri University
Tenri University
is a Japanese private university in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, an independent part of the secular mission of Tenrikyo. It was established in February 1925 as the coeducational , enrolling 104 students, and was reorganised as a university in April 1949...
, in Japan, and at the Kodokan
Kodokan
, or the Kodokan Institute, is the headquarters of the worldwide judo community. Literally, kō means "to lecture" or "to spread information," dō means "the way," and kan is "a public building or hall," together translating roughly as "a place for the study or promotion of the way." The Kodokan was...
, the traditional Judo academy established by Judo founder Jigoro Kano. After four months of training with the Japanese Olympic team and completing a course with more than 1,000 black belt students, Moreira became vice champ in an international tournament: the Judo World Cup.
After a year of invaluable training in Japan, Moreira returned to his Brazilian academy in Rio de Janero and produced his first tournament: the Atlantico Sul Cup, which saw the debut of world names such as Ryan Gracie
Ryan Gracie
Ryan Gracie , was a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was a member of the Gracie family, and the grandson of Carlos Gracie, one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
, Renzo Gracie
Renzo Gracie
Renzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...
, and Ralph Gracie
Ralph Gracie
Ralph Gracie is a Brazilian martial artist. Like other members of the Gracie family, he competed in mixed martial arts. He is the son of Robson Gracie and brother to Charles Gracie, Renzo Gracie and the late Ryan Gracie, both of whom have competed in various fighting events...
, SHOOTO welterweight champion Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, UFC veteran Jorge Patino
Jorge Patino
Jorge Luis Patino is a Brazilian vale tudo fighter whose career began in the 1990s. His style is focused around his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills. He is best remembered for his two epic vale tudo fights with Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons. Although he lost both fights, the pace and brutality of the fights...
, Nino Schembri
Nino Schembri
Antonio "Nino" Schembri is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is a former member of the Chute Boxe Academy and currently trains with the Black House Team. He is called "Elvis" because of his long, chop-like sideburns. The highlight of his career came with his upset victory over Kazushi Sakuraba...
and Marcio Feitosa
Marcio Feitosa
Professor Marcio Feitosa is the head instructor of Gracie Barra America and Gracie Barra Austin Schools. Prof. Feitosa learned directly from Master Carlos Gracie Jr.who started the Gracie Barra Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
, Cleber Luciano, Wander Braga
Wander Braga
Wander Braga is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, he is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Jorge Pereira. As well as fighting Braga also teaches at his two academies in the United States. Braga was scheduled to fight Kurt Pellegrino on the undercard at UFC 64 and UFC Fight Night 9, but pulled...
, Wallid Ismail
Wallid Ismail
Wallid Farid Ismail is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and promoter. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlson Gracie, and is an IVC mixed martial arts world champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion...
, Jean Jacques Machado
Jean Jacques Machado
Jean Jacques Machado is one of the five Machado brothers, including Carlos, Roger, Rigan and John, renowned for their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills...
, Fabio Gurgel
Fabio Gurgel
Fabio Duca Gurgel do Amaral is an 8 time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World champion. He has been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since the age of 13. He received his black belt at the age of 19 from Romero "Jacaré" Cavalcanti...
, Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante |Lion's Den]], Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai , Dave Menne and undefeated top ranked Middleweight Matt Lindland .-Instructor lineage:Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr...
, Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
, Allan Goes
Allan Goes
Allan Goes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He last fought for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
, Ricardo de la Riva Goded, and others who helped to establish it as a premier tournament. Nine Atlantico Sul Cup events were held between 1986 and 1994, produced with the help of his partners and friends, Claudio Franca and Marcus Viniclus.
In the early 1990s, an invitation from Reylson Gracie prompted Moreira to sell all of his possessions in Brazil and travel to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor. "He promised me everything," Moreira remembers, "but when I got there, it was pretty different." Because of some financial disagreements, he decided to go it alone and forge his own path.
After two difficult months in the United States - and despite not speaking a word of English - Moreira teamed up with entrepreneur Cab Garrett to build his own gym, "Joe Moreira Jiu-Jitsu de Brazil", in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. During his eight-year partnership with Garrett, Moreira opened 30 branches of the school across the country.
Moreira also founded the United States Federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and played a major role in the dissemination of the art in America. As president of the federation, he created the first international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament, the Joe Moreira Cup, and organized the first edition of the Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu tournament with Carlos Gracie, Jr.
Carlos Gracie, Jr.
Carlos "Carlinhos" Gracie, Jr. is a 7th degree Red and Black Belt URL accessed on June 7, 2009 in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . He started the Gracie Barra Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is head of the Gracie Barra, one of the largest and most successful worldwide Jiu-Jitsu associations...
, president of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation. Those events launched the first top representatives of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in America - names like BJ Penn, Garth Taylor, Egan Inoue
Egan Inoue
Egan Inoue is an American multi-sport athlete. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and mixed martial artist who has competed internationally in Jiu-Jitsu and also MMA. He is also a racquetball player who has won two world championships....
, Mark Kompayneyets, Chris Brennan, Eddie Bravo
Eddie Bravo
Eddie Bravo is a Mexican-American practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who holds a second degree black belt under Jean-Jacques Machado...
, Javier Vazquez
Javier Vazquez (fighter)
Javier Vazquez is an Cuban-American mixed martial artist currently fighting for The UFC's featherweight division. He was previously fighting for the WEC before the UFC merged the promotions in 2010. He is the son-in-law of Rorion Gracie....
, Ricco Rodriguez
Ricco Rodriguez
Ricco Rodriguez is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion. He has also competed in Pride Fighting Championship, EliteXC, International Fight League, BAMMA, World Extreme Cagefighting and King of the Cage.-Early life:Rodriguez grew up in the...
, and many others that later transformed the United States into the second Jiu-Jitsu power of the world.
Mixed martial arts
Even while being involved with his U.S. Jiu-Jitsu organization, Moreira kept on competing. Following his long string of Jiu-Jitsu and Judo victories, he decided to test his skills in mixed martial arts via the Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUltimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
. On February 16, 1996, Moreira fought the six-foot-eight-inch, 360-pound Paul Varelans
Paul Varelans
Paul Varelans is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is famous for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship from 1995 to 1996, as well as a worked shoot fight against Taz in Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Career:...
in the UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
and lost by a narrow decision.
Vale Tudo Training
Following the appearance in the UFC, Moreira encountered his first controversy with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world. At a time when there was an unwritten rule that black belts were prohibited from teaching Jiu-Jitsu techniques to non-Brazilian vale tudoVale tudo
Vale tudo are full-contact unarmed combat events, with a limited number of rules, that became popular in Brazil during the 20th century. Vale tudo has been considered a combat sport by some observers...
fighters, Moreira started to teach his good friend, Kimo Leopoldo
Kimo Leopoldo
Kimo Leopoldo , or simply Kimo, is an American mixed martial artist. He made his MMA debut at UFC 3 in 1994 losing to Royce Gracie by submission. Kimo's fighting style has been described as freestyle, with a mixture of striking and grappling techniques.He was credited with a black belt in Taekwondo...
. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community was shocked by his breach of protocol and labeled Moreira a traitor.
Eighteen months later, following his first MMA victory over Uri Vaulin at the UFC 14
UFC 14
-External links:***...
, Moreira shocked the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community again by revealing that he trained with Marco Ruas
Marco Ruas
Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a retired mixed martial arts fighter and instructor. Most notably, he was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion and is considered one of the earliest examples of the complete mixed martial artist, highly skilled in both striking and grappling.-Biography:Ruas is famous for...
to fight the Russian boxer - without the help of the Gracie family
Gracie family
The Gracie family is a prominent sporting family from Brazil known for their founding of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu . They have been successful in combat sport competitions including mixed martial arts, vale tudo and submission wrestling events...
or anyone else from the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community. Seeing the good ground technique presented by Ruas, who trained in Jiu-Jitsu for 15 years, Moreira gave him a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and caused a commotion among his fellow Brazilians. These two important decisions helped pave the way for his cross training to take its now-prominent role in fight training.
Credentials
- 8th-degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- 3rd-degree black belt in Judo
- Ruas Vale Tudo black belt
- Founder of United States Federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Loss
|align=center|2-2
|
United States Paul Herrera|Decision
|Hitman Fighting Productions 2
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-1
|
South Korea Joe Son|Submission (terror)
|Xtreme Pankration 2
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|N/A
|Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-1
|
Latvia Yuri Vaulin|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 14
UFC 14
-External links:***...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|15:00
|Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|0-1
|
United States Paul VarelansPaul Varelans
Paul Varelans is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is famous for his appearances in the Ultimate Fighting Championship from 1995 to 1996, as well as a worked shoot fight against Taz in Extreme Championship Wrestling.-Career:...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 8
UFC 8
UFC 8: David vs. Goliath was a mixed martial arts event held by Ultimate Fighting Championship on February 16, 1996, at Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon, Puerto Rico...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|10:00
|San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
|