Oswaldo Fadda
Encyclopedia
Oswaldo Baptista Fadda was a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
, reaching the rank of "nono grau", a ninth grade red belt
. He is known for being one of the highest ranked non-Gracie
black belt
s and also for teaching students from the poorer areas of Rio de Janeiro
, where jiu-jitsu was regarded as a upper-class sport. Fadda's lineage, the most prominent second to Carlos Gracie
lineage, still survives through his links with today's teams such as Nova União
, Grappling Fight Team, as well as Deo Jiu-Jitsu and Equipe Mestre Wilson Jiu-Jitsu.
under Luis França, a black belt under Mitsuyo Maeda
. Maeda was a expert judōka with direct lineage to the founder of judo, Kanō Jigorō
, who had travelled around the world as a prize fighter while also teaching the locals self defence techniques. After settling in Belém
in 1917, Maeda had continued to teach jiu jitsu to a select group of students (including França and Carlos Gracie).
By 1942, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was becoming well known in Brazil, although the prices of tuition were too high for most residents of Rio. Fadda had received his own black belt from França and soon started teaching jiu jitsu free of charge in unorthodox locations such as public parks and beaches, often without the aid of crash mats, aiming to spread the art of jiu-jitsu to the poorer folk. Fadda also saw jiu-jitsu as a way to help people with physical or mental disabilities, especially the city's numerous polio victims. With no real income from his teaching he was forced to advertise within the obituary section of the local newspaper.
Despite being regarded by the Gracie family as an outcast, Fadda managed to open his own academy on the outskirts of Rio on January 27, 1950. He and his students began specialising in the use of footlocks, an often ignored part of the jiu-jitsu curriculum. The next year, Fadda felt confident that his school was ready for the next step and issued a challenge to the Gracies through the media: "We wish to challenge the Gracies, we respect them like the formidable adversaries they are but we do not fear them. We have 20 pupils ready for the dispute".
accepted the challenge and the two teams fought at Gracie's academy. Fadda's team emerged victorious, making good use of their knowledge of footlocks, in which the opposition was lacking. José Guimarães one of Fadda's pupils choked Gracie's "Leonidas" unconscious. Oswaldo himself became the first man to beat Hélio in competition. After the challenge, Fadda gave an interview for the "Revista do Esporte" (sport magazine) "We finished with the Gracie's tabu". Also Hélio Gracie
in a interview to news paper said "All you need is one Fadda to show that Jiu-Jitsu is not the Gracie's privilege". The Gracies had previously derided the holds as "suburban technique" but were quick to applaud Fadda's win as a sign that jiu jitsu was for everyone, not just the well off. The result of the challenge was well publicised across Brazil and many new students arrived at Fadda's school seeking tuition. The added notoriety of the win also attracted local hard man who wanted to challenge Fadda themselves. This was such a regular occurrence that time was set aside every week specifically for this purpose. A long standing belief is that Fadda and his students never lost a fight.
. In 2009, an event was held in Paracambi
in honour of Hélio Fadda.
→ Tomita Tsunejirō → Mitsuyo Maeda
→ Luis França → Oswaldo Fadda
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...
, reaching the rank of "nono grau", a ninth grade red belt
Red belt
Red belt:* Red Belt Allegheny County road belt system* Red Belt Allegheny County road belt system* Red belt * Red belt * Redbelt...
. He is known for being one of the highest ranked non-Gracie
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...
black belt
Black Belt
Black Belt may refer to:*Black belt , an indication of attainment of a high rank of skill in martial arts**Black Belt Magazine, a magazine covering martial arts news, technique, and notable individuals*Black Belt Black Belt may refer to:*Black belt (martial arts), an indication of attainment of a...
s and also for teaching students from the poorer areas of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, where jiu-jitsu was regarded as a upper-class sport. Fadda's lineage, the most prominent second to 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...
lineage, still survives through his links with today's teams such as Nova União
Nova União (mixed martial arts)
Nova União is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy and mixed martial arts team located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Their BJJ black belts have participated in BJJ, submission grappling and MMA competitions all over the world...
, Grappling Fight Team, as well as Deo Jiu-Jitsu and Equipe Mestre Wilson Jiu-Jitsu.
Early life
Fadda was born in Bento Ribeiro, a suburb in the north of Rio de Janeiro. At the age of seventeen, while in the Brazilian Marines he began to study jiu jitsuJiu jitsu
Jiu jitsu or jiu-jitsu may refer to:*Jujutsu, martial art from Japan consisting of grappling and striking techniques*Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, martial art and combat sport, focuses on ground grappling, commonly used in mixed martial arts competitions...
under Luis França, a black belt under Mitsuyo Maeda
Mitsuyo Maeda
,a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Maeda,was a Japanese judōka and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions. He was also known as Count Combat or Conde Koma in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, a nickname he picked up in Spain in 1908...
. Maeda was a expert judōka with direct lineage to the founder of judo, Kanō Jigorō
Kano Jigoro
was the founder of judo. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport. Pedagogical innovations attributed to Kanō include the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of dan ranking to show the...
, who had travelled around the world as a prize fighter while also teaching the locals self defence techniques. After settling in Belém
Belém
Belém is a Brazilian city, the capital and largest city of state of Pará, in the country's north region. It is the entrance gate to the Amazon with a busy port, airport and bus/coach station...
in 1917, Maeda had continued to teach jiu jitsu to a select group of students (including França and Carlos Gracie).
By 1942, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was becoming well known in Brazil, although the prices of tuition were too high for most residents of Rio. Fadda had received his own black belt from França and soon started teaching jiu jitsu free of charge in unorthodox locations such as public parks and beaches, often without the aid of crash mats, aiming to spread the art of jiu-jitsu to the poorer folk. Fadda also saw jiu-jitsu as a way to help people with physical or mental disabilities, especially the city's numerous polio victims. With no real income from his teaching he was forced to advertise within the obituary section of the local newspaper.
Despite being regarded by the Gracie family as an outcast, Fadda managed to open his own academy on the outskirts of Rio on January 27, 1950. He and his students began specialising in the use of footlocks, an often ignored part of the jiu-jitsu curriculum. The next year, Fadda felt confident that his school was ready for the next step and issued a challenge to the Gracies through the media: "We wish to challenge the Gracies, we respect them like the formidable adversaries they are but we do not fear them. We have 20 pupils ready for the dispute".
The challenge
Hélio GracieHélio Gracie
Hélio Gracie was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, founded the martial art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, known internationally as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
accepted the challenge and the two teams fought at Gracie's academy. Fadda's team emerged victorious, making good use of their knowledge of footlocks, in which the opposition was lacking. José Guimarães one of Fadda's pupils choked Gracie's "Leonidas" unconscious. Oswaldo himself became the first man to beat Hélio in competition. After the challenge, Fadda gave an interview for the "Revista do Esporte" (sport magazine) "We finished with the Gracie's tabu". Also Hélio Gracie
Hélio Gracie
Hélio Gracie was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, founded the martial art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, known internationally as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
in a interview to news paper said "All you need is one Fadda to show that Jiu-Jitsu is not the Gracie's privilege". The Gracies had previously derided the holds as "suburban technique" but were quick to applaud Fadda's win as a sign that jiu jitsu was for everyone, not just the well off. The result of the challenge was well publicised across Brazil and many new students arrived at Fadda's school seeking tuition. The added notoriety of the win also attracted local hard man who wanted to challenge Fadda themselves. This was such a regular occurrence that time was set aside every week specifically for this purpose. A long standing belief is that Fadda and his students never lost a fight.
Later life
Oswaldo Fadda attained the rank of ninth degree red belt, the highest possible BJJ honour for a non-Gracie. Ever humble, he lived out the rest of his life in his home suburb of Bento Ribeiro, suffering for Alzheimer's in his later years. He died of bacterial pneumonia on April 1, 2005 at the age of 84.Fadda family
Oswaldo Fadda's brother Humberto was also a jiu-jitsu instructor and ran the Cascadura branch of Academia Fadda. Fadda family is represented in today's jiu-jitsu by Master Hélio Fadda, the son of Humberto Fadda who named him after Hélio GracieHélio Gracie
Hélio Gracie was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, founded the martial art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, known internationally as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu...
. In 2009, an event was held in Paracambi
Paracambi
Paracambi is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 43,011 and its area is 179 km²....
in honour of Hélio Fadda.
Lineage
Kanō JigorōKano Jigoro
was the founder of judo. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport. Pedagogical innovations attributed to Kanō include the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of dan ranking to show the...
→ Tomita Tsunejirō → Mitsuyo Maeda
Mitsuyo Maeda
,a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Maeda,was a Japanese judōka and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions. He was also known as Count Combat or Conde Koma in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese, a nickname he picked up in Spain in 1908...
→ Luis França → Oswaldo Fadda