04.06.2008 'This is just the beginning'Carlos Gracie Jr receives red and black belt and promises new endeavors
Before the eyes of 50 black belts, cousin Rickson and a large number of other people who packed the new Gracie Barra America branch in Irvine, CA, Renzo Gracie holds the red-and-black belt of his master, Carlos Gracie Junior.
Everyone waited for the final joke in the speech, and, surprisingly, the good humored fight icon lets out a torrent of tears. "Don't laugh," he says, before drying his tears and hugging Carlinhos, tying the new belt around his teacher's waist.
 Renzo ties the belt on Carlinhos. "The best thing I found here was love", said Renzo crying.The graduation cerimony, held on the evening of June 3rd, was started off by loyal pupil Marcio Feitosa who, moved, handed over command to black belt and economist Flavio Cachorrinho, who introduced the guest speakers, starting with Rickson Gracie.
 Flávio Cachorrinho presents the event, and summons the first speaker...We, Gracies, have a much bigger mission than MMA. MMA was used to show the efficiency of Jiu-Jitsu, but our true role is to strengthen the good qualities of the human being, through Jiu-Jitsu. And, for everything he has built, I am proud to be his relative," said Rickson.
... Rickson Gracie.
Others to speak were Carlinhos's contemporary and Jiu-Jitsu pioneer in the United Kingdom, Mauricio Gomes, his son and current holder of Jiu-Jitsu's most important belt, absolute world champion Roger Gracie.
Maurição Gomes...
... And his son Roger.
The man responsible for introducing Jiu-Jitsu to Sheikh Tahnoon (and thus for creation of the ADCC), Nelson Monteiro; the Carlinhos product to have given the most black belts, Vinicius Draculino; Northeastern Brazilian Braulio Estima; and another of Carlinhos's black belts and GRACIEMAG vice-president, Luca Atalla. And, the representative of the new generation of students, blue belt Kenny Epstein.
 Sheikh Tahnoon's first instructor, Nelson Monteiro... Student with over 60 black belt students, Vinicius Draculino... And, listened to attentively by Rickson, Carlinhos, Sergio Ignácio, Renzo, Draculino and Marcinho... ... Bráulio Estima.Introduced simply as Carlinhos's best student, and author of the final speech before the promotion, Renzo highlighted the importance of the environment Carlinhos created for the art's development.
"Being a tough guy, being a champion, that all ends. I think the most important thing I found in his academy was love," he said, crying, before hugging his master.
Renzo also told of how his uncle uses reverse psychology to stimulate:
"He looked at me [when Renzo was a young lesser belt, and was training among family members], and said in front of everyone: 'Renzo, what am I going to do with you? You are horrible!' All he needed to do was say that for me to prove to him I could be good."
 Renzo alternated between jokes and causes with a serious and emotional message.Carlinhos donned the new belt fastened by Renzo uncerimoniously:
"Belts hold no importance to me. We are the ones who give personality to the belt, and not it that give personality to us. But I'm proud to have all you here together. That is what I love and I'll never change. In the future, I may have a better house, a better car, but I'll continue coming to the academy every day, training with my family.
"I'm 52 years old, and I model myself on the example of my father, who, when I was born, was 56, and still went on to have five more kids. However, when someone shows up to train at 40 or 50 years of age and thinks they are too old for it, I explain that it's never too late to do what we dream of doing.
"My father stimulated us to dream. The other day, I read that if you wish to reach the moon, you'll at least get to the stars. That is why I have a healthy life, and I hope to have all you, many white and blue belts, together with me with black belts, 18 years from now, when I receive my red belt. And all this will be ten times bigger."
Carlinhos, whose achievements are of the caliber of Gracie Barra, the International Jiu-Jitsu Federation and GRACIEMAG, promises:
"This is just the beginning."
 Son Kayron and his diploma from the International Federation... ... With Rickson Gracie and lawyer Sergio Zveiter. ... With the black belts together at the party.
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