Carlson Gracie

Sad news coming from Rio de Janeiro this Monday, August 3.

The historic Carlson Gracie academy, in the neighborhood of Copacabana, is set to close down by the end of the month.

According to GRACIEMAG’s Marcelo Dunlop, the reason for the closure is an offer the landlord received from a religious group to use the space as a church.

The current rent paid by the academy is R$ 2,000 ($600) and the potential new tenants offered R$ 7,000 ($2,100) a month.

Carlson Gracie Team in the 80s and 90s

Carlson Gracie’s widow, Marly Gracie, who is going through health issues, said she’s not able to run the academy anymore.

The Carlson Gracie Academy, located at  414 Figueiredo de Magalhães Street, 3rd floor, was the setting for the breeding of some of the greatest talents in BJJ and MMA of all times, such as Vitor Belfort, Wallid Ismail, Amaury Bitteti, Paulo Filho, Alan Goes, Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Libório, José Mário Sperry, and many, many others.

It was also there that the legendary Rolls Gracie taught classes before his death in 1982.

The last training session of at the school is already scheduled for August 25, at 7PM.

GMA member Michel “Buiu” Porfirio of Carlson Gracie Miami will be at Lightening Kicks Academy in Kalamazoo, MI for a seminar on September 28.

The Nova Geracao black belt has been teaching since he was a purple belt and has taught at many different cities in Brazil as well as in social projects for under privileged kids.

The price for the event is $45 per person. The time is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and you can reserve your spot by calling 269-547-7367.

More information about Michel and the Carlson Gracie Miami academy can be found at: www.carlsongraciemiami.com

The plan is to produce new champions: Samir Chantre, Victor Paschoal and Breno Abad are part of the new generation, with solid results in a number of big events. The link to Carlson never broke, and now it’s even stronger with the presence of Carlson Gracie Jr.

“The team had kind of faded out for a time. After my father died each set off on his own direction. I hadn’t been here in four years, but now I’m traveling a lot, visiting a lot of people and trying to organize the team again,” says Carlson Jr.

Carlson Gracie Jr at the team's headquarters in Copacabana. Photo: Carlos Ozório

The Gracie’s charisma enraptures the room, all paying close attention to the positions on display. The academy’s professors Marcelo Saporito and Alan Moraes help out. Everyone there expects a promising future for the team.

“We had good results last year: first place at white belt and second in the master and senior divisions of the Jiu-Jitsu Pan-American. All we’re missing is gathering everyone, holding internal championships and putting together the best team again. We have branches in Europe, Australia, Central American and the United States, as well as the headquarters here in Copacabana. We’re getting stronger. I’m grateful to all the teachers,” says Junior.

Keen to all the latest goings-on, the master also has his eye on the submissions that livened up the MMA world: the double attacks used by Fabricio Werdum on Fedor Emelianenko and Anderson Silva on Chael Sonnen.

“Jiu-Jitsu proved more than ever that it’s the most complete style of fighting. In adverse situations the fighter manages to surprise with simple and efficient positions like these attacks from the triangle. Werdum is sensational; I’m an admirer of his. Anderson, too, represents well. Anyone who’s ever fought MMA knows that things get hairy. It’s not Disneyland in there, and they represented really well,” he remarks.

In GRACIEMAG #161 Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendes teaches a number of double-attack positions, one of the weapons making Jiu-Jitsu so effective, as proved by Werdum and Anderson. Carlson Gracie Jr, too, knows a number of them. He teaches GRACIEMAG.com readers a double attack that he guarantees “is brand new!”

Check out the photos from the visit:

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Abi-Rihan's armbar on Tarsis. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Raphael Abi-Rihan was one of the standouts at the Brazilian Nationals 2009, winning his weight group after submitting Tarsis Humphreys in the final with a straight armbar. All the fighter wanted was to defend his title this year, but a knee injury has put him on ice.

“I really wish I could say I’ll defend my title, but I got injured at a competition in Niteroi two months ago. I tried to go on normally, but couldn’t. I did physiotherapy and alternative treatments, but I’ll have to operate. The funny thing is that I’ve managed to recover from injuries requiring more complicated surgery before, on my spine and knee. The meniscus is something simpler and there’s no way around it. Any exercise I do swells up my knee. I can’t even train with my students, imagine competing. I’m limited and out of training,” says Abi.

According to the Carlson Gracie representative, the operation should take place next weekend and, after a month of recuperation, he should be back in training. Thus he guarantees he will head full steam into the Rio Open, which he also won in 2009. Moreover, he may show up twofold at the Tijuca Tennis Club.

“I won’t be able to defend my title at the Brazilian Nationals but, if all goes well, at the Rio Open I’ll be 100%. I also want to do the International Master, which takes place alongside the Rio Open. This year I want to fight in that division,” he says.

Against André Bastos. Photo: Carlos Ozório

If he can’t be in the Brazilian Nationals, which kicks off this weekend, Abi guarantees that at the very least he’ll be there to watch all the goings-on.

“On the first weekend I’ll be there to oversee my students and may even work as a referee. On the next one I may have been operated on and it will be more difficult to be there. I want to, but even if I can’t be there, I’ll keep up with everything on GRACIEMAG.com!” said our faithful reader in finishing.