Tony “Mendigo” de Souza venceu de forma inesperada. Foto: Scott Adams/Divulgação

Conhecido por sua potente mistura de wrestling e Jiu-Jitsu, o ex-UFC Tony “Mendigo” de Souza voltou a lutar MMA no último dia 12 do 12, depois de ficar afastado dos ringues desde 2007.

Tony decidiu substituir um aluno, David Frias, que ficou impossibilitado de lutar por conta de uma lesão na mão, na Bolívia. Não durou mais de um minuto para o adversário, Luis “Nino” Perrogon, conhecer a melhor arma de Tony: o estrangulamento.

Confira no vídeo a eficiência do homem que lançou a “gravata peruana”.

Tony Mendigo lutou duas vezes no UFC em 2001, e três vezes entre os anos de 2006 e 2007, além de ter trabalhado como treinador de grappling do time de BJ Penn durante o TUF 5. Além disso, Tony ficou famoso no Brasil após fazer uma luta épica com Luis Azeredo em combate realizado em Teresópolis.

Veja a luta de Tony com Luis Azeredo que deixou o mestre Hélio Gracie acordado até as 3h da manhã.

Tony de Souza at Machu Picchu, Peru, in 2002 / Photo by Scott Adams

A fighter known for the potent blend of wrestling and slick Jiu-Jitsu that he wielded in top-tier competitions like the UFC and ADCC, Tony de Souza made history this Dec. 12, 2012, by becoming the first former UFC fighter to do battle at an MMA event in the South American nation of Bolivia. Not having fought since his 2007 exit from the UFC, the André Pederneiras black belt known as the “Peruvian Savage” stepped up to take the place of his student David Frias, who was unable to enter his scheduled bout due to a lacerated hand, in his scheduled bout at the MMA Nemesis event. It took little over a minute for founder of the “Cholitzu” brand of grappling to put away Luis “Nino” Perrogon using the submission hold he was perhaps best known for during his heyday: the choke.

Check out the efficiency of the man credited with inventing the Peruvian neck-tie choke:

De Souza fought twice in the UFC in 2001 and three times between 2006 and 2007, besides working as grappling coach on BJ Penn’s team during the fifth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. However, it was in 2004 that the now-38-year-old had the performance that catapulted him to fame in Brazil—a lively Jiu-Jitsu-heavy three-round clash with Luiz Azeredo that even featured the rare twister hold, which inexplicably did not mark the end of the fight.

Check out the fight that had Helio Gracie wide awake and beaming at 3 AM on a chilly night in Teresópolis, Brazil.

Leo Leite

In New Jersey, Renzo Gracie Denville, run by George Sernack, will be welcoming world champion Leo Leite for a seminar on January 24^th. On the same day, the academy will have its promotion night. More at rwmma.com.

Elliot Marshall

In Florida, Marcelo Garcia has promoted another black belt. Marcelo’s head instructor in Pembroke Pines, Henrique Resende, received the graduation earlier this week. More at marcelogarciajj.com.

The Easton BJJ family, wich includes many GMA members, will be rooting for another victory of Easton BJJ’s black belt instructor Elliot Marshall. He will be fighting Vladimir  Matyushenko, at the UFC Fight Night 21, on March 21^st, in Denver, Colorado. More at eastonbjj.com.

In Cincinnati, black belt James Kelly, of the Cincinnati Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy, will be hosting its second annual fundraiser event for St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Tony de Souza

Black belts Robin Giesler, from Relson Gracie Columbus, Matt Strack, from Academy Soma, Allan Maganello and Scott Smith, from Louisville, and JohnMeyer , from the Reed Academy of Martial Arts, will all be teaching classes and workshops throughout the day. Other instructors that may attend are pending sokeep checking in to see who is going to be there.The event is scheduled February 6th. More at cincinnatijiujitsu.com.

Back to the seminar subject, in Ecuador, Alliance Ecuador will be hosting UFC veteran Tony de Souza  for a MMA seminar. More at leoiturraldebjj.blogspot.com.

In Manhattan, Renzo Gracie is offering a great opportunity for you to learn about the half guard with the highest authority in the subject. Roberto “Gordo” Correa, aka the King of Half Guard, will be teaching a seminar on January 16^th. More at renzogracie.com.

In Abilene, Texas, The GB school will welcome Vinicius Draculino next January 16th. More at graciebarraabilene.com.

And finally, tonight, Braulio Estima, of GB Birmingham, continues his North America Seminar Tour with a stop at Gracie Barra Vancouver, of Tim Shears. The cost for the class is $ 75 (Canadians dollars). More at GracieBarra.ca

Anyone near the Lima area would be well advised to go, as the peculiar brand of “Cholitzu” fighting the former Pac 10 wrestler developed wandering the world’s dojos, exchanging notes with some of the greatest fighters and masters around, has garnered him high regard among his grappling-elite peers, even earning him a place as grappling coach on BJ Penn’s The Ultimate Fighter reality show team.

Plus, 20 Peruvian Soles (7 US dollars) is a hard price to beat.

Location: 236 Chucuito, in the Columbus Gymnasium, two blocks from Chosita’s Central Park.

For greater information, contact David Frias by email: jacktago3@hotmail.com; by telephone: 99333 6685