Category Archives: News

On Saturday, December 17, Valente Brothers promoted Bruce Belfield, Burak Eyilik, Eduardo Cambas and Joel Infante to the title of Full Professor in jujutsu (jiu-jitsu) according to the strict standards established by Grandmaster Helio Gracie. The 2016 class of 4 professors joins James Robertson as the only five Black Belts to receive this distinguished decoration. All five professors have chosen, for many years, to dedicate their lives to the gentle art and live by its philosophy on and off the tatami. A ceremony will be held in the early part of 2017 to present the Professors Diplomas.

Grandmaster Hélio Vígio departed to the next stage of his spiritual journey on the early hours of Friday, December 16. Vigio, as our father and Grandmaster Helio Gracie called him, was one of the original Navy Belt professors during the golden years of jiu-jitsu in the 1950s. A Helio Gracie Professors’ Diploma recipient, he was one of our father’s first teachers. Vígio was a great vale tudo fighter, always ready to represent the Academia Gracie. Years later our father invited him to become Vasco da Gama’s conditioning coach. Hélio Vígio became one of Rio de Janeiro’s top and most formidable law enforcement agents. One of his most important feats was spearheading the Anti-Kidnaping division where he saved many lives. In 1993, Helio Vígio was selected by the UFC to be the event’s first referee along with Grandmaster João Alberto Barreto. Vígio was a great and loyal friend, who, literally, would come to your rescue at anytime, anywhere and whenever you needed him. Grandmaster Helio Vígio will always be remembered by the Valente family. Thank you. Até sempre.

For nearly a century, jiu-jitsu has been a part of the world’s most powerful Military. 

MMA legend, UFC Champion and Hall of Fame member, Royce Gracie made an important announcement this Monday, during the Winter Belt Ceremony at Valente Brothers in North Miami Beach. Royce partnered up with Valente Brothers to begin using the Fighting Foundations™ program in all his RGJJN academies. The process to implement the curriculum will begin in January 2017.

Notes: Fighting Foundations™ is a 27 lesson program organized by the Valente brothers under the direct supervision of Grandmasters Helio Gracie and Pedro Valente Sr. Fighting Foundations™ was reviewed and approved by Helio Gracie. The Royce Gracie Jiu-jitsu Network has academies all over the United States and in many countries around the globe. 

Happy 2015 Valente Brothers!

Posted by Valente Brothers Jiu-Jitsu on Wednesday, December 31, 2014

On Saturday the 15th edition of the Helio Gracie Self-Defense Challenge took place at VB headquarters in North Miami Beach. After 2 rounds and great performances of technique and reflex 5 finalists qualified to the Gran Finale on October 1st at 8pm during the HelioGracieDay. Congratulations to all and in special to the 5 finalists: Don Simon, Chingiz Askerov, Todd Withers, Christine Fingado, and Felix Granados.

The second edition of the Fudoshin Challenge was an outstanding opportunity for Valente Brothers’ students who regularly attend our sparring class to challenge themselves by dealing with the emotional pressures of fighting in public. In addition to the high level technical skill, participants and spectators demonstrated the Valente Brothers’ culture of respect, discipline and camaraderie.

The Fudoshin Challenge is a team competition designed exclusively to promote the technical and emotional development of all participants. Matches have no points and competitors are not told the exact length of their matches in advance. Victory by submission results in 3 points for the winning team and a draw amounts to 1 point being scored for both teams. The challenge, which was broadcasted live via Periscope, ended in a draw with each team scoring 23 points. Congratulations to everyone who participated and our warmest gratitude to all our students who did not participate but supported the challenge by cheering on the participants and promoting it on social media.

The last week of August was busy as usual at all Valente Brothers locations with the traditional back to school days and as many of our students returned from their vacation destinations.

However, a fast growing program at VB has been catching the attention of the South Florida community, the Women’s Self-Defense program.

Bruce Belfield, taught another open workshop to women of all ages at the Borowrd Sheriffs Office branch of Lauderdale By The Sea and Eduardo Camabas (VB Pembroke Pines) offered a free self-defense session. Both classes had a great attendance and were a success.

Mean while at Valente Brothers Headquarters in North Miami Beach, the Mondays and Wednesday Women’s Self-Defense classes continue at full steam.