Category Archives: News

A message for the new year from Valente Brothers

Tonight, as fellow Valente Brothers from around the world gather with family and friends, we want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
This is always a hopeful time, as we celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another. While 2009 was a successful year for our school, in spite of a worldwide economic crisis, we are confident that 2010 will be even better.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to each and every one of our members for their invaluable contributions and continued support. We are committed to ensuring that Valente Brothers continues to provide all of our students with a positive and educational training experience.
Valente Brothers is fully committed to preserving Grand Master Helio Gracie’s mission in this New Year. Although our challenges are great, we know that each of us has the courage and determination to rise up and meet them. It is that spirit that has kept the vision of the original Gracie brothers Carlos and Helio alive for generations, and it is that spirit that will keep it alive for generations to come.
In celebration of the New Year we would like to present a video of our Belt Promotion Ceremony that took place on December 9th. This was a very special occasion where we awarded over sixty new belts, including four black belts, and also had the privilege of honoring Master Pedro Valente Sr. and UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie.

Brotherhood and Jiu-jitsu

The holiday spirit of brotherhood and good will towards all was in the air as hundreds of students, friends, and family converged upon 3165 NE 163rd St. in North Miami Beach, Florida, to share in each other’s success at the Valente’s Annual Winter Belt Ceremony. The Valente brothers, all disciples since the age of two of Grandmaster Helio Gracie, were joined by two distinguished guests, two men that the brothers told the packed house their success would be impossible without. One guest was Royce Gracie, the first Ultimate Fighting Champion and son of Grandmaster Helio, who proved to the world the ability of his father’s art to empower any individual to persevere over brute aggression. Royce traveled all the way from Los Angeles to attend the event and announced to the crowd that “I am only a product of my father’s teachings.” The other guest was Dr. Pedro Valente Sr., eighth degree red and black belt, distinguished surgeon, patriarch of the Valente clan. Dr. Valente, who spoke last week in front of the Brazilian Senate in a special session commemorating Grandmaster Helio, traveled from Brazil to attend the ceremony. The Valente brothers gave a heartfelt acknowledgment to their father, recognizing his essential role in preparing them throughout their lives for their mission as preservers of Grandmasters’ Carlos and Helio Gracie’s self-defense art and philosophy of living. The brothers presented awards to both Professor Royce Gracie and Master Pedro Valente Sr., through which they expressed their gratitude for the parts each man played in the their lives.

The ceremony, like a skillful stage production, had many acts, and the night was alive with narration by the Valente brothers, support from the cast of instructors and black belts, electricity from the crowd, and spectacle from the stars of the show – the students, who were recognized for their accomplishments throughout the year by belt promotions. As each name of a promoted student was called, and the student ran to the front to receive his or her new belt, a roar of applause and cheers emanated from the crowd and grew like a wave, a sea of smiling faces beaming from the cheering crowd.

How could a mere belt ceremony engender such shared joy and revelry? What worth is there in a cloth belt? What power does it have that could possibly bring happiness, laughter, brotherhood to so many? As Pedro Valente made clear in the beginning of the ceremony, it is not the belt itself, but the transformation it represents. To see an individual such as Burak Eyilik, who was engaged in a lifestyle rife with unhealthy habits and choices before joining the Valente Academy, transform into a completely different man, a black belt instructor, a role model to others ? this is the transformation that we all celebrate in jiu-jitsu. And it is because we, as jiu-jitsu students, from all stations and walks of life are engaged in this common enterprise of transformation, that we feel such immense joy when one of our comrades succeeds upon a positive path they have chosen and traveled for so many years. For although some of us have traveled far and some of us have just begun our journeys, we are all on the same path journeying towards health, preparedness, confidence. All striving towards that total transformation built through our daily choices.  And that is why the crowd reacted to the name of every student called to receive a new belt like fans reacting to an announcer calling out the names of an NBA starting line up, and why Burak received an almost two minute long standing ovation. His success is our success. Like the battles of Grandmaster Helio and Royce Gracie, the promoted students show us what is possible.

But this doesn?t explain everything. It is an exceedingly rare thing in this modern, disconnected world to share in the happiness of others. As Aristotle taught over two thousand years ago, good will and other positive attributes, like negative ones, are the result of habituation and training. It is a testament to the daily atmosphere and leadership of Valente Brothers, that the students share such camaraderie with one another. As Grandmaster Helio believed, intimidation and discord has no place in a jiu-jitsu school, for a true jiu-jitsu school is the very sanctuary that must always exist for those seeking to gain the confidence to face such challenges in the outside world. United together in this common vision, each student?s progress leads collectively to the embodiment of brothers Carlos and Helio Gracie?s vision ? a vision of a world where the common individual, the businessman, the non-athlete, the harassed woman, the bullied child, is able to defend themselves, live a life of confidence, and spread the ethic of mutual benefit and welfare for all. If all jiu-jitsu schools could foster this sense of brotherhood, of healthy living, and mutual benefit in the path towards self-defense, the transformation of the individual would be reflected in the transformation of the world. And so perhaps it is fitting in this holiday season, when we reflect upon a ceremony bursting with a rare shared happiness for the successes of our fellows, to quote a passage from Charles Dickens, who wrote in A Christmas Carroll that ?It is a fair, even-handed, noble adjustment of things, that while there is infection in disease and sorrow, there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good-humor?. And this good humor and contagious positivity was evident as new black belts Burak Eyilik, Dan Rozenberg, Roberto Fleischmann, and Roberto Bittar joined the ranks of a select yet diverse group of black belts at Valente Brothers – a group comprised of a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, a black man, a white man and a latino – united together as brothers committed to a positive way of living.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Steven Abood is a freelance writer and author of the upcoming book, Ten Jiu-jitsu Masters, which recounts his experience learning from, as well as the life stories of the greatest jiu-jitsu masters in the world.

Brazilian Senate will pay tribute and honor Hélio Gracie

 On November 17, the Brazilian Senate will pay tribute and honor one of the world’s most prominent martial artists. Senator Arthur Virgilio from the state of Amazonas, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, requested the special session following Grandmaster Hélio Gracie’s passing. In his request, the Brazilian Senator stated, “A master of the masters, a resistant warrior and an obstinate fighter left us”. The Senator added, “Victorious even in defeat, Hélio was able to overcome his weak body, spinal problems, and a fragile health to become a singular athlete. He deepened the teachings of his brother Carlos and modernized the Jiu-Jitsu that Japan forgot.” The Senator also pointed out, among other things, that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu proved to be the most effective Martial Art and originated Mixed Martial Arts. The Senator finished his request by thanking the Gracie family for teaching him, “the art of facing life’s challenges with confidence rather than submission”.

On a special note, Dr. Pedro Valente Sr. was invited as a special guest by Senator Arthur Virgilio to attend the commemorative session in Brasília.

Nearly 300 students attended the largest Belt Ceremony ever.

Valente Brothers Belt Promotion Ceremony once again surpassed expectations as almost 300 students attended. The school was filled with positive energy as many members were awarded new belts. Master Pedro Valente Sr. and Royce Gracie traveled to Miami especially to attend this event.

Students, Burak Eyilik, Dan Rozenberg, Roberto Fleischmann and Roberto Bittar were promoted to Black Belt.

Please check back for pictures and more info on an amazing night.

Royce Gracie to attend Wednesday’s Belt Ceremony

Today, UFC Hall of Famer, Royce Gracie announced that he will attend Wednesday’s Belt Ceremony at Valente Brothers. The ceremony promises to be one of the biggest ever and will also have the presence of Dr. Pedro Valente Sr.

Youth students are welcome to attend in uniform and watch the ceremony. Adult belt ceremonies usually last 50-80 minutes. The ceremony will start at 8PM, following the Fundamentals class.

Happy Thanksgiving

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” This quote by Cicero illustrates one of the most important lessons that we learned from the eternal grandmaster Helio Gracie.

Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude and to reflect on the many blessings in our lives. This week, as we gather around the table and enjoy the timeless traditions of the season, let us pause to remember the many Americans fighting overseas to protect our freedom. Our hearts are with their families as they celebrate the holiday without their loved ones, and we are eternally grateful for their sacrifice.  We should also be grateful to all the men and women of law enforcement and fire protection for there outstanding service to promote our safety and well being. Professors Pedro, Gui, Joaquim, accompanied by brown belt Burak Eyilik, took advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday to visit the Miami Beach Fire Station with Valente Brothers student and firefighter George Barreiro.  See the picture gallery.

We also want to personally thank our loyal students on behalf of the entire Valente Brothers family for their unwavering support of our school. Together we will work to maintain the spirit of friendship and knowledge that makes up Valente Brothers.

Have a happy Thanksgiving.

IX Hélio Gracie Self-Defense Challenge

Today, Valente Brothers once again hosted the IX Hélio Gracie Self-Defense Challenge. The event displayed students’ excellent technical level. Participants were challenged with realistic street attacks and had to react instinctively. This event presents a valuable opportunity for students to perform under pressure.

The Valente Brothers Professors would like to congratulate every student who accepted the challenge and contributed to a wonderful experience.

See the event’s pictures on the Valente Brothers Facebook page.

Results:
Felipe Lay
Eric da Silva
Roberto Fleischmann
Steven Abood

Young and True Champions

Today, students, parents and teachers came together for a great day of Jiu-Jitsu, friendship, and knowledge. Our Little Champs and Juniors students participated in this year’s Youth Fellowship Challenge demonstrating high levels of technique and confidence. The event took off with a speech by Professor Pedro Valente, who stressed the purpose of the challenge as being to create self-confidence and provide a life lasting experience for all. Professor Valente also reminded parents that Jiu-Jitsu, unlike other recreational sports, should constitute an integral part of every child’s education. Following Pedro’s remarks, over 100 great sparring matches took place and filled parents, family members and teachers with pride. Finally, Professor Gui Valente, assisted by purple belt Eric Mainade, mesmerized the audience with a breathtaking demonstration of our stand up self defense system. He performed effective defenses against choke holds, grabs, bear hugs, punches and kicks. At the end, all participants were rewarded with a gold medal for their efficiency, dedication and discipline.

Valente Brothers would like to thank all of our students, staff and families for their ongoing support and commitment to our school.

See our Facebook Picture Gallery

DR. PEDRO VALENTE SR. TO ATTEND BELT CEREMONY

Dr. Pedro Valente Sr. confirmed his presence for the upcoming belt ceremony on December 9th. Dr. Valente, a Master Professor and red an black belt under Grandmaster Hélio Gracie, will visit Valente Brothers for the first time in two years. The father and mentor of professors, Pedro, Gui and Joaquim, joined the famous Gracie Academy in 1953 and received the coveted Professors’ Diploma by Grandmaster Hélio Gracie. Dr. Valente is a world renowned plastic surgeon. This year’s ceremony is expected to be one of the biggest ever and multiple black belts could be awarded.