Today, October 1st, Grandmaster Helio Gracie would be turning 99 years of age. We will be celebrating the life of our Grandmaster during tomorrow’s Youth, Funadamentals classes in all our locations.

The XII Hélio Gracie SD Challenge was once again a success. All participants demonstrated a high level of proficiency and performed at a high level. This year’s winner was Purple Belt, Justin Moody.  Coller Cambas and Juan Guerra took second and third places respectively.

The Hélio Gracie Self Defense Challenge was devised by the Valente Brothers in 2000 to preserve and promote a vital element in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that was slowly being forgotten: Stand up Self-Defense. With the tremendous growth of sport jiu-jitsu, most instructors were lured by the prestige and excitement connected with positive tournament results and started focusing their classes almost exclusively on point grappling rather than realistic street fighting. However, several jiu-jitsu masters still regard the defenses against strikes, bear hugs, headlocks, collar grabs and other common street attacks as the most important component of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Under the supervision of Grandmaster Hélio Gracie, this challenge was elaborated to test students’ technique and reflexes as they perform defenses against randomly selected stand up attacks. The attacks are executed in a realistic manner by the professors and expert judges award points based on the participants’ precision, technical proficiency, timing and realism. After three rounds the top contestants are announced to the audience.

Valentina Zelyaeva from the Blog Organice Your Life Interviewed Professor Gui Valente. He talked about the Gracie Diet, why he came to Miami and some Jiu-Jitsu philosophy.

To read the full interview click on the picture below.

Professor Pedro Valente on the history of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Belt System and the method currently used at Valente Brothers.
Valente Brothers acknowledges and respects the fact that today, Jiu-Jitsu federations and many academies utilize different systems both for adult and youth students.

On Saturday, September 29th at 2PM, Valente Brothers will bring together all Professors, Instructors and Black Belts for the first ever annual meeting. All Black Belts, Instructors and professors are invited.

12th Hélio Gracie Self Defense Challenge

On Sunday, September 30th at 2PM the 12th edition of the Hélio Gracie Self-Defense Challenge will take place at Valente Brothers Headquarters in North Miami Beach. All students, from all levels, are eleigible to participate.  

For registration, please contact our front desk.

History and format

The Hélio Gracie Self Defense Challenge was devised by the Valente Brothers in 2000 to preserve and promote a vital element in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu that was slowly being forgotten: Stand up Self-Defense. With the tremendous growth of sport jiu-jitsu, most instructors were lured by the prestige and excitement connected with positive tournament results and started focusing their classes almost exclusively on point grappling rather than realistic street fighting. However, several jiu-jitsu masters still regard the defenses against strikes, bear hugs, headlocks, collar grabs and other common street attacks as the most important component of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Under the supervision of Grandmaster Hélio Gracie, this challenge was elaborated to test students’ technique and reflexes as they perform defenses against randomly selected stand up attacks. The attacks are executed in a realistic manner by the professors and expert judges award points based on the participants’ precision, technical proficiency, timing and realism. After three rounds the top four contestants are announced to the audience.

Today, 12 years after the Valente Brothers created this challenge, jiu-jitsu is gradually finding itself again and thousands of practitioners and instructors around the world are refocusing their training on the street effectiveness that made the art famous.

All Monday classes on the Valente Brother’s South Florida locations have been canceled. This measure was taken to ensure the safety of all our students. Plans are to resume all normal operations on Tuesday. Thank you very much for your understanding.

Dear Pedro, Gui, and Joaquim Valente:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the awesome seminar you provided for our Law Enforcement community. Among the attendees, were representatives from various Law Enforcement branches; Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami-Dade Corrections, Miami Gardens Police Department, Monroe County Sheriff, Miami Beach Police Department, U.S. Customs, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Homeland Security, I.C.E. (Immigration and Customs), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (A.T.F.).

The level of expertise you demonstrated, along with your effective method of training and professionalism, made our seminar unique in the training world and an experience we will not forget. In a mere three days of training you have given the attendees a preparation that could easily save their lives if they faced an attack from a larger and stronger aggressor. How could we ever put a monetary value on that? How can we ever repay that kind of a debt? In our world, where we often lose some of our own to senseless violence, this is highly appreciated.

It is from the bottom of our hearts that we thank you as a community, as a Law Enforcement Family, for your continued support and tutorship. You have opened the doors of your prestigious family to us and these bonds will not be easily broken.

If there is ever anything we can do for you, please feel free to contact us.

Respectfully,

Victor Gatell
MDPD
Police Survival Unit

For the past three days I had the honor to train with you brothers. As a police officer in Dade County I know that the training received will possibly save my life. You made my first time participating in this type of training a life changing moment. I look forward to continuing my training with your family. Thank you for your patience, knowledge, and motivation!

Sam Espinosa