After eighteen years since Pedro Valente started teaching jiu-jitsu in Miami and 28 black belts have been awarded, Valente Brothers would like to honor its first black belt recipients Jimmy Robertson and Carlos Villares. Both of them were classmates of Pedro Valente at the American School in Rio de Janeiro and moved to Miami in 1993/94 to attend university. Through their dedication to jiu-jitsu and the Valente Brothers School they consolidated their skills as practitioners and teachers and were awarded the coveted VB Black Belt in 2003 during that year’s Annual Dinner. Today Jimmy is a dedicated and talented professor who is admired and appreciated by the entire Valente Brothers family and Carlos, in addition to his toughness on the mat, is a successful business man who has been able to auspiciously utilize jiu-jitsu off the mat in his flourishing career. Valente Brothers is proud of Jimmy and Carlos’ achievements and recognizes their loyalty and commitment.
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.
Thank you all who came to the dinner. Sorry to those whose tables are not in the pic. More photos coming soon!
The 2011 Belt Ceremony was a success. Hundreds of students, friends and families packed Valente Brothers headquarters in North Miami Beach. Grandmaster Pedro Valente and UFC hall of famer, Royce Gracie, attended the event. Among the highlight of the night, were the 10 new black belts and the promotions by GM Valente and Royce of Professors, Pedro and Gui Valente to 6th and 5th degrees Black Belts respectively.
Check out the photo gallery on our Facebook page.
Soon, more pictures and the official video.
Pavel Vladimirovich Bure is a retired Russian professional ice hockey right winger. Nicknamed “The Russian Rocket” for his speed, Bure played for 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Florida Panthers and New York Rangers.
Selected 113th overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft by Vancouver, he began his NHL career in 1991–92 and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s best rookie, then helped the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994. After seven seasons with the Canucks, Bure was dealt to the Panthers, where he won back-to-back Rocket Richard Trophies as the league’s leading goal-scorer (he also led the league in goal scoring with Vancouver in 1993–94, before the trophy’s inauguration).
Internationally, Bure competed for the Soviet Union and Russia. As a member of the Soviet Union, he won two silver medals and a gold in three World Junior Championships, followed by a gold and a silver medal in the 1990 and 1991 World Championships, respectively. After the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, Bure competed for Russia in two Winter Olympics, winning silver at the 1998 Games in Nagano and bronze at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. Following Bure’s retirement in 2005, he was named the general manager for Russia’s national team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.
This year’s winter Youth Fellowship Challenge (YFC) was once again a huge success. With over 100 kids from North Miami Beach, Pembroke Pines and Fort Lauderdale and nearly 250 parents and friends in attendance, it was the largest event so far. Professor Pedro Valente opened the challenge with a speech reminding all participants, parents, and friends of the fellowship and positive nature of the YFC. Professor Valente also reminded parents that Jiu-Jitsu, unlike other recreational sports, should constitute an integral part of every child’s education.
As usual the challenge was divided into two parts. Initially, the little champs and juniors took action, later Juniors 1 and 2 demonstrated their skills. Another great attribute of the YFC is that it provides participants with the opportunity to perform under pressure in a safe and positive setting.
In closing, Professor Valente thanked all present and in special the parents who believe in the Valente Brothers youth program and continuosly support the school.