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Ultimate Fight in Brazil 1951

 

In July 1951 Kimura and two other fellow Japanese Judoka were asked to compete in Brazil. Kimura at age 34 was accompanied by a 240 pound (110kg) college champion Yamaguchi (6th degree black belt at the time) and Kado (5th degree black belt). It was to be a Judo/Jiu-jitsu fight.

 

Kado accepted a challenge from Helio Gracie -- Brazilian champion for 20 years. The loser was determined by tapping out due to a choke or armbar, or by being knocked out of commission. Ippon (clean powerful throws) or osaekomi (pinning) would have no effect on the results of competition. During Kado's fight he threw Gracie several times. Gracie, who was in excellent condition, demonstrated ukemi, braking the throws with little injury. After 10 minutes of frustration, Kado decided to apply a choke. However, the masterful Gracie applied his own choke rendering Kado unconscious. With Kado's passing-out, Gracie was declared the winner and became a national hero of Brazil!

 

Weeks later, Gracie challenged the remaining two team members, either Yamaguchi or Kimura, to a match. Yamaguchi refused for fear of injury, however Kimura accepted the challenge. There were 20,000 spectators present. A coffin was brought in by Gracie's followers. Presumably, Kimura was to be killed by Gracie. On the day of the match, the President and Vice President of Brazil attended at ringside.

 

During the fight, Kimura threw Gracie repeatedly with ippon-seoi-nage [one arm shoulder throw], osoto-gari [major outer reap], and harai-goshi [sweeping hip/loin]. He also included painful suffocating grappling techniques such as kuzure-kamishiho-gatame [modified upper four corner hold], kesa-gatame [scarf hold], sankaku-gatame [triangle hold]. Gracie proved to be a formidable opponent refusing to surrender after 12 minutes of grueling fight. Kimura then took Gracie down with an osoto-gari followed by kuzure-kamishiho-gatame. During the battle that followed, Gracie bridged out of the pin and right into Kimura's ude-garami (arm lock) [chicken-wing arm lock]. The arm bar must have been painful but when Gracie refused to surrender, Kimura applied yet more pressure, and as a result Gracie suffered a broken left elbow.

 

Even with the broken elbow, Gracie still refused to give up, so his comer "threw in the towel". Kimura was declared the winner by TKO. Although Kimura won the actual fight, it was acknowledged that Gracie had the greater fighting spirit and will. Kimura later applauded Gracie's tremendous will to win.

 

Now of course the Gracies have their own version which makes Kimura out to be more brash and boastful in this story so i'm sure the truth falls somewhere in between. Awesome battle though! Here's more...

 

Valetudo in Brazil 1959

 

Kimura went to Brazil in 1959 to have his last Professional Judo/Wrestling tour. He was challenged by Aldemar Santana. Santana was champion of Gracie Jiujitsu, Capoeira, and boxing. He was 27 years old, 6 feet and 205 lbs. In 1958, Santana knocked out Helio Gracie in a fight lasting 3 hours 45 minutes. Kimura threw Santana with Seoi-nage, Hanegosh, Osoto-gari; then, he applied Ude-garami, and won the match.

 

Shortly after, Santana challenged Kimura to have a rematch for Vale-tudo. ( Everything goes, as it is equivalent to Ultimate Fighting Championship. )

 

On the day of the competition, there were 10,000 spectators present. From the beginning, Kimura realized that Santana punched and kicked much better. The only chance was newaza. Kimura made a mistake, and tried to throw Seoinage. Since both of them were soaked in sweat, without Judo-gis, Kimura fell to the mat. Santana followed with a straight punch and head-butt to Kimura’s stomach, not once or twice, but three times. Kimura was stunned; however, he maintained his nerve and waited for his chance to counter. When Santana tried to head-butt for the fourth time, Kimura punched Santana’s forehead-between the eyes-with all his strength. Santana,his face covered in blood, retreated.

 

Kimura got up from the mat and chased Santana. The fight lasted for 40 minutes with a draw, as both of them were exhausted, unable to do complete damage. Kimura was 42 years old at the time.

 

Damm I hope to be that good even in my 40's. I guess it's true that in a grappling art you can preserve yourself for a long period of time without all the athritic pain of a striking art.

Tapped out, knocked out, or choked out...Take your pick.


http://jujitsu4u.com/

http://www.combatwrestling.com/

http://gokor.com/

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The competitive spirit of these guys is amazing. Helio had already proved himself and his style to everyone but he continued fighting until he couldn't fight anymore. Kimura fought well into his late 40's. Why?

Tapped out, knocked out, or choked out...Take your pick.


http://jujitsu4u.com/

http://www.combatwrestling.com/

http://gokor.com/

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  • 3 weeks later...
Yeah he was a once in a lifetime fighter. I am very curious about they way they trained for conditioning back then. I have heard of matches going on for 90 min, but 4 hours?!

Tapped out, knocked out, or choked out...Take your pick.


http://jujitsu4u.com/

http://www.combatwrestling.com/

http://gokor.com/

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mhh 4 hours what if they needed to go to the toilet? :D pause? no honestly that kimura guy had big body strength which is quite unsuall for a japanese. well thats what comes out if you have great power and talent

Be everything. Be nothing.

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