When people think of the martial arts, usually Japan or China come to mind. But the names Helio Gracie, Euclydes Hatem, Royce Gracie, Rickson Gracie, and Manuel dos Reis Machado all conjure up two words- Brazil and greatness. In other words, the Brazilian martial arts styles take a backseat to no country.
So read on to find out more about them.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
When the Ultimate Fighting Championship debuted in 1993, the world finally got a glimpse of how the various martial arts styles did in real combat. Along with this, if someone had told most of us that a 170 pound Brazilian Jiu Jitsu grappler by the name of Royce Gracie would end up winning three out of the first four tournaments while rarely even landing a standing strike, many would have laughed.
Of course, history tells us that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the Gracies were the ones laughing in the end. Click the link to hear about this highly formidable art.
Capoeira
Most of the time, people pay much more attention to the word martial in martial arts than the word the art. Capoeira, a striking martial arts style, does not. In fact, this dance-fighting hybrid pays a lot of attention to the art side of things, and the result is a beautiful and distinct martial arts style. Click the link to find out more.
Luta Livre
Many don't realize that before Brazilian Jiu Jitsu proved its worth on a UFC stage, it was involved in a bitter rivalry in Brazil with a mostly grappling style of martial arts called Luta Livre. Though the Gracies generally came out on top in the rivalry, to pretend that Luta Livre didn't prove itself a worthy art on its own would be a mistake.
Click the link to find out more on this martial arts style.
