Mitsuyo Maeda

Mitsuyo Maeda was a Japanese judoka and prizefighter who traveled around the world to demonstrate and teach his art. He learned judo from Jigoro Kano, the founder of Kodokan Judo, and became one of his best students. He also learned jujutsu and catch wrestling from other masters. He was known for his skill and courage in challenge matches, where he faced opponents of different styles and sizes. He earned the nickname Count Combat or Conde Koma in Spanish and Portuguese, which he adopted after a successful tour in Spain in 1908. He arrived in Brazil in 1914, where he helped to establish a Japanese colony in the state of Pará. He settled in Belém, the capital city, and opened his own judo academy in 1921. He befriended Gastão Gracie, a local businessman, and taught his son Carlos Gracie the basics of judo. Carlos then passed on his knowledge to his brothers and sons, who developed their own style of jiu-jitsu, known today as Brazilian jiu-jitsu or Gracie jiu-jitsu. Maeda also taught other students, such as Luiz França, who founded his own lineage of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Maeda was a promoter of Japanese culture and immigration in Brazil, and became a naturalized Brazilian citizen in 1930. He died of kidney disease in 1941, at the age of 63. He was posthumously promoted to 7th dan black belt in judo by the Kodokan Institute in Japan. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential martial artists in history, and the father of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.