Why did Grandmaster Hélio Gracie stop supporting sport Jiu-Jitsu competitions?
The original Gracie brothers, Carlos and Hélio Gracie, always considered Jiu-Jitsu to be the most effective art of self-defense and not a competition sport. In order to prove the superiority of Jiu-Jitsu over other styles, they created Vale Tudo (MMA). Through Hélio’s epic battles against the best fighters of his time, they were able to prove their point and attain international notoriety. Many years’ later, by influence of some students and family members who wanted to compete against other Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, Grandmaster Hélio decided to take part in an effort to create a Jiu-Jitsu federation for the organization of grappling competitions. However, as he noticed that these regulated competitions were causing a decharacterization of the fundamental principles and objectives of his style of Jiu-Jitsu, he decided to resign from the federation. According to the Grandmaster, this occurred because the awarding of points for positional superiority and the institution of time limits pre
