Time truly heals all wounds.
When anyone recalls the
most remarkable episodes of the jiu-jitsu and luta livre
rivalry on the streets of Rio de Janeiro in the ‘80s and ‘90s,
three chapters are always remembered as the most violent and tense
ones: The fight between the luta livre head Hugo Duarte
and Rickson
Gracie in Pepe Beach in 1988; the invasion of Gracie Academy by
almost 100 luta livre students led by Duarte one week later; and
the
historic riot of Pentagon Combat in 1997 during the main event
between Renzo Gracie
and Eugenio
Tadeu that led to the prohibition of vale tudo for almost six
years.
In all of those instances, Renzo Gracie
and Duarte were two of the most important leaders of both sides. In
August, Gracie and Duarte shocked the Brazilian mixed martial arts
world by
announcing a partnership for a new academy in Texas.
“Definitely the world turns around, after years of war, I found out
that one of my biggest rivals is such a unique person, and turned
into a great friend and business partner,” Duarte told Sherdog.
On Tuesday, Gracie gave a
statement about his partnership with his former enemy in an
interview with Sherdog, along with Duarte.
“Those crazy times were very important to forge who we are today. A
man is the enemy he has, and I have the honor and glory of having
Hugo as enemy, because that motivated me to be stronger, once I
wanted to be as strong as him. He was one of my heroes,” Gracie
admitted.
Despite two decades of back-and-forth fighting and hostility, the
two men still respected one another.
“Always one by one,” Duarte recalled, about the battles they waged.
“We fought with honor, and the winner was always cleared and
recognized by both sides. We hated each other, but we respected
each other as warriors.”
As the two major figures in the sport aged, tensions cooled. It was
social media, with minor but important connections, that allowed
the two to push past old grudges.
“I posted some techniques in my Instagram and Renzo liked [them],
[so I sent] him a message,” Duarte explained. “He answered, asking
how I was, and I told him I was moving to Finland, and he said,
‘f— Finland. Come here to Texas and open an academy with me
here.’ I flew to Texas with my wife and daughter, and Renzo treated
me in a way that not even a parent treats [their child]. In five
days together, we [traveled] more than 2,000 kilometers, visiting
his academies and looking [for] a new space to open ours.
Definitely, this guy is a unique person in the world.”
The two quickly forged a bond that was strengthened by their past
conflict, and the days of the two as bitter rivals are over.
“I’ll never forget what you did [for] my wife and daughter, now you
are f—-ed up Renzo, I’m a person of honor and I’ll be your
soldier forever,” Duarte told his new brother-in-arms.
Gracie concluded by noting that the two had already rented the area
where their new academy will be built. The 15th branch of Renzo
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – with a key partner unlike any of his other
schools – will be established in Houston. Its construction should
be complete by the end of 2023.