The stars came out to honor Ricardo
Liborio over the weekend.
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Murilo
Bustamante, Ricardo
Arona, João Alberto Barreto, Reyson Gracie, Carlos Rosado,
Fernando
Pinduka and Arthur Virgílio Netto were among more than 50
jiu-jitsu and vale tudo legends that convened at Brazilian Top Team
headquarters in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to attend the coral belt
(seventh degree black belt) graduation of Liborio. Liborio is
considered to be among the top three most technical black belts
ever taught by the legendary Carlson Gracie.
According to jiu-jitsu tradition, coral belts are only awarded to
masters who have been active black belts for more than 30
years.
“It´s hard to express what I’m feeling right now with many
generations of jiu-jitsu joining in this special moment,” Liborio
told Sherdog.com shortly after receiving his coral belt. “From
legends like João Alberto Barreto, who defended jiu-jitsu side by
side with my master Carlson; my idols when I started as a white
belt, like Peixotinho, Rosado and Pinduka; training partners like
Bustamante and Arona; and my American students who came from the
U.S. to witness such a unique moment in my life and understand the
origins of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.”
The belt was tied around Liborio’s waist by Pinduka and Rosado, the
oldest members of the Carlson Gracie Academy.
After spending years as a jiu-jitsu teacher, founding the Brazilian
Top Team and leading the American Top Team, today Liborio dedicates
himself to teaching jiu-jitsu at the University of Central Florida.
Some 80 American students were on the mats set up at AABB, the
place where Liborio, at the age of 4, took his first steps as a
fighter by putting on his gi to train in judo.
In addition to Liborio, Luiz Roberto “Bebeo” Duarte and Marcel
Duque Estrada were also awarded the coral belt.