The Helio Gracie vs Masahiko Kimura fight would forever change the course of martial arts.

On October 23, 1951, Hélio Gracie faced Masahiko Kimura who outweighed him by nearly 80 lbs. It was the first time that a jiu-jitsu world championship match would be held outside of Japan.

The above video is narrated by third generation Gracie Black Belt Rener Gracie of the world famous Gracie University.

Rener talks us through the history of his family’s jiu-jitsu and his grandfather’s famous match with Kimura.

Masahiko Kimura was a Japanese judoka and professional wrestler who is widely considered one of the greatest judoka of all time.

In submission grappling, the reverse ude-garami arm lock is often called the “Kimura”, due to his famous victory over Gracie jiu-jitsu developer Hélio Gracie.

In the Japanese professional wrestling world, he is known for the controversial match he had with Rikidōzan.
Hélio Gracie was a Brazilian martial artist who, together with his brother Carlos Gracie, founded the martial art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and with Luiz França and Oswaldo Fadda the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).

According to Rorion Gracie, his father Helio Gracie is one of the first sports heroes in Brazilian history; he was named Man of the Year in 1997 by the American martial arts publication Black Belt magazine.

He was the father of Rickson Gracie, Royler Gracie, Royce Gracie, Relson Gracie, and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Co-founder Rorion Gracie, among other sons and daughters.

According to one of his most notable opponents, Masahiko Kimura, Gracie held the rank of 6th dan in judo.

In May 1955, at the YMCA in Rio de Janeiro, Gracie participated in a 3-hour 42 minute fight against his former student Valdemar Santana with Santana knocking out Gracie with a soccer kick.

This would be the last of Helio’s matches that involved striking.

Gracie’s son, Rorion Gracie, was the first Gracie family member to bring Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to the United States of America.

Royce Gracie, Rorion’s younger brother, went on to become the first UFC champion in the organization’s history; Helio coached Royce from outside the cage at UFC 1 and UFC 2.