Valdemar Santana

Valdemar Santana
Valdemar Santana
Born	28 October 1929; Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Died	29 August 1984 (aged 54); Bahia, Brazil
Nickname	Adema Santa ; Black Leopard
Style	Capoeira, Luta Livre, Vale Tudo, Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu
Trainer	Hélio Gracie

Valdemar Santana^[1] (born 28 October 1929^[2] - died 29 August 1984^[3]), sometimes known as Adema Santa, was a Brazilian martial artist who trained in Capoeira under Mestre Bimba and in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Hélio Gracie. He was also trained in Luta Livre and boxing.^[4]

Biography

He is famous for fighting his former master Hélio Gracie in 1955.^[5] Valdemar fought for the original Gracie Academy for many years but had a falling out with Hélio. Gracie and Santana decided to settle their differences in a Vale Tudo (no holds barred) match. After more than three hours and forty minutes of combat, Santana knocked out Gracie with a soccer kick to the head.^[6]

The violence of that fight would lead to the prohibition of Vale Tudo in Rio de Janeiro and merit chronicles in all newspapers in the city, including one by Nélson Rodrigues, entitled: “O preto que tinha uma alma negra”, in which the playwright analyzes the racial issue at the time. In his words:

“What happened yesterday at the ACM was an ancestral revange of the black over the white. I felt as if the blow that knocked out Hélio Gracie was delivered by the foot of Saint Benedict”.^[7]

The brutal knockout suffered by Hélio Gracie would generate an immediate interest in a response from the family, this time represented by Carlson Gracie (Hélio's nephew). Carlson would avenge his uncle Hélio in a Vale Tudo fight that filled Maracanãzinho in 1956. Carlson and Santana had, according to Carlson Gracie, had six fights, with Carlson winning two and the other four being declared a draw.^{[citation needed]}

But even after being defeated by Gracie, Santana continued with his status as a great sports icon. It is worth remembering that at that time Brazil was still experiencing the trauma of the Maracanazo in 1950. It was only in 1958 that the Canarian script, led by Pelé, would bring their first World Cup.^{[citation needed]}

In addition to Carlson Gracie fights, Black Leopard Leopardo Negro would fight several times with other great icons of his generation, such as Ivan Gomes, Euclides Pereira, and even with the Japanese Masahiko Kimura, whom he faced in Salvador under the rules of Vale-Tudo.^[8] Kimura won the first match, and the re-match was a draw.

Masahiko Kimura vs. Valdemar Santana

Masahiko Kimura went to Brazil again in 1959 to conduct his last Professional Judo/Wrestling tour. He was challenged by Valdemar Santana to a "real" (not choreographed) submission match. Santana was a champion in Gracie Jiujitsu and Capoeira. He was 27 years old, 6 feet tall, and weighed 205 lb. Kimura threw Santana with seoinage, hanegoshi, and osotogari. He then applied his famous reverse ude-garami (entangled armlock), winning the match.

Santana requested a rematch under vale tudo rules (their first fight was apparently grappling only), and, this time, the result was a draw after 40 minutes in a bout in which both competitors reportedly drew blood. Kimura fought this match despite having an injured knee; he was pressured by the promoter and police to fight against his doctor's orders.^[9]

Career highlights

1955: Won over Hélio Gracie by KO
1955: Drew with Carlson Gracie
1956: Lost to Carlson Gracie by TKO
1957: Lost to Carlson Gracie by decision
1957: Drew with Carlson Gracie
1957: Drew with Carlson Gracie
1957: Drew with Carlson Gracie
1959: Lost to Masahiko Kimura by submission
1959: Drew with Masahiko Kimura
1962: Drew with Ivan Gomes
1968: Lost to Euclides Pereira by retirement
1970: Drew with Carlson Gracie
197?: Drew with Euclides Pereira
1972: Lost to Ivan Gomes by submission

References

^ Spelled Waldemar Santana in Brazilian Portuguese; Portuguese pronunciation: [vawdeˈmaʁ sɐ̃ˈtɐ̃nɐ]
^ "Remembering Helio Gracie". October 2013.
^ "Luta de Gigantes (Waldemar Santana vs Gracies) - Academia Colisão". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
^ "Waldemar Santana". Retrieved 22 October 2022.
^ Helio Gracie Dead, sherdog.com. Accessed 22 October 2022.
^ Grant, T.P. (2 January 2012). "MMA Origins: Carlson Gracie Changes Jiu-Jitsu and Vale Tudo". Vox Media Inc. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
^ "Primeiro herói negro do esporte brasileiro, Waldemar Santana completaria 92 anos nesta quarta". 28 October 2020.
^ "Waldemar Santana By The Numbers - Spider Jiu Jitsu". www.spiderjiujitsu.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014.
^ Masahiko Kimura Excerpt from My Judo (1984).

[1] Spelled Waldemar Santana in Brazilian Portuguese; Portuguese pronunciation: [vawdeˈmaʁ sɐ̃ˈtɐ̃nɐ]

[2] "Remembering Helio Gracie". October 2013.

[3] "Luta de Gigantes (Waldemar Santana vs Gracies) - Academia Colisão". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.

[4] "Waldemar Santana". Retrieved 22 October 2022.

[5] Helio Gracie Dead, sherdog.com. Accessed 22 October 2022.

[6] Grant, T.P. (2 January 2012). "MMA Origins: Carlson Gracie Changes Jiu-Jitsu and Vale Tudo". Vox Media Inc. Retrieved 2 July 2012.

[7] "Primeiro herói negro do esporte brasileiro, Waldemar Santana completaria 92 anos nesta quarta". 28 October 2020.

[8] "Waldemar Santana By The Numbers - Spider Jiu Jitsu". www.spiderjiujitsu.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014.

[kimura2-9] Masahiko Kimura Excerpt from My Judo (1984).

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