Danjo
Master Black Belt
It seems, however, that when Helio's group give their version that they say that Carlos was the first to learn JJ, but that he did nothing to modify it, and that Helio was the true modifier and thus creator of BJJ. However, when you read interviews with Carley Gracie (who claims that he was never defeated even inside the Gracie family) he says that he learned everything from his father Carlos, and it was in fact Carlos that did the majority of modifications and was the first one to start the Gracie challenge and win the challenge matches in Brazil. Oslo also fought challenge matches before Helio. This is more than a slight difference of opinion. It is an attempt to rewrite history rather completely. In The Gracie Way, they make Carlos out to have been a nice, sage, moderately skilled martial artist, who knew a great deal about herbs and diet. But Helio, however, was supposedly the great inovator etc. Now, one other point: in every picture I have seen, Carlos is smaller than Helio both in terms of height and build. How is it that it would be Helio that would need to develop the techniques to take advantage of his smaller size?Kembudo-Kai Kempoka said:No. He even states in his own bio that he put a spin on some of the techs because he was not as large or athletic as his brothers (i.e., Carlos, Oslo). Carlos had the school; Helio, weak and small, would sit and watch the classes each night. One night, Carlos doesn't show, so Helio steps in and starts teaching classes...never having trained in one.
Time goes by, Helio gets good, and the 1st generation of Gracie Bros. start issuing challenge matches throughout Brazil. Carlos & Helio, working together. Even the "feuding" cousins trained under each others dads/uncles. Some of Helio's boys would go roll with Carlos, and Carlos' kids would go roll with Helio. Helio got a brief upper hand in the PR dept. by "siring" 2 of the national hero-level GJJ greats; Rolls & Rickson...both of whom trained with a couple of the oldsters, as well as with their cousins and friends of the family who were betters and equals.
Torrance propaganda is geared to make money for Rorian. In the process, he has alienated some (truly), and just made business enemies with others...by and large, though, they still greet with hugs and shoot the shyte in Portugese.