In a historic moment, the renowned Jiu-Jitsu figure, Leo Castello Branco, has been awarded the prestigious coral belt, the seventh degree in the art of Jiu-Jitsu. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, January 17th, in Rio de Janeiro, where Castello Branco received the honor from his mentor, Fernando Pinduka, a student of the late master Carlson Gracie.
Castello Branco, who has been a black belt for 31 years, expressed his profound sense of accomplishment upon receiving the new belt. “The feeling is one of a job well done as an athlete, professor, event organizer, promoter of Jiu-Jitsu, and creator of teams. I have gone through all the stages within Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu has grown tremendously, and for those of us who, like myself, have helped pave the way in the past, this coral belt honors that. So, it is a feeling of a task accomplished. Not just for the time passed, but for the intensity of the time spent within Jiu-Jitsu and the goals we have set for life, concepts, and values.”
In his illustrious career in the gentle art, Castello Branco has trained and promoted dozens of black belts. He was also one of the founders of the renowned Alliance team, where he served as president and won two world titles. In 2004, he founded the Brasa team, where he also served as president and won a World Championship with a roster that included renowned athletes such as Demian Maia, Leozinho Vieira, Ronaldo Jacaré, André Galvão, Leo Leite, Muzio de Angelis, Robert Drysdale, Rafael and Guilherme Mendes, and Rodrigo Comprido.
Castello Branco, who once competed in MMA against the legendary Igor Vovchanchyn, spoke about the development of Jiu-Jitsu and the significance of receiving the graduation from his mentor’s hands. “We literally gave our lives to Jiu-Jitsu, fighting to prove that our art was efficient. And this has made Jiu-Jitsu grow around the world as a martial art and a means of personal defense and emotional balance, as we were able to build a great self-confidence in people. All of this gives me great satisfaction in receiving this belt. And it was rewarding to receive it from the hands of my master, Fernando Pinduka, who promoted me to black belt, trained me as a fighter, and showed me a more didactic path in terms of classes and being a professional as a teacher. It was very gratifying and important to receive it from him.”
