In a recent interview on Connect Cast, prominent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu manager Viktor Doria addressed Erberth Santos’ legal situation, emphasizing the inevitability of his 14-year prison sentence. Doria was unequivocal about Santos’ trajectory, stating, “The guy is facing the consequences of his own acts.” He revealed that he had previously warned about Santos’ problematic conduct, having made videos criticizing the athlete’s actions.
Criticism of Event Organizers and Continued Opportunities
Doria harshly criticized events and promotions that continued to provide Santos with competitive opportunities despite his ongoing controversies. “You’re giving the platform to this s*it? That’s against the sport,” he recalled telling event organizers. He highlighted the willingness of some prominent figures in BJJ to defend giving Santos chances for redemption, but remained deeply skeptical.
Santos famously started a brawl with Felipe Pena at BJJ stars that was the first sign of his decline. From there he continued to embarrass himself, reportedly peeing himself during a BJJ competition . A sign many attributed to pending kidney failure due to alleged PED abuse.
In a direct confrontation, Doria was blunt about those who defended Santos, declaring, “The worst blind is the one who doesn’t want to see. You’re a vagabond.” He pointed to Santos’ AR-15 tattoo as evidence that claims of rehabilitation were unfounded.
“I had already made that video about his attitude in his fight against (Felipe) Pena, that he fought and stuff, and I said, “You’re a f—ing inconvenience, you’re a clown.”
“I met him at the next event. I looked at his face and said, “Bro, what did you do? What are you going to do? Do you want to fight now? Get out of here.”
“I don’t have a problem. Now, don’t try to act like a saint. Don’t try to sell the idea that the guy is recovering. It’s not like that, bro. He’s only getting worse. When he’s recovering, he got an AR-15 tattoo on his chest.”
He expressed frustration that his warnings were initially dismissed, noting, “Then a lot of people kicked my ass, including people with names. They said, you have to know how to give opportunities to the guy who wants to improve.”
Broader Community Concerns and Abuse Allegations
Beyond Santos’ specific case, Doria raised broader concerns about the Alecenor Alves case. He noted that many targets, including male practitioners, have come forward with their experiences.
He warned that more cases are likely to emerge, stating ominously, “There are still more things happening, unfortunately” and suggesting that “There’s still a house that’s going to fall.”
“How many stars are there from Jiu-Jitsu social projects? Look at Cicero Costha, how many stars did he train? Márcio de Deus… How many stars have he trained? There are a lot of people doing a lot of good things, but they are apples… Unfortunately, there are also bad apples in this. And it’s not just this guy (Alcenor Alves) who was caught. There are more people. There are more things happening, unfortunately,” said Viktor Doria, who continued:
“At this level, at a level, perhaps, without being a child, more than one level of harassment. I don’t want to speculate, because these are very serious accusations. If I had proof, I would put it here on the table, but I don’t. But there are people out there who must be biting their nails after seeing this news that came out now. There’s still room for destruction there,” he concluded.
Final Judgment and Consequences
Ultimately, Doria was resolute about Santos’ imprisonment. “He’s there now, 14 years old [in prison]. The place he deserves to be,” he declared. While acknowledging the limitations of the Brazilian prison system for rehabilitation, Doria maintained that Santos must face the legal consequences of his actions.
