Euclides Pereira

Biography

Pereira was born in North Eastern Brazil. His family moved to the city of Natal when he was a child, and he attended Salesian College to become a priest. He ended leaving the college for working in a hotel, and he would start training in martial arts, soon become a student under José Jurandir Moura, who was also a judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu certified teacher under George Gracie and Takeo Yano. He also trained in karate, capoeira and boxing, and had his debut in the vale tudo circuit at 17.

He joined the luta livre camp and became a legend in the vale tudo fights, getting the nickname of "O Diabo Louro" ("The Blond Devil") for his aggressiveness and charisma. He was the star of the Brazilian TV show Heroes do Ringue, fighting weekly from 1960-1966 on TV. Lore had his record as 358-0, even although Euclides was known not to hand pick his opponents in order to pad his record. He fought fellow vale tudo legends like Ivan Gomes, Valdemar Santana and Rei Zulu. He also was made famous when he defeated Carlson Gracie via a decision in 1968.

The fight which took 5 years to be planned, until all the conditions imposed by the Gracies were finally accepted. Knowing Carlson's danger on the mat, Euclides took advantage of his own superiority in striking and wrestling and almost got Gracie knocked out at the fourth round, breaking his nose and damaging his eye region. After 50 minutes, Pereira won the decision over a heavily bloodied Carlson. The match had controversy when Carlson claimed he had been "robbed" by the judges, given that Euclides had exited the ring to avoid a guillotine choke, however a common tactic at the time. Carlson was granted a rematch, but he never took it. Euclides would fight for 25 years before retiring.

Career highlights