Jorge Pereira is a Brazilian Red & White Coral Belt (8th Degree) Jiu-Jitsu Master who earned his black belt training under Rickson Gracie (1986).
Pereira is known as one of the defenders of the Brazilian grappling style in vale tudo (no holds barred) matches throughout the 1980/90s and 2000s as well as for having built one of the strongest jiu jitsu teams of that era, developing athletes such as Leo Dalla, Otavio “Tatá” Duarte, Paulo Guillobel, Wander Braga or Luiz “Guigo” to name a few.
Jorge Pereira was raised in the Volta Redonda municipality, state of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil.
As a youngster the Pereira family moved to Nova Ipanema in Rio’s South Zone. During his days at Nova Ipanema, Jorge clashed often with one of his neighbours who used to “rough-up” a few of the kids in his condo. These quarrels with his neighbour led Jorge to seek jiu jitsu instruction.
Although Jorge did not find a suitable jiu jitsu gym nearby, soon after he started his search Marcelo Behring moved into this same condo. Although in his late teens, Marcelo was already a big name in the Rio de Janeiro’s grappling scene, who would later become a legendary international figure. It was Marcelo who introduced Pereira to jiu jitsu at the age of 15, leading him all the way to blue belt.
Jorge Pereira fought in the Gracie Academy trials, and his performances earned him a spot on Rickson Gracie‘s competition squad, a special sect of the Gracie Academy that was chosen to represent Rickson himself.
Jorge started attending the group classes of these elite competitors from when he was a blue belt, he carried out training under Rickson Gracie for many years, achieving the rank of black belt in 1986.
Jorge Pereira was also a well known figure within the vale tudo (no holds barred) circuit during the 1990s, having decided to retire in 2008, at the age of 42 due to a knee injury and one blind eye, both due to his wars in the cages and rings.
World No Gi Champion (2008 senior 2)
Pan American Champion (2002/2003/2004 senior 1)
World No-Gi Championship Runner-up (2008 senior 2)
Pan American Championship Runner-up (2002 senior 1)
In 2007 an American entrepreneur named Jason Atkins contacted Jorge Pereira making a proposal that turned the fighting world upside down.
Backed by a few companies, Atkins opened an extreme events online channel (Tough Sports) that no-holds-barred combat as its core entertainment. The site’s event was called Rio Heroes, and it sought a raw approach to mixed martial arts (MMA), which a trending sport at the time.
Rio Heroes was broadcasted live from a satellite truck, with the fights being held in some of Brazil’s scariest favelas. Jorge Pereira was the frontman of Rio Heroes who reached out to fighters, was the organization’s speaker and also its referee.
On the 9th of December, 2013 Jorge Pereira was handed his coral belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu by the American BJJ Federation (USBJJF), an organization led by Joe Moreira.
Although the IBJJF (jiu jitsu’s most established governing body) will only recognize the rank after 31 years as a black belt (2017), the USBJJF bases its rank on services paid to the martial art, and given Pereira’s list of accomplishments, the rank was generally accepted by the grappling community. Jorge currently teaches in the Miami beach area.