and the Canal Zone, and he is said to have had only 2 defeats in over 2,000
matches. Unlike contemporary Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylists, who often attack
with strikes and then follow up with groundwork, Maeda concentrated al-
most solely on chokes and joint locks. In other words, he did orthodox
Japanese ne-waza(groundwork).
As a wrestler, Maeda was known for issuing challenges, including one
to Jack Johnson, the reigning heavyweight boxing champion. Maeda’s stu-
dent Carlos Gracie followed this example by advertising in Brazilian news-
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 53Rorion Gracie
stands in front of
the Gracie Jiu-jitsu
Academy in
Torrance,
California, 2001.
(Courtesy
of Mike Lano,
[email protected])