Jiu Jitsu Style - Issue 38 2017

SOURCES: • KID PELIGRO, THE GRACIE WAY • LUIZ OTAVIO LAYDNER, WITH THE BACK ON THE

GROUND • ROBERTO PEDREIRA, CHOQUE • TRADITION: THE RISE OF A GRACIE FIGHTER •

BJJHEROES.COM • SLIDEYFOOT.COM

BY CAN SÖNMEZ

“Waldemar Santana was actually a good friend of
mine. We liked each other, but after the fight with
my uncle Hélio I called him and told him that we
now had a problem. So I challenged him to a fight
and said, ‘I am your friend, but in the ring we are
enemies and I am going to beat you to a pulp!’”

Carlson was not like his father or his uncle: this
time, it was the Gracie fighter who proved physi-
cally dominant. Carlson beat on Santana until his
corner was forced to throw in the towel. The two
men stayed friends, leaving their conflict in the
ring, where they would continue to meet over the
years. In total, they had six fights, two of which
Carlson won, the others were all draws.

Waldemar was to be Carlson’s last ever vale tudo
opponent, in 1970. As it states in Choque:

“Thereafter Carlson fixed his attention on arbitrat-
ing football games and teaching jiu-jitsu and luta
livre. Waldemar continued fighting for another
five years. It was only when he had a traffic acci-
dent in Brasilia in 1975 that he finally quit, at the
age of 47. Like Carlson, he kept teaching jiu jitsu
and luta livre.”

Waldemar continued to be involved with vale
tudo, moving from the ring to promoting his own
fight shows. That would include major events,
such as in April 1980. Santana’s line up featured
the young champion Rickson Gracie against
Casimiro Martins, known as ‘Rei Zulu’.

As with the Gracies, jiu jitsu was a family business
for the Santanas. Waldemar’s brother Valdo San-

tana ran a school in Rio, as well as fighting in the

ring himself, such as his match with Ivan Lemos on

the 15th May, 1961. According to the author of

Choque, Valdo was:

“considered by some to be unbeatable and was

certainly Ivan’s most formidable opponent to

date. Ivan personally respected Valdo for being

courageous, playing by the rules, being technical,

and never unnecessarily brutalizing his opponents

[...] Details about the fight are unavailable, apart

from the fact the result was a draw.”

By 1978, Valdo had a quarter-century of teaching

under his black belt, at the Academia Santana on

Praça Floriano in Rio. BJJ was not the only activity

on offer, with options ranging from ballet through

to gymnastics and massage.

Waldemar had an academy too, based in Brasi-

lia. He suffered a stroke in December 1982, but

recovered sufficiently to keep teaching. Santana

passed away two years later, at the age of 58.

Choque gives him the following obituary, sum-

marising a comparatively short but arguably

successful life:

“In any case he departed in better financial condi-

tion than most Brazilian fighters. He had no sizea-

ble debts and left his widow Waldemirina and 18

year old daughter Waldimara with a functioning

academy and several homes. If his ring record

wasn’t impressive enough, he had the distinction

of ending up with more than he started with. Not

many fighters could say that.”

TIMELINE

1955

Waldemar Santana beats

Helio Gracie, over a gruelling

four hours

1956

Carlson reclaims the family

honour by defeating Waldemar

1961

Waldemar’s brother, Valdo,

fights Ivan Lemos to a draw

1970

Carlson fights for the sixth and

final time with Waldemar

1975

After a serious car accident,

Waldemar retires from the ring

1984

Waldemar passes away at the

age of 58