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Crezio de Souza

Crezio de Souza placed second in the adult black belt light division at the 2002 Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu.

Biography

Crezio de Souza is a jiu-jitsu black belt who trained at Carlson Gracie’s academy and fought professionally in vale tudo. Sherdog lists his association as Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and his style as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Much of the account of his training comes from História do Jiu-Jitsu’s summaries of Connect Cast interviews. In de Souza’s account, he started jiu-jitsu at age four at his father’s academy in Petrópolis and sometimes taught there when his father was absent. His father, the fighter Crézio Chaves, had trained at Hélio Gracie’s academy. The black belt he later wore on his first arrival at Carlson’s academy was borrowed from his father. Sérgio Bolão remembered de Souza arriving from Petrópolis at Carlson’s academy wearing a black belt. Carlson had him train there as a blue belt, and de Souza stayed at Bolão’s home during weekly visits to the academy. In de Souza’s account, Ricardo De La Riva caught him in about three triangle chokes during his first session at Carlson’s academy. The two later became friends and shared meals at De La Riva’s home between training sessions. De Souza described Cássio Cardoso as a mentor at Carlson’s academy. He recalled that after three or four years at brown belt, senior teammates urged Carlson to promote him, and Carlson tied on his black belt. De Souza recalled seeing a challenge from Johil de Oliveira displayed at Carlson’s academy and seeking a vale-tudo bout with him. The fight came about a year later. Sherdog’s professional fight history records de Souza’s first-round rear-naked-choke submission win over Johil at DDT - Duelo de Titas in 1995. It also lists a TKO loss to Alan Carvalho at Vale Tudo O Lutador in 1996 and a loss to Dan Henderson at Brazil Open ’97 in 1997. In de Souza’s account of a team split, Murilo Bustamante and Zé Mário Sperry told him they were leaving Carlson, while he chose to stay. Carlson also waived his academy fees. In one story, Carlson gave away his cash before they stopped for açaí, leaving de Souza to pay with his bus fare. The IBJJF’s 2002 Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu results place de Souza second in the adult black belt men’s light division.

Sources for this profile

  • International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation, 'Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2002' results archive (undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • The IBJJF's 2002 Campeonato Brasileiro results place Crezio de Souza second in the Adult Black Belt Male Light division.

      Where in the source: ATHLETES RESULTS BY CATEGORY; ADULTO / PRETA / MASCULINO / LEVE, between PENA and MEDIO. Four visible placements: 1 Rafael Barbosa (B Top Team); 2 Crezio de Souza (Crezio de Souza); 3 Eduardo Cadena (Infight); 3 Carlos Eduardo (Cia Paulista). Adjacent PENA block confirms placement, name and team column order.

      Accessed:

  • Sherdog, 'Crezio de Souza' fighter profile (undated).(opens in a new tab)

    • Sherdog lists Crezio de Souza's association as Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and his style as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

      Where in the source: Profile heading 'Crezio de Souza'; the metadata immediately below lists 'ASSOCIATION Carlson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu' and 'STYLE Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu'.

      Accessed:

    • Sherdog's professional fight history records a September 1, 1995 win over Johil de Oliveira at DDT - Duelo de Titas by first-round rear-naked-choke submission.

      Where in the source: 'FIGHT HISTORY - PRO' table; third listed bout: 'win | Johil de Oliveira | DDT - Duelo de Titas', dated 'Sep / 01 / 1995', with 'Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)' and round '1'.

      Accessed:

    • Sherdog's professional fight history records a December 19, 1996 loss to Alan Carvalho at Vale Tudo O Lutador by second-round TKO (punches).

      Where in the source: 'FIGHT HISTORY - PRO' table; second listed bout: 'loss | Alan Carvalho | VTOL - Rio De Janeiro, Vale Tudo O Lutador', dated 'Dec / 19 / 1996', with 'TKO (Punches)', round '2', and time '4:12'.

      Accessed:

    • Sherdog's professional fight history records a June 15, 1997 loss to Dan Henderson at Brazil Open '97 by first-round TKO (punches).

      Where in the source: 'FIGHT HISTORY - PRO' table; first listed bout: 'loss | Dan Henderson | Brazil Open - '97', dated 'Jun / 15 / 1997', with 'TKO (Punches)', round '1', and time '5:25'.

      Accessed:

  • Gabriel Guimarães, Crézio de Souza, História do Jiu-Jitsu (updated 7 Oct 2026), timed summaries of three Connect Cast interviews.(opens in a new tab)

    • In an interview summarized by Guimarães, Crezio de Souza recalled starting jiu-jitsu at age four at his father’s academy in Petrópolis and sometimes teaching there when his father was absent.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: Segundo Crézio de Souza, ele começou no jiu-jitsu com quatro anos, na academia do pai em Petrópolis, onde passou a dar aula no lugar do pai; Connect Cast 0:03:10.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza described his father as having trained at Hélio Gracie’s academy; the same profile identifies his father as the fighter Crézio Chaves.

      Where in the source: Biografia: É filho de Crézio Chaves; Histórias contadas: Segundo Crézio de Souza, o pai dele foi atleta da academia de Hélio Gracie; Connect Cast 0:03:42.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza recalled that Ricardo De La Riva repeatedly caught him in triangle chokes during his first session at Carlson Gracie’s academy, before the two became friends.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: no primeiro treino na academia de Carlson Gracie ... levou uns três triângulos ... era Ricardo De La Riva; Connect Cast 0:05:48. Friendship entry 0:08:23.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza said he and De La Riva later ate together at De La Riva’s home between training sessions.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: ele e Ricardo De La Riva viraram amigos: depois do treino almoçavam na casa de De La Riva e voltavam juntos para a academia; Connect Cast 0:08:23.

      Accessed:

    • In de Souza’s recollection, Carlson Gracie tied on his black belt after he had spent three or four years at brown belt and senior teammates urged the promotion.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: ficou três ou quatro anos de faixa-marrom ... os mais antigos, como Amaury Bitetti, insistiram ... Carlson deu o nó; Connect Cast 0:13:04.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza recalled seeking a vale-tudo bout with Johil de Oliveira after seeing a challenge displayed at Carlson Gracie’s academy; he said the bout happened about a year later and he submitted Johil.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: foto de Johil de Oliveira desafiando qualquer Gracie ... depois de cerca de um ano pedindo, Crézio enfrentou Johil ... e o finalizou; Connect Cast 0:24:47.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza described Cássio Cardoso as a mentor during his time at Carlson Gracie’s academy.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: Cássio Cardoso foi seu mentor na academia de Carlson Gracie; Connect Cast 0:42:08.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza said Murilo Bustamante and Zé Mário Sperry told him they were leaving Carlson Gracie’s team, while he decided to remain with Carlson.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: Murilo Bustamante e Zé Mário Sperry o avisaram que estavam deixando Carlson Gracie ... decidiu ficar com o mestre; Connect Cast 0:45:19.

      Accessed:

    • De Souza recalled that Carlson Gracie waived his academy fees and once gave away his cash before an açaí stop, leaving de Souza to pay with his bus fare.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas: Carlson Gracie não cobrava a academia dele ... deu todo o dinheiro ... morador de rua ... Crézio pagar a conta com o dinheiro da passagem; Connect Cast 0:46:23.

      Accessed:

    • Sérgio Bolão recalled de Souza arriving from Petrópolis wearing a black belt, then training as a blue belt at Carlson Gracie’s academy and staying at Bolão’s home on weekly visits.

      Where in the source: Histórias contadas, Sérgio Bolão: chegou de Petrópolis como faixa-preta ... Carlson ... recomeçar de faixa azul ... quinta a domingo ... dormia na casa de Bolão; Connect Cast 0:52:21.

      Accessed:

  • Gabriel Guimarães, Crézio de Souza venceu Renzo Gracie e foi o 1º adversário de Dan Henderson, História do Jiu-Jitsu (25 Sep 2026), recounting de Souza’s Connect Cast interview of 7 Sep 2023.(opens in a new tab)

    • In the published account of his Connect Cast interview, de Souza arrived at Carlson Gracie’s academy wearing a black belt borrowed from his father.

      Where in the source: A faixa do pai e os triângulos de um faixa-roxa: chegou ao Carlson com a faixa-preta emprestada do pai; O Crézio chegou com a faixa do pai na cintura. Interview sequence 0:05:48–0:06:18, linked from the athlete page.

      Accessed:

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