Hélio Vígio Gomes
Hélio Vígio Gomes was a Gracie Academy instructor and red belt who later refereed at the first UFC event.
Biography
Sources for this profile
Valente Brothers, memorial article, 16 December 2016; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
The Valente family recalls that their father brought Vígio to Vasco da Gama as a conditioning coach.
Where in the source: A True Modern Samurai; ‘Years later our father invited him to become Vasco da Gama's conditioning coach’.
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The Valente family recalls Vígio as one of the Gracie Academy's professors in the 1950s and a recipient of Hélio Gracie's professor diploma; he taught their father.
Where in the source: A True Modern Samurai; ‘one of the original Navy Belt professors’; ‘A Helio Gracie Professors' Diploma recipient’; ‘one of our father's first teachers’.
Accessed:
Caio Belandi, O Dia, 16 December 2016; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
O Dia identifies the deceased police delegate and jiu-jitsu practitioner as Helio Vigio Gomes, connecting the full name to the martial arts figure who refereed early UFC fights.
Where in the source: Morre, aos 82 anos, o delegado Hélio Vigio; ‘Helio Vigio Gomes’; ‘Vida ligada ao esporte’; ‘árbitro das primeiras lutas do UFC’.
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Vígio served as a Rio de Janeiro civil-police delegate and headed units for robbery and theft, kidnapping, and drug enforcement before retiring in 2004.
Where in the source: Morre, aos 82 anos, o delegado Hélio Vigio; ‘foi chefe de unidades especializadas como as delegacias de roubos e furtos, a antissequestro e a de combate às drogas’; ‘aposentado desde 2004’.
Accessed:
O Dia reported on 16 December 2016 that Hélio Vígio Gomes died the preceding Thursday, aged 82.
Where in the source: Morre, aos 82 anos, o delegado Hélio Vigio; ‘Publicado 16/12/2016’; ‘Morreu nesta quinta-feira’.
Accessed:
Graciemag interview with Hélio Gracie, first published 2007 and republished in 2020; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
At the Gracie Academy on Avenida Rio Branco, Hélio Vígio taught among Carlson and Robson Gracie, Armando Wriedt and João Alberto Barreto; Hélio Gracie described monitoring their private lessons and enforcing their schedule.
Where in the source: A deep dive into the life of Helio Gracie; ‘Rio Branco Avenue’; ‘The team of instructors at the Gracie academy’; ‘I kept track and charged fines for lateness’.
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes, ‘Helio Vigio’, undated profile; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes lists Hélio Vígio's team association as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Where in the source: Helio Vigio Jiu Jitsu; ‘Team/Association: Gracie Jiu Jitsu’.
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BJJ Heroes describes Hélio Vígio as a red belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Helio Vigio; opening description: ‘9th degree red belt’.
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BJJ Heroes, ‘Fernando “Pinduka”’, undated profile; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Fernando ‘Pinduka’ Guimarães began jiu-jitsu lessons as a child with Hélio Vígio and later trained under Carlson Gracie.
Where in the source: Fernando ‘Pinduka’ Biography; ‘started being taught by the late Helio Vígio’; ‘training with three legends’.
Accessed:
Gabriel Guimarães, História do Jiu-Jitsu, profile updated 7 October 2026, summarizing Pinduka's Connect Cast interview at 0:01:07; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
In an interview summarized by Gabriel Guimarães, Pinduka said Vígio recommended to his father that he move to Carlson Gracie's academy when Vígio's police career left less time for teaching.
Where in the source: Hélio Vígio; ‘Segundo Fernando Pinduka’; ‘Quando Vígio seguiu carreira de delegado de polícia’.
Accessed:
Álvaro Barreto recalled that Vígio left the Gracie Academy and established his own academy.
Where in the source: Hélio Vígio; ‘Segundo Álvaro Barreto, Hélio Vígio foi o primeiro professor a sair da Academia Gracie para montar a própria academia’.
Accessed:
Guilherme Cruz, MMA Fighting, 23 October 2014; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Guilherme Cruz's history of Maracanãzinho identifies Vígio as the referee in the 1984 Molina versus Behring vale-tudo match.
Where in the source: The Brazilian Colosseum; section on Molina versus Behring; ‘Helio Vigio, a police officer and jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie, was the referee’.
Accessed:
Guilherme Cruz, MMA Fighting, 16 December 2016; read 8 October 2026.(opens in a new tab)
Vígio refereed four contests at the inaugural UFC event in 1993, including the final between Royce Gracie and Gerard Gordeau.
Where in the source: UFC 1 referee Helio Vigio passes away at age 82; ‘refereed four bouts at UFC 1 in 1993, including the tournament final’.
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Lineage
No teaching connections are shown on this page.
Open lineage