Jose Jurandir Moura
Recife jiu-jitsu teacher from the 1950s who trained vale-tudo fighters, Euclides Pereira among them, and died an eighth-degree coral belt in 2010.
Biography
Sources for this profile
BJJ Heroes, 'Jurandir Moura' (fighter database entry, undated).(opens in a new tab)
His full name was Jose Jurandir Moura; he is usually referred to as Jurandir Moura.
Where in the source: Section 'Jurandir Moura in Detail', first line — 'Full Name: Jose Jurandir Moura'
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Moura received his instructor status from George Gracie at a time when the belt system differed from today's, and the navy blue belt was the only rank separating an instructor from a student.
Where in the source: Section 'Jurandir Moura Biography', first paragraph — 'navy blue belt'
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He also trained with Pedro Hemeterio, one of Carlos Gracie's leading students, and with Takeo Yano in Fortaleza.
Where in the source: Section 'Jurandir Moura Biography', first paragraph — 'Takeo Yano in Fortaleza'
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He was buried at the Parque das Flores cemetery.
Where in the source: Closing lines of the biography — 'Parque das Flores cemetery'
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In 1959 Moura sent one of his students, José Maria, to Campina Grande in Paraíba, where José Maria taught Ivan Gomes, later a star of Brazil's fight circuit.
Where in the source: Section 'Jurandir Moura Biography', second paragraph — 'José Maria to Campina Grande'
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Euclides Pereira, one of the first important fighters from the academy, was Moura's neighbour, and BJJ Heroes says Moura invited him to train when the academy opened.
Where in the source: Section 'Jurandir Moura Biography', second paragraph — 'Moura's neighbour'
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BJJ Heroes gives his lineage as Mitsuyo Maeda, Carlos Gracie, George Gracie, Jurandir Moura, and says he kept his academy running for many years and became one of the reference points of the sport in Pernambuco.
Where in the source: Section 'Jurandir Moura in Detail', line 'Lineage:'; closing lines of the biography
Accessed:
Bubishi – O Blog de todas as Artes Marciais, 'Falecimento do Mestre Jurandir Moura, 8º Grau de Jiu Jitsu', 30 January 2010 (credits mmabrazucas.com).(opens in a new tab)
A January 2010 obituary names George Gracie, Pedro Hemeterio and Takeo Yano as the teachers he learned from.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, first paragraph — 'aprendeu com o GEORGE GRACIE'
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- Conflicting accounts
According to the 2010 obituary, he arrived in Recife in the mid-1950s, when jiu-jitsu was still in its early days there, and opened his academy in 1955.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, first paragraph — 'em 1955'
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He took part in vale-tudo (no-holds-barred) contests at the Clube Português in Recife between 1960 and 1964.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, first paragraph — 'Clube Português'
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The 2010 obituary calls him the leading producer of vale-tudo champions of his era and names fighters who came out of the old Pernambuco jiu-jitsu academy, among them Ivan Gomes, José Gomes, the Stariovitis brothers (known as 'the gypsies'), Amaro Pé de Bombo and Cabo Vasco ('Calango Elétrico') and many other fighters who fought vale-tudo on the old TV Ring-Torres.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, first paragraph — 'maior fabricante de campeões'
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At his death he held the red-and-black (coral) belt in jiu-jitsu.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, opening sentence — 'Faixa Vermelha e Preta'
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His rank was eighth degree.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, opening sentence — '8º Grau'
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He died in Recife on 28 January 2010, aged 86.
Where in the source: Obituary post of 30 Jan 2010, second paragraph — '28 de Janeiro de 2010'
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Josh Simon, 'The Greatest Fighter You Never Heard Of, Euclides Pereira', Simon BJJ (undated).(opens in a new tab)
Moura's academy in Recife stood next to the building where the teenage Euclides Pereira lived; Moura's brothers lived in the same building and invited Euclides, then about 15, to train there, where he began learning the judo and jiu-jitsu curriculum of 1950s Brazil.
Where in the source: Article 'The Greatest Fighter You Never Heard Of, Euclides Pereira', paragraph on Recife — 'Moura's brothers lived in Euclides' apartment building'
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Josh Simon writes on his site Simon BJJ that Moura was an early advocate of cross-training, believing a vale-tudo fighter needed judo, jiu-jitsu, boxing, capoeira and karate, and that Euclides therefore also trained at other Recife academies that specialised in striking.
Where in the source: Same article, paragraph after his competitive start — 'early proponent of cross training'
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Igor Matheus, 'Jairo Moura: "precisamos de um jiu-jitsu mais dinâmico"', Portal Infonet, 31 August 2013.(opens in a new tab)
His brother Jairo Moura, himself a jiu-jitsu master in Aracaju, said in a 2013 interview that Jurandir had been his great master and a kind of second father, and that when Jurandir died in 2010 he left Jairo his eighth-degree coral belt to wear.
Where in the source: Interview answer to 'quem foi ou quem é o mestre do senhor?' — 'segundo pai'; later 'faixa-coral 8o grau'
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Wikipedia, 'Euclides Pereira' (last edited 13 August 2026), citing MMA Supershow Magazine.(opens in a new tab)
Wikipedia's article on Euclides Pereira says Pereira became a student of José Jurandir Moura, described as a certified judo and jiu-jitsu teacher under George Gracie and Takeo Yano.
Where in the source: Section 'Biography', first paragraph — 'certified teacher under George Gracie and Takeo Yano'
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Graciemag, 'Euclides Pereira – O Diabo Louro do vale-tudo' (academy/profile page, undated).(opens in a new tab)
In a Graciemag profile, Euclides Pereira names Jurandir Moura and Diniz Câmara in Recife as his teachers and says both were pupils of George Gracie, which he says places him in the Gracie lineage.
Where in the source: Profile 'Euclides Pereira – O Diabo Louro do vale-tudo', paragraph on his masters — 'Ambos eram pupilos de George Gracie'
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Josh Simon, 'Losing by Winning, Waldemar Santana', Simon BJJ (undated).(opens in a new tab)
Simon BJJ lists a 1958 vale-tudo win by Waldemar Santana over Jurandir Moura, whom it calls a George Gracie student, in seven minutes.
Where in the source: Waldemar Santana article, paragraph on his 1958 streak — 'in just seven minutes'
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WGT Jiu Jitsu Currais Novos/RN (blog), 'Morre o Mestre de Jiu-Jitsu Jurandir Moura', 5 February 2010.(opens in a new tab)
A February 2010 death notice calls him the pioneer of jiu-jitsu in Pernambuco, says George Gracie promoted him to black belt, and names his school as the old Academia Pernambucana de Jiu-Jitsu.
Where in the source: Death notice, first and fourth paragraphs — 'Graduado a preta por George Gracie'
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In the same notice, Zé Radiola, named as the master of Gracie Barra in Pernambuco, said he was sure every fighter in the North and Northeast knew Moura's story and that he was part of the history of jiu-jitsu in Pernambuco.
Where in the source: Death notice, second paragraph, quotation attributed to Zé Radiola — 'história do Jiu-Jitsu em Pernambuco'
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Genealogy and source research: Josh Simon, simonbjj.com(opens in a new tab)