Biography
He is famous for fighting his former master Hélio Gracie in 1955, in a 3 hour 40 minute long match. Valdemar had fought for the original Gracie Academy for many years, but had a falling out with Hélio. Gracie and Santana decided to settle their differences in a Vale Tudo (no holds barred) match. After nearly four hours of combat, Santana knocked out Gracie with a soccer kick to the head.
After his fight with Hélio, Santana was challenged by Carlson Gracie, Hélio's nephew. Carlson and Santana had, according to Carlson Gracie, six fights, with Carlson winning four, and the other two being declared a draw.
He also fought Masahiko Kimura. Kimura won the first match and the re-match was a draw.
Read more about this topic: Valdemar Santana
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“A great biography should, like the close of a great drama, leave behind it a feeling of serenity. We collect into a small bunch the flowers, the few flowers, which brought sweetness into a life, and present it as an offering to an accomplished destiny. It is the dying refrain of a completed song, the final verse of a finished poem.”
—André Maurois (1885–1967)