WATSONVILLE—The Claudio França Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school on Main Street hosted a living legend Tuesday night.
About 30 trainees and instructors stopped by the building to catch a glimpse of Grandmaster Francisco Mansor, a Jiu-Jitsu ninth-degree red belt who was awarded his instructor’s degree by the late Master Helio Gracie.
Mansor is one of just six men outside the Gracie family to receive the rank by Helio, who is regarded as one of the most respected men in martial arts.
“I feel really blessed that we’re so fortunate to be able to get one of the oldest living legends in this sport that was basically not only a student of Helio Gracie, but also a friend and trainer,” said Thomas Rumsey, head instructor at Claudio Fança BJJ in Watsonville.
Rumsey said it was also a bonus to be able to meet Mansor’s son, Krauss, who made up the second BJJ master in the building alongside Claudio França.
“They’re teaching nothing fancy,” Rumsey said. “The stuff that they’re teaching will be the stuff that they’ll never forget. I tell people all the time, I would pay just to listen to [Mansor’s] stories.”
It’s been about 10 years since Rumsey last saw Mansor. So, he emphasized to his students that it was a rare opportunity to not just meet the living legend himself, but it was a chance to feel his energy.
“From his eyes, from his laughter,” Rumsey said. “When he speaks, even if you don’t understand Brazilian Portuguese, you feel something. You feel this energy that you don’t feel from any other.”
Mansor is currently serving as president of the Masters Council and Ethics Committee, and he is also the vice president of the Technical Department of the Rio De Janeiro State Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
A graduate of Estacio de Sa University (law school), he had a career as a law enforcement officer (Policia Civil, RJ). He spent 35 years on the force and his assignments included instructor of self-defense and street tactics in the Rio de Janeiro Police Academy.
Mansor has given numerous speeches and seminars in schools and universities on several topics such as martial arts versus social violence and combining martial arts with a good diet.
Mansor was inducted in the Budo International Hall of Fame (Golden Lifetime Achievement) among numerous other halls of fame.
Mansor founded the Kioto Academy in 1965 and it is one of the most traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools in the world. He has dedicated more than 50 years of his life to practicing, studying and teaching martial arts.
Mansor is known for having one of the biggest Jiu-Jitsu academies for youngsters in Rio de Janeiro. He produced high end talent such as his nephew Alvaro Mansor, Augusto “Tanquinho” Mendez, Carlos Henrique, Joe Moreira and França.
França now teaches the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Watsonville, Santa Cruz and San Jose.
He said the instructors are there to guide, instruct and motivate members to be the best they can be. They also want to impact the local community in a positive way.
“Basically Jiu-Jitsu gives you two things… self-esteem and self-confidence,” França said. “If you don’t like yourself, if you don’t feel good about yourself and if you don’t have confidence in yourself, you’re going to have problems.”
França met Mansor 40 years ago and it changed his life forever because there weren’t many Jiu-Jitsu schools in Rio de Janeiro.
“In my area, he was the only school,” França said. “If he’s not there, I’m probably not going to be here today.”
It’s been five years since they last saw each other and França always appreciates his time with Mansor.
França said this week’s visit is a bit more special to him because after 31 years he graduated to earn his seventh-degree black belt and can now display an alternating red-and-black belt.
“[Mansor’s] definitely a person who inspired my life and supported me in the good and bad moments,” França said.
CORRECTION: The previous version of this story featured the incorrect spelling of Caludio França’s name, which was spelled Fança.
