![]() In 1951, Kimura traveled to Brazil along with Yukio Kato, who had accepted a challenge match with a Brazilian trained in Judo, Helio Gracie. At age 32 this would be the last time Kimura entered into the All-Japan tournament. After the war in 1947 he returned to competition and won the West Japan Judo Championship and then won the All-Japan Judo Championship for a fourth time in 1949. In 1943 Kimura joined the Japanese Army and taught Judo. Kimura won a tournament of 32 of the best professionals in Japan and was presented with a special gift from the Emperor. In 1940 Kimura was invited to compete in the Ten-Ran, a special tournament held by the Japanese Emperor. After winning the championship for the third time he was presented with an award known as the Championship Flag and is the only man to be awarded that honor. Masahiko Kimura (right) after winning the All-Japan Championship The two were tied going into the final period until Kimura took Nakajima down and used Kuzure-Kamishiho-Gatame, a north south pin, to win the championship. In the finals he was faced with two time champion Masayuki Nakajima. Kimura won his first two matches with ease, using his now famous O Soto Gari. At the time this was most prestigious Judo tournament in the world that drew the top competitors from around the world. Because of the ease with which he won these tournaments he was the first student allowed to compete in the All-Japan Judo Championships in 1937. Kimura won the All-Japan Collegiate Championships in 19. Next was Abe, who Kimura sparred with in a class and threw him many times in front a whole academy of Judokas. Kimura would rematch with Osawa at a Police tournament and defeat him easily. The fall from this trip was so hard that often his sparring partners began to request that he limit his use of the technique to protect themselves from injury. He continued to sharpen his skills and became extremely proficient at the O Soto Gari outside trip. Kimura redoubled his efforts in training and vowed he would avenge his losses. These four losses, suffered at the age of 18, would be Kimura’s only losses in competitive Judo. The fight between Japanese Judoka Masahiko Kimura and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founder Hélio Gracie was held at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on October 23, 1951.Kimura was so angry at his failures he considered quitting judo, instead he refocused his efforts and would become possibly the greatest Judoka in the history of the art. On the other hand, Helio let his left arm hang and looked very sad withstanding the pain. Japanese Brazilians rushed into the ring and tossed me up in the air. When I tried to twist the arm once more, a white towel was thrown in. Under this rule, I had no choice but twist the arm again. Finally, the sound of bone breaking echoed throughout the stadium. The bone of his arm was coming close to the breaking point. I had no choice but keep on twisting the arm. I thought he would surrender immediately. That moment, I grabbed his left wrist with my right hand, and twisted up his arm. ![]() ![]() He could not take it any longer, and tried to push up my body extending his left arm. I held still for 2 or 3 minutes, and then tried to smother him by belly. ![]() As soon as Helio fell, I pinned him by Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame. While continuing to throw him, I was thinking of a finishing method. But since the mat was so soft that it did not have much impact on him. At about 10 minute mark, I threw him by O-soto-gari. ![]() I blew him away up in the air by O-uchi-gari, Harai-goshi, Uchimata, Ippon-seoi. Helio grabbed me in both lapels, and attacked me with O-soto-gari and Kouchi-gari. As I approached the ring, raw eggs were thrown at me. Helio brought this in.” It was so funny that I almost burst into laughter. When I entered the stadium, I found a coffin. 20,000 people came to see the bout including President of Brazil. ![]()
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