RNLMC
09-03-2005, 14:35
March 8, 2005
by Stephen Quadros
Back in a day … before MMA, before NHB, there was “vale tudo� (translated from Portuguese into English, means, “anything goes�). And if you think about it, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship events were held under vale tudo rules: no biting, no eye gouging, no time limits, no gloves required (although a rare few wore a glove … or two), groin shots legal, head butts legal, soccer kicking (or stomping) a downed opponent legal, strikes behind the head or spine legal.
A proving ground? Hardcore? Insane? Conclusive? You betcha. Back in those days, before big money and the lure of mainstream appeal came calling, men fought a vale tudo match for many reasons, among them honor, respect … and sometimes hatred. In the beginning it was to prove what style was “the best.� But eventually it boiled down to who was the best.
A few dominant champions emerged in vale tudo style fighting: One was Igor “Ice Cold� Vovchanchyn in Russia/Ukraine. And on the other side of the planet, in the wilds of Brazil, emerged Jose “Pele� Landi-Jons. Jiu-jitsu stylists had ruled for so long in Brazil that people were shocked when Pele had the audacity to start knocking people out with punches, kicks and his most feared weapon, the knee.
Pele ruled the lighter weights in the 1990s but has had a tough time in the new decade. Coming off a series of loses that would have driven most men into retirement, Pele pushes on, more confident than ever that he will again inherit the throne that he grew so used to.
Stephen Quadros: For all the fans who are new to the sport please tell us, who is Jose “Pele� Landy?
Pele: First of all, I’m very happy to do this interview with you, Stephen. To tell you the truth, the answer to that question could fill a book. For those who don’t know, I was born in Cuba. My family (mother and father) and I ran away from that country because we disagreed with the politic system. Like us, 10,865 Cubans sought amnesty in the embassy of Peru. During the 53 days we stayed there, it was hard times. This was in 1980. I was 7 years old. After that we went to Lima, Peru. We lived there for one year. Finally the ONU (Organization of Nations United) brought some refugees to Brazil and we started to live in Curitiba.
When I was 9 years old I started to practice capoeira. My father had been a boxer in Cuba. Here in Brazil he became five-time state champion. One day he brought me to the gym he trained at. So when I have 13 I stopped to doing capoeira. After that I only trained in boxing at my house with my father. I did this for three years. Then, when I was 16, I started training at Chute Boxe. Soon I have the first contact with Muay Thai.
I became a champion after only training for three weeks. I fought against one advanced athlete at Chute Boxe who was 10 kilos (22 pounds) heavier than I was. I trained very hard and received my black belt. I have been a professional fighter for 15 years. Some of the high points of my career have been: When I won the Muay Thai versus Capoeira Championship; became I.S.K.A kickboxing champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 5 (Circuito de Luta) champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 5 champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 6 champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 8 champion, International Vale Tudo Championships 5 champion; World Champion at International Vale Tudo Championships 11; two-time European Circuit champion (1999/2000 Netherlands); WEF Champion 2000 (over Pat Miletich); Ultimate Boxing Champion 2001 and my knockout of Matt Hughes in Kuwait in 2001.
I am no longer with Chute Boxe. Now I have Pelé Team. I work to transform my students into champions. My students have the same warrior spirit that I do. Murilo Ninja (Rua) started with me and transformed himself into a champion. Now I have others warriors like Charneski (75kg) and Sandrão (85kg). They will be show how a champion fights.
I returned to my weight that I was two times champion of the world at and I hope to fight a lot and put on an excellent show for the fans. Last week I received my Brazilian documentation and now I can travel with a Brazilian passport and go all over the world to show what I most love to do: fight. My hobbies are: Stay with my family, my sons; training; [watching] old movies (western and samurai films); and listening to music. I prefer black music like reggae, rap and soul. If you want to contact me I will have pleasure in answer you. My site is www.peleteam.com.br (but now it is reformulated) and my e-mail is [email protected].
Quadros: Wow. Who were your influences in making the decision to become a fighter?
Pele: My main influence is my father: Victoriano Martinez Rodrigues. His nickname is “Cuban.� After him I like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.
Quadros: Do you think there is a difference between the vale tudo fighters from Brazil and the fighters from other countries?
Pele: Yes, there are differences because Brazil lived for a long time with freestyle fighting and the powerful influence of the Gracie Family. In 1950 a lot of styles used to go fighting during the night. There were rivalries like: luta livre vs. boxe; capoeira (strong black men) vs. jiu-jitsu, etc. People like Carlson Gracie, Ivan Gomes, Cirandinha, Hélio Gracie, Valdemar Santana got things started. After that Rickson Gracie, Rei Zulú, Wallid Ismail, Murilo Bustamante and Pelé made a difference in further developing Brazilian free style fighting.
Quadros: You have competed with full vale tudo rules. The only rules were no eye gouging, no biting and no reaching into your opponent’s pants. Which rules do you like best: old vale tudo, PRIDE or UFC rules and why?
Pele: I prefer a mixture of rules from all these events. I like PRIDE because you can volley kick to the face and I like UFC because it is possible to throw elbows. But I prefer the traditional freestyle, without time and without rules. This is my style, the Brazilian freestyle. Actually it is a sport and he who wins is the athlete.
Quadros: It seems that your greatest fights had an element of emotion to them, where you did not like your opponent. Is it important to take the fight to a personal level?
Pele: I have nothing against my opponents. But the fact is that during a fight, I won’t be friendly, that’s for sure. Inside the ring it’s war. After that everything is fine again. I’m a professional.
Quadros: You have a long legacy of having grudge matches with many fighters like Matt Hughes, Milton Bahia, Johil De Oliveira and Jorge “Macaco� Patino. What was your biggest rival in the past and why?
Pele: I had two great rivals: Jorge Patino “Macaco� (Jiu-Jitsu) and Johil de Oliveira (Luta Livre). When I fought Macaco, he brought the empire of jiu-jitsu with him. At that time different styles didn’t get along too well. We fought twice and I won both. One of them we fought in Ibirapuera with 15,000 people on his side. In the end of the fight I conquered the critics and the public alike. It was exciting. With Johil de Oliveira there were two classic battles. The first fight was a 30-minute decision with lots of hard shots. It was traumatic and dramatic. I lost. I got a rematch two years later. I had lots of training and finally got my revenge.
by Stephen Quadros
Back in a day … before MMA, before NHB, there was “vale tudo� (translated from Portuguese into English, means, “anything goes�). And if you think about it, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship events were held under vale tudo rules: no biting, no eye gouging, no time limits, no gloves required (although a rare few wore a glove … or two), groin shots legal, head butts legal, soccer kicking (or stomping) a downed opponent legal, strikes behind the head or spine legal.
A proving ground? Hardcore? Insane? Conclusive? You betcha. Back in those days, before big money and the lure of mainstream appeal came calling, men fought a vale tudo match for many reasons, among them honor, respect … and sometimes hatred. In the beginning it was to prove what style was “the best.� But eventually it boiled down to who was the best.
A few dominant champions emerged in vale tudo style fighting: One was Igor “Ice Cold� Vovchanchyn in Russia/Ukraine. And on the other side of the planet, in the wilds of Brazil, emerged Jose “Pele� Landi-Jons. Jiu-jitsu stylists had ruled for so long in Brazil that people were shocked when Pele had the audacity to start knocking people out with punches, kicks and his most feared weapon, the knee.
Pele ruled the lighter weights in the 1990s but has had a tough time in the new decade. Coming off a series of loses that would have driven most men into retirement, Pele pushes on, more confident than ever that he will again inherit the throne that he grew so used to.
Stephen Quadros: For all the fans who are new to the sport please tell us, who is Jose “Pele� Landy?
Pele: First of all, I’m very happy to do this interview with you, Stephen. To tell you the truth, the answer to that question could fill a book. For those who don’t know, I was born in Cuba. My family (mother and father) and I ran away from that country because we disagreed with the politic system. Like us, 10,865 Cubans sought amnesty in the embassy of Peru. During the 53 days we stayed there, it was hard times. This was in 1980. I was 7 years old. After that we went to Lima, Peru. We lived there for one year. Finally the ONU (Organization of Nations United) brought some refugees to Brazil and we started to live in Curitiba.
When I was 9 years old I started to practice capoeira. My father had been a boxer in Cuba. Here in Brazil he became five-time state champion. One day he brought me to the gym he trained at. So when I have 13 I stopped to doing capoeira. After that I only trained in boxing at my house with my father. I did this for three years. Then, when I was 16, I started training at Chute Boxe. Soon I have the first contact with Muay Thai.
I became a champion after only training for three weeks. I fought against one advanced athlete at Chute Boxe who was 10 kilos (22 pounds) heavier than I was. I trained very hard and received my black belt. I have been a professional fighter for 15 years. Some of the high points of my career have been: When I won the Muay Thai versus Capoeira Championship; became I.S.K.A kickboxing champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 5 (Circuito de Luta) champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 5 champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 6 champion; Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting 8 champion, International Vale Tudo Championships 5 champion; World Champion at International Vale Tudo Championships 11; two-time European Circuit champion (1999/2000 Netherlands); WEF Champion 2000 (over Pat Miletich); Ultimate Boxing Champion 2001 and my knockout of Matt Hughes in Kuwait in 2001.
I am no longer with Chute Boxe. Now I have Pelé Team. I work to transform my students into champions. My students have the same warrior spirit that I do. Murilo Ninja (Rua) started with me and transformed himself into a champion. Now I have others warriors like Charneski (75kg) and Sandrão (85kg). They will be show how a champion fights.
I returned to my weight that I was two times champion of the world at and I hope to fight a lot and put on an excellent show for the fans. Last week I received my Brazilian documentation and now I can travel with a Brazilian passport and go all over the world to show what I most love to do: fight. My hobbies are: Stay with my family, my sons; training; [watching] old movies (western and samurai films); and listening to music. I prefer black music like reggae, rap and soul. If you want to contact me I will have pleasure in answer you. My site is www.peleteam.com.br (but now it is reformulated) and my e-mail is [email protected].
Quadros: Wow. Who were your influences in making the decision to become a fighter?
Pele: My main influence is my father: Victoriano Martinez Rodrigues. His nickname is “Cuban.� After him I like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.
Quadros: Do you think there is a difference between the vale tudo fighters from Brazil and the fighters from other countries?
Pele: Yes, there are differences because Brazil lived for a long time with freestyle fighting and the powerful influence of the Gracie Family. In 1950 a lot of styles used to go fighting during the night. There were rivalries like: luta livre vs. boxe; capoeira (strong black men) vs. jiu-jitsu, etc. People like Carlson Gracie, Ivan Gomes, Cirandinha, Hélio Gracie, Valdemar Santana got things started. After that Rickson Gracie, Rei Zulú, Wallid Ismail, Murilo Bustamante and Pelé made a difference in further developing Brazilian free style fighting.
Quadros: You have competed with full vale tudo rules. The only rules were no eye gouging, no biting and no reaching into your opponent’s pants. Which rules do you like best: old vale tudo, PRIDE or UFC rules and why?
Pele: I prefer a mixture of rules from all these events. I like PRIDE because you can volley kick to the face and I like UFC because it is possible to throw elbows. But I prefer the traditional freestyle, without time and without rules. This is my style, the Brazilian freestyle. Actually it is a sport and he who wins is the athlete.
Quadros: It seems that your greatest fights had an element of emotion to them, where you did not like your opponent. Is it important to take the fight to a personal level?
Pele: I have nothing against my opponents. But the fact is that during a fight, I won’t be friendly, that’s for sure. Inside the ring it’s war. After that everything is fine again. I’m a professional.
Quadros: You have a long legacy of having grudge matches with many fighters like Matt Hughes, Milton Bahia, Johil De Oliveira and Jorge “Macaco� Patino. What was your biggest rival in the past and why?
Pele: I had two great rivals: Jorge Patino “Macaco� (Jiu-Jitsu) and Johil de Oliveira (Luta Livre). When I fought Macaco, he brought the empire of jiu-jitsu with him. At that time different styles didn’t get along too well. We fought twice and I won both. One of them we fought in Ibirapuera with 15,000 people on his side. In the end of the fight I conquered the critics and the public alike. It was exciting. With Johil de Oliveira there were two classic battles. The first fight was a 30-minute decision with lots of hard shots. It was traumatic and dramatic. I lost. I got a rematch two years later. I had lots of training and finally got my revenge.