THE IMMORTAL

The immortal
More than records, Carlson had empathy and a lot of folclore, a combination capable of preserving the work of the eternal boy that captivated everyone and lived as he wished.
cartoon by Gustavo Villanova
He used to lie about his age and dye the hair. That aside, Carlson was completely authentic and truthfull. He’d always say what was on his mind and would never hold his tongue in order to prevent a conflict or to sound politically correct. On the contrary, he used to create slang that made his points of view even more clear and powerful. The “Creontes” know it well.

Carlson had a caring heart that would make him a complete failure as administrator. He would distribute studentships for his pupils in the same amount of the titles his academy would win. Carlson is by far the biggest winner in jiu-jitsu’s history.

His heart at times seemed too big for his own good. Many times he was taken advantage by pupils. “I'd always say to him: ‘ master, a lot of people is exploiting you. That way, you will die with nothing.’ He would answer: ‘what’s the problem? Wont I be dead anyway?’”, remembers pupil Marcelo Saporito.

Carlson lived like a king and made no distinction between poor and rich. Saporito swears that for a long time Carlson would bring a group of beggars to shower and sleep inside his gym. At the same time, he was very adulated by politicians, scholars and millionaires without ever had devolved any feeling of superiority.

“He was very happy, lived his life as he wished, detached from material values and cheap worries. No doubt he takes with him many stories of victory and joy“, says one the first black belts formed by Carlson, Fernando Pinduksa. By the way, what would Carlson like to take to heaven besides his stories?

We can start our list by that bag he would always carry around his waist, ignoring if it was fashionable or not: “In that bag you would always find a hair brush, a phone book and a camera”, reveals great friend Osvaldo Paqueta. There you go, another thing he would love to take with him: the camera. “I’ve never seen anybody take so many picture as Carlson. It was impressive”, remembers pupil Wallid Ismail. Other thing that cannot be out of the list is a fight cock (“But no Mutuca cock!”, he must be screaming from heaven), although there’s a rumor that cock fights are forbidden in heaven.

What else there is? Bolero and French music records? Playing cards, once Carlson loved a little game? A dictionary for him defy the saints with his knowledge of the language? Saporito remembers something more simple, a top that master would spin on the mat of his academy every training break: “His eyes would glow.’See, I had a good childhood’, he used to say. I’d reply: ‘You never left childhood. You are nothing but a grown child’”, remembers Saporito, almost in tears.

Nevertheless, is probable that Carlson would exchange all those items for being with his good friends and the women he loved for a few more hours. “He was the kind of person that was not able to live alone”, says Paqueta. But you can always find good company in heaven. Carlson is probably training now with other Jiu-jitsu immortals, including his father Carlos, his brother Rolls, the most talented disciple, Serginho de Niteroi and the admired rival Valdemar Santana.

HIS OWN RULES

Genious but ill tempered, Carlson would easily cave in to fatty and sugary mix of “Açaí” and guarana syrup, despite having diabetes and high cholesterol. Paqueta assures that Carlson would sometimes hold the belly to disguise the extra pounds that he gained since he quit being a athlete and became a trainer.

Whenever he felt not so good he would go back to Gracie diet, just like a kid that just misbehaved and acts really well until things settle down. That happened all the way to his last days. Paqueta reveals a phone call he receiverd from Carlson. “He called me and said to be in a lot of pain but assured me everything would be alright because he was taking really good care of his eating.” That was not enough at that moment. He needed a medical intervention right way, what only happened later, when his condition was already critical. Stubborn to the last degree, Carlson was afraid of hospitals. Whenever someone advised him to go to the doctor, he would say: “Are you badmouthing me?”

He would even hide from his family his health problems. Maybe because he he didn’t want to admit that the undefeated MMA phenomenon of the 50’s and 60’s was getting old. Or maybe because of his keen sense of self confidence that made him believe to have a inner force that would keep him away form all life dangers. That’s probably why he allowed a simple kidney stone evolve to a septicemia that stopped his heart at 6 am of a cold morning in Chicago, USA.

Carlson’s death made clear that his legacy will be preserved forever. The comotion caused by it proved the importance he had in Jiu-jitsu and MMA world. More than 500 people attended his seven day mass in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. Friends and enemies, followers and rivals all got to tears. Robson Gracie, his brother defined the moment in words: “Whenever an angel goes to heaven, he gathers people. I’m certain that Carlson will never be forgotten.”