Geo Omori | |
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Born | 1898 Japan |
Died | 1938 Brazil food poisoning |
Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo |
Notable students | Luiz França |
Geo Omori (died 1938) was a Japanese-born Brazilian martial artist, and one of the creators of judo-based martial arts in Brazil.
Geo opened the first Jujitsu/Judo school in Brazil in 1909. He taught in Rio de Janeiro, and in 1925 opened a school in São Paulo. He was instrumental in the establishment of Brazilian jiu-jitsu by establishing the first Jujitu school in São Paulo. He would later instruct key Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu founder Luiz França. His other student included Carlos Pereira.
He was one of the first kings of mixed martial arts of his era. He sparked the Vale Tudo craze of the 1920s and 1930s in Brazil. Geo had an extensive fight history engaging fighters of various styles including capoeira, boxing, and wrestling. A 1928 issue of the New York Times highlighted one of his fights against a "negro" capoeira fighter, in which Geo Omori won. He fought many members of the Gracie family including George Gracie and Carlos Gracie. His feud with Carlos Gracie is well documented. One place of a documented fight of his was Circus Queirolos, a Brazilian Circus. His death in 1938 was attributed to food poisoning.