 = Mitsuyo Maeda = 
 
 Mitsuyo Maeda ( 前田 光世 , Maeda Mitsuyo , born December 18 , 1878 in Funazawa village , Hirosaki , Aomori , Japan – November 28 , 1941 ) , a Brazilian naturalized as Otávio Maeda ( Portuguese pronunciation : [ oˈtavju mɐˈedɐ ] ) , was a Japanese judōka ( judo expert ) and prizefighter in no holds barred competitions . He was also known as Count Combat or Conde Koma in Spanish and Portuguese , a nickname he picked up in Spain in 1908 . Along with Antônio Soshihiro Satake ( another naturalized Brazilian ) , he pioneered judo in Brazil , the United Kingdom , and other countries . 
 Maeda was fundamental to the development of Brazilian Jiu @-@ Jitsu , including through his teaching of Carlos Gracie and others of the Gracie family . He was also a promoter of Japanese emigration to Brazil . Maeda won more than 2 @,@ 000 professional fights in his career . His accomplishments led to him being called the " toughest man who ever lived " and being referred to as the father of Brazilian Jiu @-@ jitsu . 
 
 = = Biography = = 
 
 Maeda was born in Funazawa Village , Hirosaki City , Aomori Prefecture , Japan , on November 18 , 1878 . He attended Kenritsu Itiu high school ( currently Hirokou — a Hirosaki school ) . As a child , he was known as Hideyo . He practiced sumo as a teenager , but lacked the ideal build for the sport . Because of the interest generated by stories about the success of judo at contests between judo and jujutsu that were occurring at the time , he changed from sumo to judo . In 1894 , at seventeen years of age , his parents sent him to Tokyo to enroll in Waseda University . He took up Kodokan judo the following year . 
 
 = = = Formative years at the Kodokan = = = 
 
 Arriving in the Kodokan , Maeda , who was 164 cm tall and weighed 64 kg , was confused with a delivery boy due to his country manners and demeanor . He was spotted by judo 's founder Kano Jigoro , and assigned to Tsunejiro Tomita ( 4th dan at the time ) , the smallest of the teachers of the Kodokan 's shiten @-@ no , to illustrate that in judo size is not important . Tomita was the first Kodokan judoka and a close friend of Kano . According to Koyasu Masao ( 9th dan ) : 
 Although the weakest of Kodokan shiten @-@ no , Tomita was able to defeat the great jujutsu champion of that time , Hansuke Nakamura , from the Tenjin Shin 'yō @-@ ryū style . 
 With Soishiro Satake , Maeda formed the head of the second generation of Kodokan judoka , which had replaced the first by the beginning of the 20th century . Satake , at 175 cm and 80 kg , was unmatched in amateur sumo but admitted that he himself was not able to match Maeda in judo . Satake would later travel to South America with Maeda and settle in Manaus , Amazonas State , while Maeda continued traveling . Satake would become the founder , in 1914 , of the first historically registered judo academy in Brazil . He and Maeda are considered the pioneers of judo in Brazil . 
 At that time , there were few graduated Kodokan judoka . Maeda and Satake were the top graduated professors at Waseda University , both sandan ( 3rd dan ) , along with Matsuhiro Ritaro ( nidan or 2nd dan ) and six other shodan ( 1st dan ) . Kyuzo Mifune registered at the Kodokan in 1903 and attracted the attention of Maeda , who commented , " you are strong and competent , therefore , you will certainly leave your mark in the Kodokan ... " Mifune went to learn under Sakujiro Yokoyama and later , already a celebrated judoka , Mifune said that Maeda 's words were a great incentive , as he regarded Maeda with the greatest admiration , even though Yokoyama was his sensei ( instructor ) . 
 According to Mifune , in 1904 Maeda lost to Yoshitake Yoshio by hane goshi , after defeating three adversaries in succession , but in a following tsukinami @-@ shiai defeated eight adversaries in a row and was awarded the rank of 4th dan ( yondan ) . Mifune also states that Maeda was one of the most vigorous promoters of judo , although not by teaching the art , instead generating recognition of judo through his many combats with contenders from other disciplines . Maeda treated experienced and inexperienced students alike , throwing them as if in real combat . He reasoned that this behavior was a measure of respect towards his students , but it was often misunderstood and frightened many youngsters , who would abandon him in favor of other professors . 
 
 = = = Prelude to Kodokan 's expansion = = = 
 
 In 1879 , Ulysses S. Grant , the former President of the United States , visited Japan . While in Tokyo , he attended a jujutsu presentation at Shibusawa Eiichi 's home in Asukayama . Kano Jigoro was one of the jujutsuka present . At that time , jujutsu was just starting to become known in Europe and the Americas . Excepting literal circus acts , few non @-@ Japanese had much chance of seeing or learning about the art . Even in Japan , judo and jujutsu were not considered separate disciplines at that time . Indeed , it was not until 1925 that there started to be clear differentiation of the names in Japan , and outside Japan , judo and jujutsu were not completely separated until the 1950s . 
 In 1903 , a senior Kodokan instructor named Yamashita Yoshiaki traveled to the United States at the request of the Seattle businessman Sam Hill . In Washington , DC , Yamashita 's students included Theodore Roosevelt and other prominent Americans . At Roosevelt 's request , Yamashita also taught judo at the US Naval Academy . Capitalizing on the publicity , the Japanese Legation in the USA asked the Kodokan to send more judo teachers to America , providing continuity to Yamashita 's work . Tomita reluctantly accepted the task ; Maeda and Satake embraced the opportunity . 
 
 = = = Career = = = 
 
 
 = = = = United States = = = = 
 
 Tomita , Maeda , and Satake sailed from Yokohama on November 16 , 1904 , and arrived in New York City on December 8 , 1904 . 
 Early in 1905 , Tomita and Maeda gave several public demonstrations of judo . On February 17 , 1905 , Tomita and Maeda gave a demonstration at Princeton University , when Maeda threw N. B. Tooker , a Princeton football player , while Tomita threw Samuel Feagles , the Princeton gymnasium instructor . On February 21 , 1905 , they gave a judo demonstration at the United States Military Academy at West Point , where Tomita and Maeda performed kata ( patterns ) — nage @-@ no , koshiki , ju @-@ no , and so on . At the request of the crowd , Maeda wrestled a cadet and threw him easily . Because Tomita had been the thrower in the kata , the cadets wanted to wrestle him too . Tomita threw the first ( Charles Daly ) without any trouble . However , Tomita twice failed to throw another football player named Tipton using tomoe @-@ nage ( stomach throw ) . Afterwards , the New York sportswriters claimed the victory for the cadets because Tomita was thrown , whereas the Japanese embassy staff proclaimed that Tomita had achieved a moral victory , on the grounds that he was a far smaller man . 
 A conflicting account provided by the New York Times on February 21 , referring to Tomita as " Prof. Tomet , " states that 
 In any event , later that year the US Military Academy hired a former world champion professional wrestler , Tom Jenkins , instead of a judo teacher , a job Jenkins kept until his retirement in 1942 . 
 The Japanese experts did better at the New York Athletic Club on March 8 , 1905 : " Their best throw was a sort of flying cartwheel , " said an article in the New York Times , describing Maeda 's match with John Naething , a 200 lb wrestler . " Because of the difference in methods the two men rolled about the mat like schoolboys in a rough @-@ and @-@ tumble fight . After fifteen minutes of wrestling , Maeda secured the first fall . Ultimately , however , Naething was awarded the match by pin fall . " On March 21 , 1905 , Tomita and Maeda gave a " jiu @-@ do " demonstration at Columbia University attended by about 200 people . Following introductions , Tomita demonstrated falls and throws , then Maeda threw the university 's wrestling instructor . According to the student newspaper , " Another interesting feature was the exhibition of some of the obsolete jiu jitsu tricks for defense with a fan against an opponent armed with the curved Japanese sword . " Translations were provided by chemist Takamine Jokichi . 
 During April 1905 , Tomita and Maeda started a judo club in a commercial space at 1947 Broadway in New York . Members of this club included Japanese expatriates , plus a European American woman named Wilma Berger . On July 6 , 1905 , Tomita and Maeda gave a judo exhibition at the YMCA in Newport , Rhode Island . On September 30 , 1905 , they gave a demonstration at another YMCA , in Lockport , New York . In Lockport , the local opponent was Mason Shimer , who wrestled Tomita unsuccessfully . 
 On November 6 , 1905 , Maeda was reported visiting professional wrestler Akitaro Ono in Asheville , North Carolina ; after this , Maeda was no longer routinely associated with Tomita in the US newspapers . On December 18 , 1905 , Maeda was in Atlanta , Georgia , for a professional wrestling match with Sam Marburger . The contest was best of three , two falls with jackets and one without , and Maeda won the two with jackets and lost the one without . According to the Atlanta papers , Maeda listed his residence as the YMCA in Selma , Alabama . 
 Maeda was fond of the name and started using it to promote his art thereafter . 
 
 = = = = Cuba , Mexico , and Central America = = = = 
 
 During November 1908 , Maeda went to Paris , France , apparently to see his friend Akitaro Ono . From Paris , he went to Havana , arriving there on December 14 , 1908 , and his twice @-@ a @-@ day wrestling act quickly proved to be very popular . On July 23 , 1909 , Maeda left Havana for Mexico City . His debut in Mexico City took place at the Virginia Fabregas Theater on July 14 , 1909 . This show was a private demonstration for some military cadets . Shortly afterwards , Maeda began appearing at the Principal Theater . His standing offer was 100 pesos ( US $ 50 ) to anyone he could not throw , and 500 pesos ( US $ 250 ) to anyone who could throw him . The Mexican Herald did not record anyone taking his money . 
 During September 1909 , a Japanese calling himself ' Nobu Taka ' arrived in Mexico City for the purpose of challenging Maeda for what the Mexican Herald said would be the world jujutsu championship . After several months of public wrangling , Taka and Maeda met at the Colon Theater on November 16 , 1909 ; Taka won . There was an immediate rematch , and four days later , Maeda was pronounced the champion . It was later revealed that Taka was , in fact , Maeda 's old friend , Soishiro Satake . 
 In January 1910 , Maeda took part in a wrestling tournament in Mexico City . During the semifinals , Maeda drew with Hjalmar Lundin . This is a different result than Lundin recalled in his 1937 memoirs . Said Lundin , " Having been accustomed to handling the big Greco @-@ Roman wrestlers with ease , the Jap thought he could do likewise with me , but in the first encounter I got the better of him , after which my confidence returned . I had no trouble then in winning the match . It was a surprise to the crowd and a set @-@ back for Koma . He had been the hero all week , but as soon as he was beaten the fans , true to form , called him a bum . " 
 In July 1910 , Maeda returned to Cuba , where he tried to arrange matches with Frank Gotch and Jack Johnson . The Americans ignored him — there was no money to be made wrestling him , and much money to be lost if they lost to him . On August 23 , 1910 , Maeda wrestled Jack Connell in Havana ; the result was a draw . During 1911 , Maeda and Satake were joined in Cuba by Akitaro Ono and Tokugoro Ito . The four men were known as the ' Four Kings of Cuba.' 
 The Four Kings were very popular in Cuba , and the Japanese media were proud of the reputation they were bringing to judo and Japan . Consequently , on January 8 , 1912 , the Kodokan promoted Maeda to 5th dan . There was some resistance to this decision because there were those in Japan who did not approve of his involvement in professional wrestling . In 1913 , Tokugoro Ito stayed in Cuba while Maeda and Satake went to El Salvador , Costa Rica , Honduras , Panama , Colombia , Ecuador and Peru . In El Salvador , the president was assassinated while Maeda was there , and in Panama , the Americans tried to pay him to lose ; in response , they kept moving south . In Peru they met Laku , a Japanese jujutsuka who taught the military , and invited him to join them . They were then joined by Okura in Chile , and by Shimitsu in Argentina . The troupe arrived in Brazil on November 14 , 1914 . 
 
 = = = = Brazil = = = = 
 
 According to a copy of Maeda 's passport provided by Gotta Tsutsumi , head of Belém 's Associação Paramazônica Nipako , Maeda arrived in Porto Alegre on November 14 , 1914 , where his first exhibition in Brazil took place . After appearing in Porto Alegre , Maeda and his companions moved throughout the country : on August 26 , 1915 , Maeda , Satake , Okura , Shimitsu , and Laku were at Recife ; during October 1915 , they were in Belém , finally arriving in Manaus on December 18 , 1915 . Tokugoro Ito arrived some time later . 
 On December 20 , 1915 , the first demonstration in Belém took place at the Theatro Politheama . The O Tempo newspaper announced the event , stating that Conde Koma would show the main jiu @-@ jitsu techniques , excepting the prohibited ones . He would also demonstrate self @-@ defense techniques . After that , the troupe would be accepting challenges from the crowd , and there would be the first sensational match of jiu @-@ jitsu between Shimitsu ( champion of Argentina ) and Laku ( Peruvian military professor ) . On December 22 , 1915 , according to O Tempo , jiu @-@ jitsu world champion Maeda , head of the Japanese troupe , and Satake , New York champion , performed an enthusiastic and sensational jiu @-@ jitsu match . On the same day , Nagib Assef , an Australian Greco @-@ Roman wrestling champion of Turkish origin , challenged Maeda . On December 24 , 1915 , Maeda defeated in seconds the boxer Barbadiano Adolpho Corbiniano , who became one of his disciples . On January 3 , 1916 at Theatro Politheama , Maeda finally fought Nagib Assef , who was thrown off the stage and pinned into submission by arm @-@ lock . On January 8 , 1916 , Maeda , Okura , and Shimitsu boarded the SS Antony and left for Liverpool . Tokugoro Ito went to Los Angeles . Satake and Laku stayed in Manaus teaching , according to O Tempo , jiu @-@ jitsu . After 15 years together , Maeda and Satake had finally split up . Of this last trip , little is known . Maeda went from England to Portugal , Spain , and France , coming back to Brazil in 1917 alone . Settling in Belém do Pará , Maeda married D. May Iris . 
 Maeda was still popular in Brazil , and recognized as a great fighter , although he only fought sporadically after his return . Around 1918 – 1919 , Maeda accepted a challenge from the famous capoeirista Pé de Bola . Maeda allowed Pé de Bola to use a knife in the fight . The capoeirista was 190 cm tall and weighed 100 kg . Maeda won the match quickly . In 1921 , Maeda founded his first judo academy in Brazil . It was called Clube Remo , and its building was a 4 m x 4 m shed . Later , it was moved to the Fire Brigade headquarters and then to the church of N. S. de Aparecida . In 1991 , the Academy was located in the SESI and was run by Alfredo Mendes Coimbra , of the third generation of Conde Koma 's descendants . 
 On September 18 , 1921 , Maeda , Satake , and Okura were briefly in New York City . They were aboard the Booth Line steamship SS Polycarp . All three men listed their occupations as professors of " juitso " . After leaving New York , the three men went to the Caribbean , where they stayed from September to December 1921 . At some point in this trip , Maeda was joined by his wife . In Havana , Satake and Maeda took part in some contests . Their opponents included Paul Alvarez , who wrestled as Espanol Icognito . Alvarez defeated Satake and Yako Okura — the latter being billed as a former instructor at the Chilean Naval Academy — before being himself beaten by Maeda . Maeda also defeated a Cuban boxer called Jose Ibarra , and a French wrestler called Fournier . The Havana papers attributed Maeda with a Cuban student called Conde Chenard . 
 
 = = = Later years = = = 
 
 In 1925 , Maeda became involved with helping settle Japanese immigrants near Tome @-@ açú , a Japanese @-@ owned company town in Pará , Brazil . This was part of a large tract in the Amazon forest set aside for Japanese settlement by the Brazilian government . The crops grown by the Japanese were not popular with the Brazilians , and the Japanese investors eventually gave up on the project . Maeda also continued teaching judo , now mostly to the children of Japanese immigrants . Consequently , in 1929 , the Kodokan promoted him to 6th dan , and on November 27 , 1941 , to 7th dan . Maeda never knew of this final promotion , because he died in Belém on November 28 , 1941 . The cause of death was kidney disease . 
 In May 1956 , a memorial to Maeda was erected in Hirosaki City , Japan . The dedication ceremony was attended by Risei Kano and Kaichiro Samura . 
 
 = = Influence on the creation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu = = 
 
 Gastão Gracie was a business partner of the American Circus in Belém . In 1916 , Italian Argentine circus Queirolo Brothers staged shows there and presented Maeda . In 1917 , Carlos Gracie — 14 ‑ year @-@ old son of Gastão Gracie — watched a demonstration by Maeda at the Da Paz Theatre and decided to learn judo ( also known at the time as ' Kano Jiu @-@ Jitsu ' ) . Maeda accepted Gracie and Luiz França as students [ 1 ] , and the youth went on to become a great exponent of the art and ultimately , with his younger brother Hélio Gracie , founded Gracie Jiu @-@ Jitsu , modern Brazilian Jiu @-@ Jitsu . In 1921 , Gastão Gracie and his family moved to Rio de Janeiro . Carlos , then 17 years old , passed Maeda 's teachings on to his brothers Osvaldo , Gastão , and Jorge . Hélio is considered by many as the founder of Brazilian Jiu @-@ Jitsu ( though others , such as Carlson Gracie , have pointed to Carlos as the founder ) . 
 
 = = Maeda 's philosophy of combat = = 
 
 According to Renzo Gracie 's book Mastering Jujitsu , Maeda not only taught the art of judo to Carlos Gracie , but also taught a particular philosophy about the nature of combat based on his travels competing and training alongside catch @-@ wrestlers , boxers , savate fighters , and various other martial artists . The book details Maeda 's theory that physical combat could be broken down into distinct phases , such as the striking phase , the grappling phase , the ground phase , and so on . Thus , it was a smart fighter 's task to keep the fight located in the phase of combat that best suited his own strengths . The book further states that this theory was a fundamental influence on the Gracie approach to combat . The approach included armed versus armed , armed versus unarmed , unarmed , standing ( tachiwaza , 立ち技 ) , kneeling ( suwariwaza , 座技 ) , and ground work ( newaza , 寝技 ) , close quarters ( hakuheijugi , 白兵主義 ) , and other forms of combat . It was employed by other proponents of judo ( ' Kano jiu @-@ jutsu ' ) who , like Maeda , engaged in challenge match fighting overseas as judo spread internationally ( e.g. , Yukio Tani in the United Kingdom from 1905 , Mikonosuke Kawaishi in France , and others ) . 
 
 