Man in a white Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi holding a certificate for achieving a Red/White Belt, standing against a plain background.

Jorge Pereira is a Brazilian Red & White Coral Belt (8th Degree) Jiu-Jitsu Master who earned his black belt training under Rickson Gracie (1986).

Pereira is known as one of the defenders of the Brazilian grappling style in vale tudo (no holds barred) matches throughout the 1980/90s and 2000s as well as for having built one of the strongest jiu jitsu teams of that era, developing athletes such as Leo Dalla, Otavio “Tatá” Duarte, Paulo Guillobel, Wander Braga and Luiz “Guigo” Guilherme to name a few.

Jorge Pereira was raised in the Volta Redonda municipality, state of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil.

As a youngster the Pereira family moved to Nova Ipanema in Rio’s South Zone. During his days at Nova Ipanema, Jorge clashed often with one of his neighbours who used to “rough-up” a few of the kids in his condo. These quarrels with his neighbour led Jorge to seek jiu jitsu instruction.

Although Jorge did not find a suitable jiu jitsu gym nearby, soon after he started his search Marcelo Behring moved into this same condo. Although in his late teens, Marcelo was already a big name in the Rio de Janeiro’s grappling scene, who would later become a legendary international figure. It was Marcelo who introduced Pereira to jiu jitsu at the age of 15, leading him all the way to blue belt.

Black and white photo of a group of young men in judo uniforms posing together in a gym or dojo.
Two men in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu uniforms smiling and posing together in a training gym, one with a black belt and the other with a red belt.

Jorge Pereira fought in the Gracie Academy trials, and his performances earned him a spot on Rickson Gracie‘s competition squad, a special sect of the Gracie Academy that was chosen to represent Rickson himself.

Jorge started attending the group classes of these elite competitors from when he was a blue belt, he carried out training under Rickson Gracie for many years, achieving the rank of black belt in 1986.

A shirtless male boxer standing in a boxing ring, with emotional expression, raising his right arm, while another person's hand is clenched in a fist and touching his hand. The background is dark, and the boxer is wearing black shorts with the slogan "GAP Academia."

Jorge Pereira was also a well known figure within the vale tudo (no holds barred) circuit during the 1990s, having decided to retire in 2008, at the age of 42 due to a knee injury and one blind eye, both due to his wars in the cages and rings.

  • World No-Gi Champion (2008, Senior 2)

  • Pan American Champion — 2002, 2003, 2004

  • FFC Submission Grappling Open Champion

  • IVC 5 (International Vale Tudo Championship)

  • Brazilian Free Style Champion (Multiple Events)

  • King of the Cage

  • “The Fighter” Free Style Champion (Rio de Janeiro)

  • Extreme Challenge

  • Competed extensively in Vale Tudo & MMA

In 2007 Jorge Pereira was the face of a controversial fighting promotion named Rio Heroes, an organization that brought back the old values of no-holds-barred to the fight business, screened from some of the most well known favelas in Brazil.

With the support of various companies, Jason Atkins launched an online channel called Tough Sports, centered around no-holds-barred fighting. Their flagship event, Rio Heroes, aimed for a raw take on mixed martial arts, capitalizing on its rising popularity. Embracing MMA's origins, specifically vale-tudo, the format allowed all strikes and featured matches with no time limits.

Rio Heroes was broadcasted live from a satellite truck, with the fights being held in Brazil’s favelas. Jorge was the frontman who reached out to fighters, was the organization’s speaker and also its referee. Rio Heroes lasted 14 seasons before being shut down.

Two men posing together indoors, pointing at each other's shirts. One man is smiling, wearing a black leather jacket and a white T-shirt. The other man is wearing a black T-shirt with yellow text that says 'Rio Heroes' and has his arm around the first man's shoulder. A shield with a red, white, and blue design is visible on the wall behind them.

In 2018, a television series was released in Brazil telling the life story of Jorge. Titled Rio Heroes, the show dramatizes his role in the rise of underground no-rules fighting in Brazil and the creation of the iconic Rio Heroes vale-tudo events.

The series follows Pereira as he rejects the increasing restrictions of organized combat sports and creates an illegal, no-holds-barred tournament that revives the raw roots of fighting. Through intense matches and personal conflict, Rio Heroes explores honor, loyalty, violence, and the price of living outside the system.

Group of diverse PDJ Jiu Jitsu practitioners in white belts and gis posing for a photo in a martial arts dojo.

On December 9, 2013, Jorge Pereira was formally awarded his Coral Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by the American BJJ Federation (USBJJF), under the leadership of Joe Moreira.

On November 6, 2022, Master Jorge Pereira received his 8th-Degree Red & White Coral Belt, marking a lifetime of dedication to the art.