{{Use Oxford spelling|date=June 2022}} {{short description|Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner from Brazil}} {{Infobox martial artist | name = Mauricio Gomes | birthname = Maurício Motta Gomes |nickname = Maurição{{efn|The nickname "Maurição" means Big Maurício.<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2011">{{cite web | title=Mauricio Gomes | website=BJJ Heroes | date=2011-05-01 | url=https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/mauricio-gomes}}</ref>}} | image = | image_size = | caption = | nationality = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1955|07|25}} | birth_place = Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |spouse={{plainlist| * {{marriage|Reila Gracie|May 1979|end=divorced}} * Natalie Day }} | children = Roger Gracie | martial_art = Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | teacher = Rolls Gracie<br />Carlos Gracie, Jr.<br />João Alberto Barreto | rank = ''8th deg. BJJ coral belt''<br /><small>under Rolls Gracie & Carlos Gracie Jr.</small> | website = [https://www.mauriciogomesbjj.com/ mauriciogomesbjj] | occupation = BJJ instructor }}
'''Maurício Motta Gomes''' (born 25 July, 1955), also known as '''Maurição''',<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2011" /> is a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu holding the rank of 8th degree white and red belt.<ref name="Mauricio">[http://www.renzogracie.com/content/congratulations-master-maurico-gomes-and-roger-gracie Renzo Gracie News >> Congratulations to Master Maurico Gomes and Roger Gracie] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611085334/http://www.renzogracie.com/content/congratulations-master-maurico-gomes-and-roger-gracie|date=2010-06-11}}. URL accessed on June 14, 2010.</ref><ref name="Motta">[http://www.graciebarra.com/gbcn.php?n=blackbelts Gracie Barra Black Belts]. URL accessed on June 14, 2010. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621045109/http://www.graciebarra.com/gbcn.php?n=blackbelts|date=June 21, 2010}}</ref> The founder of the first Gracie Barra franchise in the United Kingdom, Gomes has been training and teaching BJJ for over 50 years, one of only six people promoted to black belt by legendary Rolls Gracie. Gomes is the father of Roger Gracie, one of the most accomplished jiu-jitsu competitors of all time.<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2011" />
== Career == Maurício Motta Gomes started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu aged four, after his father, a BJJ brown belt, took him to classes at João Alberto Barreto's academy. As a teenager, Gomes began training with the legendary Rolls Gracie.<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2011" /> Under Gracie's guidance, he became a highly successful competitor winning the absolute division of the Rio de Janeiro State Championships in 1981. Shortly after this victory Gracie awarded Gomes his black belt in November 1981. Gomes continued training with Gracie until his tragic death in 1982.<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2011" />
Gomes opened the first Gracie Barra school in 1997 in Tokyo and was the first Brazilian to be invited to Japan to teach. After staying there for a year, he returned to Brazil before accepting a position in England. Gomes set up Gracie Barra UK, teaching in Birmingham, London, Edinburgh and Belfast.<ref name="Motta" /> Gomes brought over Felipe Souza, Braulio Estima, and his son Roger Gracie to help with the teaching in England.<ref name="Scandinavia 2013">{{cite web | last=Scandinavia | first=BJJ | title=Mauricio Gomes: "Nowadays nobody tries takedowns anymore" | website=BJJ Scandinavia | date=2013-10-02 | url=http://www.bjjscandinavia.com/2013/10/02/mauricio-gomes-nowadays-nobody-tries-takedowns-anymore}}</ref> Estima later become the main instructor at Gracie Barra Birmingham. In 2000 Gomes was invited to lead the BJJ class at the Budokwai in London. In 2004 his son opened the ''Roger Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy'' where he joined the teaching staff. In 2005 Gomes promoted his first UK students to black belt Jude Samuel, the first home-grown British black belt, Rick Young, and Marc Walder. In 2002 together with his son, Gomes established the first Gracie Barra Jiu Jitsu School in Shanghai, China.<ref name="Scandinavia 2013" /> Because of his efforts to grow the sport in the country, Gomes is affectionately known as the ‘Godfather of British Jiu-Jitsu’.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.kingstonjiujitsu.com/about/ |access-date=2020-06-16 |website=Kingston Jiu Jitsu |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == Through his close ties with the Gracie family, Gomes met Reila Gracie, the daughter of Carlos Gracie Sr. They married in 1979 and had a daughter, Vanessa, and a son, Roger. Roger Gracie would go on to become a ten-time World Champion, opting to use the Gracie name from his mother's side. Gomes and Reila Gracie divorced, and Gomes now lives in the UK.
== Instructor lineage == Kano Jigoro → Tomita Tsunejiro → Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Mauricio Motta Gomes<ref name="BJJ Heroes 2011" />
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://rogergracie.com/?page_id=2656 Mauricio Gomes Black Belt List] * [http://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/mauricio-gomes/ Jiu Jitsu] * [http://www.graciebarra.com/ Gracie Barra] * [http://www.rogergracie.com/ Roger Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy] * [http://www.gracie-barra.co.uk/ European Fight Network] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070307082201/http://www.kamonwingchun.com/Brazilian%20Jiu-Jitsu2.asp Interview with Mauricio Motta Gomes]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gomes, Mauricio Motta}} Category:Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in England Category:Living people Category:Martial artists from Rio de Janeiro (city) Category:People awarded a coral belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Category:1960 births