Joe Moreira

Even while being involved with his U.S. Jiu-Jitsu organization, Moreira continued competing. Following his long string of Jiu-Jitsu and Judo victories, he decided to test his skills in mixed martial arts competition via the Ultimate Fighting Championship. On February 16, 1996, Moreira fought the six-foot-eight-inch, 360-pound Paul Varelans in the UFC 8 and lost by a narrow decision. He competed again the following year at UFC 14, winning his first match against Yuri Vaulin by unanimous decision, putting him in the finals of the Middleweight bracket. After his bout however, the on-site doctor concluded Moreira showed signs of a concussion, and did not clear him to fight, leading to Moreira being replaced by an alternate.

In the early 1990s, an invitation from Reylson Gracie prompted Moreira to sell all of his possessions in Brazil and travel to the United States to be a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor. "He promised me everything," Moreira remembers, "but when I got there, it was pretty different." Because of some financial disagreements, he decided to go it alone and forge his own path.

By 1986, Moreira was a black belt in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The next step in his evolution came in the form of internships at Tenri University, in Japan, and at the Kodokan, the traditional Judo academy established by Judo founder Jigoro Kano. After four months of training with the Japanese Olympic team and completing a course with more than 1,000 black belt students, Moreira became vice champ in an international tournament: the Judo World Cup.

After a year of invaluable training in Japan, Moreira returned to his Brazilian academy in Rio de Janeiro and produced his first tournament: the Atlantico Sul Cup, which saw the debut of world names such as Ryan Gracie, Renzo Gracie, and Ralph Gracie, SHOOTO welterweight champion Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro, UFC veteran Jorge Patino, Nino Schembri and Marcio Feitosa, Cleber Luciano, Wander Braga, Wallid Ismail, Jean Jacques Machado, Fabio Gurgel, Murilo Bustamante, Mario Sperry, Allan Goes, Ricardo de la Riva Goded, and others who helped to establish it as a premier tournament. Nine Atlantico Sul Cup events were held between 1986 and 1994, produced with the help of his partners and friends, Claudio Franca and Marcus Viniclus.

Another respected Jiu-Jitsu master, Francisco Mansour, awarded Moreira his black belt in 1984. By competing in the most important Jiu-Jitsu tournaments of the 1980s, such as Copa Company, Copa Lightning Bolts and Copa Cantao, Moreira's collection of titles grew. His participation in such events garnered Moreira's respect and recognition as one of the toughest fighters of his time.

Jose Carlos Moreira (born July 3, 1961 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and a former mixed martial artist.