Rei Zulu Explained

Rei Zulu
Birth Name:Casemiro de Nascimento Martins
Birth Date:9 June 1947
Birth Place:São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
Height:6 ft 2 in
Weight Lb:207
Weight Class:Heavyweight
Style:Tarracá, Vale Tudo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Years Active:1963–2009
Mma Kowin:1
Mma Subwin:0
Mma Decwin:1
Mma Koloss:3
Mma Subloss:2
Mma Decloss:3
Sherdog:1234

Casimiro de Nascimento Martins, better known as Rei Zulu (born 9 June 1947), is a Brazilian retired vale-tudo fighter who specialized in specialized in tarracá, a traditional fighting style from his native Maranhão.[1] Rei Zulu had been and continues to be considered a legendary figure in the MMA scene in Brazil, particularly in the vale-tudo circuit. He is also the father of MMA fighter Zuluzinho.[2]

Rei Zulu became famous for traveling throughout Brazil and challenging various fighters from Brazil and other parts of the world. In 1980, after 17 years of competition, his career had initially ended after approximately 150 fights after being caught in a guillotine move by Euclides Pereira.[3] It was then that Rei Zulu sent out a challenge to the Gracie family to prove who was the best vale-tudo fighter in Brazil. The undefeated Rickson Gracie fought Rei Zulu, who had to that point a 170–0 record and was alleged to have had up to 270 wins in the vale tudo circuit, in a televised fight that was historic for the development of the Brazilian MMA scene.[4] [5] In a hard-fought fight, Rei Zulu lost to Gracie by decision.[6] In a reunion between the two, he was defeated again by decision. However, on 30 November 1984, he had his most major victory against competitor Sérgio Batarelli, a kickboxing fighter, during the JJ vs MA-Jiu-Jitsu vs Martial Arts event.[7]

After winning against Batarelli, continued to fight. In 1990, he was defeated by knockout by James Adler.[8] On 6 April 2000, in the state of Piauí, in a televised fight, Rei Zulu, at 55 years old, lost to kung fu fighter Wellington Dourado. Rei Zulu lost when he was pushed by Wellington out of the ring and fell, hitting his head and went unconscious. Rei Zulu went on to allege that such a move was illegal and that Wellington should have been disqualified. Despite him getting older and into advanced age, he would continue on, having 3 wins due to knockouts at 62 years old. He began to instruct his son Zuluzinho and would accompany him to fights. He had mentioned of intentions to fight other fighters such as Skip Hall and Dan Severn. One of his last fights was against Santos Samurai in the Desafio de Giantes 10 event in 2008.[9]

For a long time, Rei Zulu had been considered worldwide as one of the fighters in the MMA scene with a brawler tactic, ones without a singular style and fought mainly with stronghanded fighting tactics. Years later, however, he revealed in an interview that he learned from his father a traditional fighting style from his home state of Maranhão, which he had also passed onto his son, called tarracá,[10] [11] [12] which is very popular in the regions of Pindaré and the lowland region of Maranhão.[13]

MMA career

Rei Zulu had a long career in vale-tudo, and before his emblematic duel with Rickson Gracie, he came to been seen as invincible during the time in which he had 150 fights[1] [14] in a span of 17 years,[15] but due to a lack of precise information, it was not possible to compile a complete list of his fight history.

ResultRecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Lossalign='center' 2-7Santos SamuraiDisqualificationDesafio de Gigantes 106 July 2008align='center' 2align='center' 5:00Macapá, Brazil
Victoryalign='center' 2-6Wesslan Evaristo de OliveiraSubmissionZulu Combat 120 January 2007align='center' 1align='center' 0:28São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
Lossalign='center' 1-6Enson InoueTKOShooto

Reconquista 2

6 April 1997align='center' 1align='center' 0:45Tokyo, Japan
Lossalign='center' 1-5Kunta KinteSubmissionBVF: Circuito de Lutas 71 August 1996align='center' 1align='center' N/ARio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lossalign='center' 1-4Ebenezer Fontes BragaN/AFreestyle de Belem 11 July 1996align='center' 1align='center' N/ABelém, Brazil
Lossalign='center' 1-3Pedro OtavioDisqualificationDesafío - International Vale Tudo1 January 1995align='center' 1align='center' 11:54Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Victoryalign='center' 1-2Sérgio BatarelliSubmissionJiu-Jitsu vs Martial Arts30 December 1984align='center' 1align='center' 2:24Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lossalign='center' 0-2Rickson GracieSubmissionIndependent promotion1 January 1984align='center' 1align='center' N/ARio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lossalign='center' 0-1Rickson GracieSubmissionIndependent promotion25 April 1980align='center' 1align='center' 11:55Brasília, Brazil

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: Adriano Albuquerque and Raphael Marinho . Maracanãzinho consagra Rickson e vê aurora de nova geração histórica . 30 November 2023 . . 24 October 2014 . pt.
  2. Web site: Cruz. Guilherme. Zuluzinho ‘shocked’ by standup rule that led to brutal knockout, still plans to fight in late-September. 6 September 2022. 1 December 2023. MMA Fighting. en.
  3. Web site: Euclides Pereira - O Diabo Louro do vale-tudo. 2 December 2023. GracieMag. pt-br.
  4. Fred Melo Paiva, Rei Zulu: "Isso de Carate, Kung-Fu, essa coisa de Jiu-Jitsu, eu arrebento é na porrada", Trip magazine, April 1999
  5. De Jesus Saraiva 2015.
  6. Web site: RICKSON GRACIE CRAZY NO-RULES FIGHT VS. KING ZULU IN 1984. 3 June 2022. 30 November 2023. MixedMartialArts.com.
  7. Web site: Sherdog.com. JJ vs. MA - Jiu-Jitsu vs. Martial Arts. 1 December 2023. Sherdog. en.
  8. Web site: Do baú: Rei Zulu x James Adler no vale-tudo. 16 March 2023. 1 December 2023. GracieMag. pt-br.
  9. Lopes Müller Júnior, Mendes Capraro 2023.
  10. Web site: Portal do Vale Tudo: Zulu e Zuluzinho . 30 November 2023.
  11. Web site: Tarracá - Jogo/luta Maranhense: o Estilo de Rei Zulú . 30 November 2023.
  12. Web site: Rei Zulu e seu Estilo de MMA o Tarracá . 30 November 2023.
  13. Web site: Tarracá - O Estado . 30 November 2023.
  14. Web site: Sport Fino - Carta Capital: A lenda do Rei Zulu e o Brasil no MMA . 30 November 2023.
  15. Web site: Os Melhores Vídeos do Mundo: Vale-Tudo - Rei Zulu vs Rickson Gracie . 30 November 2023.