Valdemar Santana (28 October 1929 – 29 August 1984), also known as Adema Santa or by his famous nickname “Leopardo Negro” (Black Leopard), was a Brazilian martial artist recognized for his versatility, physical strength, and impact on the history of Brazilian combat sports.

Born in Salvador, Bahia, Santana trained in multiple fighting disciplines. He learned Capoeira under Manuel dos Reis Machado (Mestre Bimba), founder of Capoeira Regional, and later expanded his skills by studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Hélio Gracie. In addition to these arts, he trained in Luta Livre and boxing, becoming a complete and highly adaptive fighter.

🥋 The Legendary 1955 Fight Against Hélio Gracie

Valdemar Santana became a national figure after the historic Vale Tudo match against his former instructor, Hélio Gracie, in 1955. After more than three hours and forty minutes of intense combat, Santana knocked out Gracie with a decisive kick to the head.
This event became one of the most famous fights in Brazilian martial arts history.

The extreme violence of the match led to Vale Tudo competitions being temporarily banned in Rio de Janeiro. The fight received major media coverage, including a famous chronicle by playwright Nélson Rodrigues, who wrote:

“What happened yesterday at the ACM was an ancestral revenge of the black over the white. I felt as if the blow that knocked out Hélio Gracie was delivered by the foot of Saint Benedict.”

The victory placed Santana at the center of the national conversation about race, martial arts, and the culture of physical combat in Brazil.

👊 Rivalry With the Gracie Family

Following his victory over Hélio, public expectation demanded a rematch — not with Hélio, but with Carlson Gracie, Hélio’s nephew and one of the strongest fighters of the family.

According to historical accounts:

• Santana and Carlson fought six times

• Carlson won two bouts

• The remaining four were declared draws

Their rivalry filled arenas like the Maracanãzinho, and became a key chapter in early Brazilian Vale Tudo history.

⚔️ Battles Against the Greats: Kimura, Ivan Gomes, Euclides Pereira

Valdemar Santana fought many of the greatest fighters of his generation:

• Masahiko Kimura (Japan) – lost the first match by submission; the rematch under Vale Tudo rules was a draw

• Ivan Gomes – drew in 1962; lost by submission in 1972

• Euclides Pereira – drew once; lost by retirement in 1968

Santana’s career reflects the transition era when Brazilian fighters began to mix capoeira, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and wrestling into hybrid styles — the foundation of modern MMA.

📍 Influence and Teaching

Valdemar Santana served as a teacher to several fighters, including:

• Mestre Pombo de Ouro

• Boa Gente

His influence reached both the capoeira world and early Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Vale Tudo communities.

🕊️ Legacy

Valdemar Santana died in Bahia on 29 August 1984, but his legacy remains inseparable from the development of Brazilian martial arts. His courage, stamina, and technical versatility made him one of the most iconic fighters of his era.

He is remembered as:

• A pioneer of cross-disciplinary fighting

• One of Brazil’s toughest and most feared Vale Tudo competitors

• A bridge between capoeira, jiu-jitsu, luta livre, and boxing

• An inspirational figure for later martial artists, including mestres of capoeira
  
  Reference: https://capoeirawiki.org