In mid-1993, after shining as a brown belt at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship, Ricardo Libório met up with the great master Carlson Gracie at the Quebra Nozes snack bar, on the bottom floor of Carlson's famous gym in Copacabana. Laughing around with his açaí-painted teeth while talking to his friend Aru, Carlson suddenly turns to Libório and calmly says: "Starting tomorrow, you can come and train as a black belt." And that was it, without any ceremony, Libório was graduated. Fast forward 31 years, however, and things took a turn for the grandiose last Sunday, March 17th.

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Bringing together a true pantheon of great masters with their red belts, such as Reyson Gracie, Fernando Pinduka, Carlos Rosado, the brothers João Alberto and Álvaro Barreto, and Arthur Virgílio; in addition to other red-and-white and coral belt masters, Ricardo Libório would receive his own red and black belt. The AABB main hall, located in Rio de Janeiro, was packed with well-known names from the world of Jiu-Jitsu. Those who couldn't make it to the event, like the legend Marcelinho Garcia, made sure to leave their cheers in a video for the man of the hour.

Before receiving his new degree after more than three decades, Libório made a point of asking for the coral belt graduation for two older teachers who had yet to receive the honor; Luiz Roberto "Bebeo" Duarte and Marcel Duque Estrada.

After receiving the coral belt, tied around his waist by Pinduka and Rosado, the oldest members of the Carlson Gracie academy, Libório shared a few words about the importance of becoming a Jiu-Jitsu master, after years as a teacher.

"Being a master means learning to be beaten. It's a cycle that concludes. I can't win anymore, age slows everyone down regardless of how good you are. The next step after becoming a master is to seek physical, mental, and spiritual health. Find a reason that takes you back to the mat every day. In my case, I find joy in being there to help. Passing on concepts, experience, and values. This is part of my philosophy. I left an important position at Banco do Brasil years ago to live from Jiu-Jitsu. I love Jiu-Jitsu and I feel like the happiest guy in the world."

After spending years as a Jiu-Jitsu teacher, founding the Brazilian Top Team, and leading the American Top Team, with stints in Saudi Arabia, today the master dedicates himself to teaching in the USA. A legion of his American students were on the mats set up at AABB, the place where Libório, at the age of four, took his first steps as a fighter by putting on his gi to train in judo. As the master said, it is a cycle that concludes. Congratulations, Master Ricardo Libório.

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