From the USA to Brazil. From Brazil back to the USA.

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Grandmaster Hugo Duarte arrived in the United States as a result of an old rivalry with Renzo Gracie that grew to friendship and brought the two together as business partners in one of Renzo's Texas-based academies. Now that Grandmaster Duarte was on the mainland, a group of Black Belts working under him came together to start a new organization whose purpose is to shape Luta Livre as an established institution in America, opening the door for a rise of No-Gi enthusiasts within the submission grappling community. Together, Ross Kellin and Thadeu Vieira are redefining the sport by developing a common set of grappling rules and regulations, as well as procedures, standards, and certification for aspiring instructors.