Ricardo Liborio Receives 7th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

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The stars came out to honor Ricardo Liborio over the weekend.

Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Arona, João Alberto Barreto, Reyson Gracie, Carlos Rosado, Fernando Pinduka and Arthur Virgílio Netto were among more than 50 jiu-jitsu and vale tudo legends that convened at Brazilian Top Team headquarters in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday to attend the coral belt (seventh degree black belt) graduation of Liborio. Liborio is considered to be among the top three most technical black belts ever taught by the legendary Carlson Gracie.

According to jiu-jitsu tradition, coral belts are only awarded to masters who have been active black belts for more than 30 years.

“It´s hard to express what I’m feeling right now with many generations of jiu-jitsu joining in this special moment,” Liborio told Sherdog.com shortly after receiving his coral belt. “From legends like João Alberto Barreto, who defended jiu-jitsu side by side with my master Carlson; my idols when I started as a white belt, like Peixotinho, Rosado and Pinduka; training partners like Bustamante and Arona; and my American students who came from the U.S. to witness such a unique moment in my life and understand the origins of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.”

The belt was tied around Liborio’s waist by Pinduka and Rosado, the oldest members of the Carlson Gracie Academy.

After spending years as a jiu-jitsu teacher, founding the Brazilian Top Team and leading the American Top Team, today Liborio dedicates himself to teaching jiu-jitsu at the University of Central Florida. Some 80 American students were on the mats set up at AABB, the place where Liborio, at the age of 4, took his first steps as a fighter by putting on his gi to train in judo.

In addition to Liborio, Luiz Roberto "Bebeo" Duarte and Marcel Duque Estrada were also awarded the coral belt.