Last weekend, at BOPE (Brazilian elite police force) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, the luta livre and submission grappling belt promotion exam was held for the caveiras – as BOPE officers are known – and for the Rio de Janeiro Elite Municipal Guard. Four caveiras were promoted to black belt.
The event, organized by BOPE instructor Felix (Mau Mau), a black belt in luta livre and brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu, included the participation of Gilson Fernandes, a Jiu-Jitsu and luta livre black belt and director of Submission Luta Livre Federation events; Daniel D’Dane; vice-president Alexandre Pequeno, an MMA fighter; Master Jefferson (JOP), as well as MMA and Jiu-Jitsu fighter Ana Maria “Índia”, who also practices the style.
Pequeno and Índia performed the final roll and were impressed with the abilities of the caveiras.