The annual belt promotion festivities at Renzo Gracie Academy in New York was a special one last night. Master Marcio “Macarrão” Stambowsky, one of Rolls Gracie’s best students, met up with his old master’s sons and received his red-and-black belt from the hands of host Renzo.
Macarrão was one of the greatest Jiu-Jitsu competitors of the 1970’s and 80’s, famous for his notorious leg game, which his friends called the “guillotine guard” – anyone to get caught in them was a dead duck. Either they got swept or tapped out, as remembered to this day.
The owner of the red-and-black belt was the highlight at the promotion party marked by joy and with many promising practitioners of the sport in attendance. New brown belt Kay Stephenson, for example, was moved by her promotion, and will now compete in the main female category.
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