Background
Euclides Pereira was born in 1941 in North Eastern Brazil.
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Euclides Pereira
Edit ProfileEducation
His family moved to the city of Natal when he was a child, and he attended Salesian College to become a priest.
Career
He also trained in judo, karate, capoeira and boxing, and had his debut in the vale tudo circuit at 17. He joined the luta livre camp and became a legend in the vale tudo fights, getting the nickname of "O Diavo Louro" ("The Blond Devil") for his aggressiveness and charisma. He was the star of the Brazilian television show Heroes do Ringue, fighting weekly from 1960-1966 on television Lore had his record as 358-0, even although Euclides was known not to hand pick his opponents in order to pad his record.
He fought fellow vale tudo legends like Ivan Gomes, Valdemar Santana and Rei Zulu.
He also was made famous when he defeated Carlson Gracie via a decision in 1968. The fight which took 5 years to be planned, until all the conditions imposed by the Gracies were finally accepted.
Knowing Carlson"s danger on the mat, Euclides took advantage of his own superiority in striking and wrestling and almost got Gracie knocked out at the fourth round, breaking his nose and damaging his eye region. The match had controversy when Carlson claimed he had been "robbed" by the judges, given that Euclides had exited the ring to avoid a guillotine choke, however a common tactic at the time.
Carlson was granted a rematch, but he never took lieutenant
Euclides would fight for 25 years before retiring. 1963: Drew with Waldemar Santana
1964: Drew with Ivan Gomes in Recife
1967: Drew with Ivan Gomes in Campina Grande
1967: Drew with Ivan Gomes in Petrolina - The match was called out by officials when sun set over the open air ring and it was considered insufficient light. 1972: Drew with Ivan Gomes in Manaus
1974: Drew with Ivan Gomes in Brasilia.
Achievements
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After 50 minutes, Pereira won the decision over a heavily bloodied Carlson. 1958: Won over Waldo Santana by submission (strikes) in Recife 1963: Won over King Kong by KO (strikes) 1967: Won over Waldemar Santana by decision 1968: Won over Waldemar Santana by retirement - Santana refused to return to the ring. 1968: Won over Carlson Gracie by decision 1974: Won over Waldemar Santana by decision 1979: Won over Rei Zulu by submission (guillotine choke).
