Join Us for a Legendary BJJ Seminar with Coral Belt Helio ‘Soneca’!
Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to train with BJJ legend Helio ‘Soneca’! This seminar will feature both Gi and No-Gi sessions, packed with world-class techniques, strategies, and insights from one of the pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Details:
- Date: Saturday, February 1st.
- Time: 10am GI / 2pm No-GI
- Location: Fargo BJJ
- Cost: $50 for one session (Gi or No-Gi), $75 for both
- Belt Promotion: Will take place immediately following the GI session
Early Registration Discount:
Super Early Bird – 20% OFF – Ends Dec 21st
Early Bird – 10% OFF – Ends Jan 12th
Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or a beginner, this is a rare chance to elevate your BJJ game. Spots are limited, so secure your place now!
ONLINE REGISTRATION: Click Link to register
BOTH GI AND NOGI SESSIONS – 10am/2pm
GI SESSION + PROMO ONLY – 10am
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST YEARS SONECA SEMINAR:
Who is Helio SONECA?
Helio Moreira, commonly known as “Soneca”, is regarded by many as a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend. A black belt under Carlos Gracie Junior, Helio “Soneca” became one of BJJ’s top competitors in the late 1990’s decade, having also followed a short term career in mixed martial arts (MMA). Moreira was one of the first black belts produced by the Gracie Barra academy, having later become a well respected instructor in jiu jitsu and MMA.
His high standards have led him to graduate less black belts then expected for someone with his lengthy career, but no one can deny the quality of the ones he has actually awarded, black belts like Gustavo Muggiati, Michel Safi, Alexandre “Café” Dantas, Jair “Sorriso”, Robson Santos, Marcelo Pupo and many others.
ADCC 2017 Legends Fight SONECA x MEGATON!
Amal Easton shares his story of legendary BJJ icon, Helio SONECA:
I landed in Rio in 1995 and headed straight to Barra Gracie under the tutelage of Carlos Gracie Junior at the instruction of his cousin, Carlos Machado. Gracie Barra was a huge school with more Black Belts than I imagined existed in the world of BJJ. The depth of talent and diversity of game was mind boggling. I had one mission in Rio: stay as long as possible and train and learn as much Gracie Jiu Jitsu as possible. Unlike the realities of today’s virtual world, there was no YouTube or Facebook, and the only way to learn Gracie Jiu Jitsu was face-to-face on the mats, mostly in Brazil. In actuality, it was seriously frowned upon to record video of training or technique because of the tight, nuclear dynamic of the various teams. Guarding skills and knowledge was of utmost importance to the art’s early practitioners.”
“Watching all the tournaments and listening to the stories, I began hearing of a standout Gracie Barra instructor, “Soneca.” Soneca was known as a Professor who gave his students 100%, and whose students performed exceptionally well at tournaments. A good friend took me to a class taught by Soneca and Soneca was instantly approachable. Jovial, humorous and with as big of a personality as they come, Soneca turned out to be an invaluable influence on my training and learning.”
During the first BJJ World Championships in 1996, I did acupuncture on Soneca between matches while he battled his way to the top of the podium, becoming the first ever World Champion in his weight class. Despite his 145-pound build, Soneca used to fight and often win the absolute weight class as a completely fearless competitor. Legend had it that one fateful night at a party in his hometown, he took on the gigantic bully bouncer twice his size and made such a spectacle of it, that it is talked about to this day. If you ever went out with him at night, you did not doubt this story for a second. Despite his fearless attitude and superior technical ability, Soneca is an amazingly kind and gentle teacher, and has taught many of the modern-day champions all the way from children to adults.
I had the opportunity to live with Soneca in Curitiba, Brazil. Soneca, “Van Dam,” “Sorrizo” and I lived in a small closet in the academy. During this time, he had the whole Chute Box team as his students, one of the most ferocious MMA teams on the planet. Wanderley Silva, Rudimar Frederigo, Jose “Pele” Landi, Anderson Silva, and many more were frequently on the mat going to battle. Those were some wild times. We would wake up, roll out of the closet onto the mats and go to war all day, sometimes ending the night out on the town, and then repeating this routine every single day. It was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. One thing I can say with complete certainty is that we will never meet a bigger, more charismatic and entertaining character than Soneca. – AMAL EASTON