Otavio ‘Peixotinho’

Otavio Oliveira, commonly known in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as Otavio Peixotinho, is a BJJ black belt who was part of the famous Carlson Gracie Team of the 1980’s decade who became one of the most respected jiu jitsu masters in Brazil. Famed for his spectacular fights against the sporting legends, Royler and Rickson Gracie, “Peixotinho” together with a small group of people, defined BJJ in the 1980’s. Peixotinho is also the brother of another prolific Carlson Gracie black belt, Mr Marco Aurélio Kühner.

Otavio Peixotinho Jiu Jitsu

Full Name: Otavio Augusto Santos de Oliveira

Nickname: The nickname “Peixotinho” was given by Riller Gracie in a case of mixed identity. In 1975 Otavio was a blue belt and helped coach the beginners class at Rolls Gracie‘s academy, there he met Riller Gracie (son of Geysa Gracie – Carlos Gracie‘s daughter) who was a white belt at the time. When they met, Riller started calling Otavio as “Peixotinho” (little fish), once Otavio asked Riller why he was calling him that, the Gracie replied: “aren’t you from the Peixoto burg? (neighbourhood in Copacabana), Otavio replied “no”, Riller then asked, “ok, but don’t you study at the Peixoto College (a school in Gávea, another famous neighbourhood in the south side of Rio de Janeiro), and Otavio replied no again. Everyone laughed and Riller said “well you look like a Peixotinho then”. The name stook and stayed with Otavio from their on.

Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie > Carlson Gracie > Otavio Peixotinho

Main Achievements:

• Champion Copa Company (1984 black)
• Champion Copa LINJJI (1983 black)
• State Champion, RJ – AABB (1981 brown)
• State Champion, RJ (1976 blue, 1978, 1979 & 1980 purple)
• 2nd Place Copa LINJJI (1984 weight & absolute)
• 2nd Place Copa Company (1985 black)
• 2nd Place State Championship, RJ (1981 brown, absolute)
• 3rd place Copa LINJJI (1984 black, absolute)

Weight Division: Peso Leve (72kg)

Favourite Position/Technique: Guard Pass and Loop Choke (Estrangulamento Rodado)

Team/Association: Carlson Gracie Academy

Otavio “Peixotinho” de Oliveira Biography

Otávio de Oliveira also known as Peixotinho, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and raised on the streets of Ipanema. Growing up, Otavio was bullied both at school and on the street due to his minute demeanour. For that reason he often asked his father to put him in a martial arts school, unfortunately for Peixotinho his father did not concur at the time and from age 6 he ended dedicating most of his spare time to surfing instead.

When Otavio turned 14 years of age, he moved from Ipanema to the neighbouring burg of Copacabana in the southern area of Rio de Janeiro. Still fixed on the objective of training in a martial art, he requested his Uncle Wanderley Rebelo’s expertise on the matter (Wanderley was Ivan Gomes’s agent, a famous fighter in those days), Rebelo told Otavio he should pay the Gracie academy a visit and on December of 1974 Otavio enrolled at this same academy at Figueiredo Magalhães street.

Though he always had Jiu Jitsu as a hobby, he trained almost every day, sometimes several times in a day, he also cross trained in wrestling (Greco-roman and Freestyle) and Judo and soon became a famous name amongst fellow competitors for his prowess both in the lightweight division and in the absolute (open weight) division. A testament of that was his fight in 1981 at the Campeonato Carioca against the much heavier Mauricio Gomes, for the gold medal of the brown belt absolute category. Mauricio was 93kg (205lbs) against Peixotinhos 72kg (158lbs), and though this absolute war of attrition was won by Gomes (by one advantage) it showed just what kind of a warrior Otávio was.

The 1980’s were a troubled era for Jiu Jitsu. Though many legendary fighters came from that decade, competition in Rio de Janeiro was scarce. There was a big dispute within the Federation and in order to compete, most fighters would have to travel several hours to Niterói and compete there. It was in this mythical competition called “Copa do LINJI” in 1984 that Peixotinho fought Rickson Gracie in that legendary open weight division match. Otavio was very tired coming to the fight as he had fought twice in his own weight class defeating Zé “Paraíba” (student of Osvaldo Alves) and Sylvio Behring and once in the absolute against Rillion Gracie while Rickson only had one fight. The much anticipated battle did not end well for Peixotinho, but this encounter would echo forever as one of the biggest battles of our sport.

Two years after that fight Otavio Peixotinho applied for a state funded job in “Vale da Paraíba” working specifically in Taubaté. With the move away from Rio de Janeiro, he also opened his own academy with the consent of his master Carlson Gracie where he has produced many talented fighters.

Peixotinho vs Rickson Gracie

Peixotinho vs Sylvio Behring

Peixotinho vs Royler Gracie

Peixotinho vs Zé “Paraíba”