Ivan Gomes

Ivan Simão da Cunha Gomes (December 25, 1939 - March 2, 1990) was a Brazilian vale tudo fighter and professional wrestler.

Early life Born in Fazenda das Lajes in Campina Grande, Gomes was expected to become a cowboy like his father, but he started a career in martial arts after meeting coach Tatá. Along with his brothers José and Jaildo, Ivan trained in boxing and a few notions of "jiu-jitsu" (a name for judo in Brazil at the time). He trained formally in the latter art under Agatangelo Braga and his brother-in-law Osmar "Builson" Mouzinho de Oliveira, trainees of judoka Takeo Yano, and also learned under grappler José María Freire, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert from the George Gracie lineage. The match ended in a draw, although witnesses and specialized press were unanimous Gomes was the better man.

In 1968, after handing the academy to his brother Jaildo, Gomes returned to Campina Grande and resumed his vale tudo career, meeting fighters like Waldemar Santana and Euclides Pereira. In 1974, he opened another school there to teach his style of BJJ.

Professional wrestling career In December 1974, when Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling toured Brazil, Gomes publicly challenged its owner Antonio Inoki to a vale tudo fight. Inoki instead proposed Gomes to become a NJPW wrestler, and after the Brazilian became interested in the style of catch wrestling used by the Japanese troupe, he accepted the offer. Gomes traveled to Japan with them, training in wrestling under Inoki himself while teaching him and his wrestlers his own style in return. Gomes wrestled many opener matches against Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Don Arakawa and Daigoro Oshiho, always coming out on top.

Match with Willem Ruska In 1976, during a NJPW tour through Brazil, Gomes was slated to wrestle judo medalist Willem Ruska on August 7 at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Previous negotiations about the match's results and length were troublesome, and as a result, there was tension between the parts.

During the bout, refereed by Mr. Takahashi, Gomes attacked Ruska with real strikes and illegal closed-fisted punches, which Ruska answered by landing a similar right punch, and the match became a shoot right after. The slightly heavier Brazilian dragged Ruska to the ground with a guillotine choke, but Ruska escaped and mounted him. After becoming entangled with the ring ropes, a bloody Gomes captured Ruska's back and tried a rear naked choke, to which Ruska grabbed the ropes to break action as per the match's rules. However, the Brazilian refused to release Ruska, so the referee, upon observing most of Gomes' body was outside the ropes, called for countout on him in order to end the match at 9:03. There was controversy about whether the choke and the rope escape were effective or not.

The event's crowds believed Gomes had been wronged with the decision, and a riot almost broke out until NJPW president Antonio Inoki came out and calmed them down. Still, repercussion in Brazil was negative, with pundits arguing about who should be considered the victor, even although some acknowledged Gomes had started the affair with an illegal move. As a consequence, the Athletic Commission of Rio de Janeiro banned Takahashi and Ruska from all sport competitions. The Japanese considered Ruska the winner, as Gomes had to receive nine stitches around the right eye for damage suffered in the brawl, while Ruska was comparatively in much better condition. It was also reported Inoki secretly gifted Ruska a money bonus to compensate his ban from competing.

Legacy and death Ivan Gomes is known for being the innovator of the heel hook submission. After his return to Brazil from his professional wrestling stint, Gomes retired and became solely a teacher. He passed in March 1990 due to renal illness.