When Pride Fighting Championship fans recall the golden era of the Japanese promotion, the rivalry between Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team often comes to mind.
After all, the clashes between Carlson Gracie jiu-jitsu black belts from Rio de Janeiro and the muay Thai aces from Chute Boxe team led by Rudimar Fedrigo in Curitiba marked some of the most important chapters of the Japanese organization between 1997 and 2007.
The world of MMA has changed a lot in the last 15 years. On Monday, Conan Silveira, one of the first black belts under Carlson Gracie and one of the founders of American Top Team, launched the first Brazilian branch of ATT in Curitiba, the homeland of Chute Boxe.