Brazilian grapplers often say “only jiu-jitsu saves” when the martial art helps an MMA fighter emerge victorious in a difficult situation during a fight.
In Mateus Mendonca’s case, jiu-jitsu probably saved his life altogether.
A young Mendonca usually spent most of his days looking for trouble with some friends in the streets of Pindare Mirim, a tiny municipality in the state of Maranhao. His life took a turn when he was eight and a teenager beat up his brother. Filled with anger, he grabbed a scalpel and invaded the Martins Jiu-Jitsu school to attack the bully.
“This guy beat my brother and I was pissed off,” Mendonca said in an interview with MMA Fighting.