Luiz França

Luiz França learned jiu-jitsu directly from Mitsuyo Maeda. History gave most of its spotlight to another of Maeda's students — but França taught his own students, in his own way, and through him a second great root of Brazilian jiu-jitsu grew.

His student Oswaldo Fadda carried França's jiu-jitsu into Rio de Janeiro's working-class suburbs and built the line that today bears Fadda's name. Every black belt in this lineage — including every GFTeam DC student — traces back through Luiz França.