Mario Sperry

José Mário Sperry—frequently known as “Zé Mario” or “Zé Maquina” (Joe Machine)—is a legendary figure in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Emerging as a dominant competitor in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Sperry became a central figure in Japan’s iconic Pride FC organization and co-founded one of the most successful MMA gyms in history.Profile OverviewFull Name: Jose Mario SperryNicknames: Zé, Zé MaquinaWeight Division: Super Pesado (Super Heavyweight – 100kg)Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda $rightarrow$ Carlos Gracie $rightarrow$ Carlson Gracie $rightarrow$ Ze Mario SperryTeam Affiliations: Carlson Gracie Academy (formerly), Brazilian Top Team (Co-founder)Early Life and Flawless RiseBorn on September 28, 1966, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Sperry later moved to Rio de Janeiro. Attending a military college, physical conditioning was deeply ingrained in his routine from an early age; he competed heavily in water polo, volleyball, soccer, and hammer throw.Sperry actually earned a degree in Economics and briefly worked as an economist before dedicating his life to martial arts. His grappling foundation began in Judo under George Medhi, where he trained alongside Olympic-level athletes. He did not pick up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu until he was already a brown belt in Judo.Once he discovered BJJ, he became obsessed. He famously rose to blue belt in just one month under the legendary Master Carlson Gracie. Remarkably, legendary lore states that on his entire competitive journey from blue belt to black belt, Sperry never conceded a single point or advantage to an opponent.Competitive DominanceSperry established himself as an elite heavyweight with exceptional guard passing and a feared clock choke. In 1998, he made history at the World Championships by using a clock choke to submit Royler Gracie, handing the Gracie family icon his first-ever submission loss.He was equally unstoppable in submission wrestling, capturing both his weight class and the absolute (open weight) division at the inaugural ADCC World Championships in 1998, followed by multiple dominant Superfight victories.The Brazilian Top Team (BTT) SchismThough fiercely loyal to Carlson Gracie for most of his career, the turn of the century brought a monumental shift. In 2000, Sperry—alongside Murilo Bustamante, Ricardo Liborio, and “Bebeo” Duarte—split from the Carlson Gracie Academy.The breakup stemmed from professional differences, including the financial strain on fighters traveling to train with Carlson in the U.S., management percentages, and the desire to bring in specialized wrestling and kickboxing coaches.Together, they founded Brazilian Top Team (BTT). The move was highly controversial and made them personae non gratae within Carlson’s inner circle, but BTT went on to become an absolute powerhouse team in global MMA, defining the Pride FC era. Sperry served as both a frontline fighter and a manager to heavyweight icons like Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, Rogério “Minotouro” Nogueira, and Ricardo Arona.Main AchievementsIBJJF World BJJ Champion (1996, 1997, 1998 absolute)ADCC World Champion (1998 weight and absolute)ADCC Superfight Champion (1999, 2000, 2011)