Brazilian sport is in mourning after the Brazilian fighter Leandro Lo, one of the world’s greatest figures in jiu-jitsu and eight-time world champion of this martial art, died this Sunday after being shot at a party. . He went to a popular nightclub in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, but for unknown reasons started an argument with a man who ended up shooting him in the head. The fighter died at the scene, as confirmed by federal sources.
“The idol of a sport, Leandro Lo leaves us materially. We pay tribute and reverence to the one who has helped and inspired so many people to wear the kimono around the world,” reported the Brazilian Sports Jiu-Jitsu Confederation. (CBJJE) in a statement. .
The idol of a sport, Leandro Lo leaves us materially”
The homicide happened in the early hours of this Sunday at the exclusive Club Sirio, in the southern zone of Sao Paulo, where the athlete had gone with friends to enjoy a presentation by a popular music group during a party.
According to witnesses, the fighter argued for reasons not yet clarified with an apparently drunk man and immobilized him with a typical martial arts armbar in an attempt to calm him down. Once freed, the attacker pulled out a gun and shot the world champion in the head. He was eventually transferred to hospital, where he was diagnosed as brain dead.
His attacker, who fled after the crime, was declared a fugitive despite Sao Paulo’s militarized police reporting that he had already been identified.
Leandro Pereira do Nascimento Lo, 33, was an eight-time world jiu-jitsu champion in five different categories and won five World Cup titles in the sport, as well as eight Pan American titles in the sport.
He was eight times world jiu-jitsu champion in five different categories.
The fighter, who won his first world title in 2012 in the lightweight category, was still active and in May this year he won another world title, but in the light heavyweight category.
“The first title was the feeling of becoming world champion and this last one was still world champion. The two best feelings of my life,” the fighter said in a post on his social media.
The Brazilian was expected to contest a championship in the United States in the coming days.