Europe's first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and lifestyle magazine reviews the LUTA story in the July/August edition. Featuring interviews with BJJ legends Roger Gracie, Lucio Rodrigues, Victor Estima and Carlson Gracie Jr.
Jiu Jitsu style wrote " A new favela-based fightwear company is taking the world by storm. LUTA only launched on May 18th but has already caught attention of CNN, the BBC and magazines like Forbes and Sport. It has also been endorsed by elite fighters like former world judo champion Neil Adams, European Muay Thai champion Daniel Sams, Irish Judo champion & martial arts writer Fergus Dullaghan, and Brazilian boxing champion and London 2012 potential Roberto Custodio. Gracie Barra instructor Ebe Ghansah wore a LUTA rash guard and MMA shorts during his recent Guinness World record breaking BJJ class and even actors like Idris Elba (aka Stringer Bell, from The Wire) have taken to the brand. Idris refused to take a fee for the voiceover work of LUTA's forthcoming T.V. advert and has recently even been spotted on youtube wearing a LUTA T-shirt during his kickboxing training.
So why all of the sudden excitement? It seems to be a result of LUTA's favela heritage, its high-performance 'Pro' range and most importantly its social engagement. LUTA is actively trying to reinvest both in martial arts and in poor communities around the world.
Firstly, in terms of martial arts LUTA is now running a monthly seminar series in London with some of the world's leading fighters and strength and conditioning coaches. Participation is completely free and the instructors include some of the fighters listed above. Secondly, LUTA is committed to sharing at least as much of its profits with Fight for Peace, (a global martial arts charity), as it does with its shareholders, via a 50% profit-share scheme.
The charity Fight for Peace (Luta pela Paz in Portugese) was founded in The Complexo da Mare favela in Rio de Janerio eleven years ago by Luke Dowdney MBE, a former British amateur boxer.
Recognising the talent of the young people there but also seeing how limited the opportunities were, he opened a small boxing club. With hard work and dedication this rapidly began to grow into a full-blown academy with education, youth leadership, work-access programs and support services included in the core activities of the charity. Other martial arts besides boxing (such as capoeira and submission wrestling) were gradually introduced and in 2007 Fight for Peace went global, opening its newest academy in North Woolwich, London.
In a recent interview Luke who also founded LUTA clothing, said "I've been training these amazing inspirational young people who refuse to give in and get involved in gangs or violence, regardless of the challenges they face. Some of them are fight champions now; others are at university or on their way to becoming teachers and lawyers, having learned, through boxing and martial arts, the confidence and self-respect necessary to progress. This is the Real Strength that inspires LUTA; it is the spirit of never giving up in the face of adversity, to never stop believing you can be a champion in the ring or in life, whatever the odds."
