Joe Camacho, a professional mixed martial arts veteran of nearly 15 years with 35 fights under his belt passed away early this morning (Monday, Dec. 16th, 2013) due to an apparent heart attack. According to Camacho’s cousin, former UFC fighter Charlie Valencia, Camacho had returned on Sunday from the North American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation competition in Long Beach, C.A., and during dinner, told his girlfriend he was not feeling well. Valencia says the two later went to bed, and at 4:00 am, Camacho’s girlfriend was woken up from the sounds of his screams. She called 9-1-1, and Camacho was rushed to the Queen of the Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Camacho earned his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Aloisio Silva, and later went on to open his own school, the Joe Camacho Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Los Angeles. Today, the mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu communities are mourning the loss of one of their own. “He was a pioneer of the sport,” says Valencia, “and we will miss him.”
