Kastriot "Georges" Mehdi was a French-born Brazilian judoka, considered one of the most prominent practitioners of judo in Brazil.
14 Facts About Georges Mehdi
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Georges Mehdi was uncomfortable with which he perceived as lack of honesty by the family, as they had been publicizing him as a French judo champion despite he was just a beginner.
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Georges Mehdi then traveled to Japan to train in the Kodokan school in 1952.
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Additionally, Georges Mehdi would have moved to Japan, by suggestion of Mestre Sinhozinho's former student Rudolf Hermanny, in order to escape the death threat of several policemen he had a brawl with.
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Georges Mehdi actually had already met Matsumoto in Brazil, where Yasuichi had seen him do judo while on a tour of the world.
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Georges Mehdi provided Mehdi with tuition room and board and spending money for 5 years.
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Georges Mehdi spent a total of 10 years in Japan and taught Judo in a high school in Japan, probably the first non Japanese to do so.
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Georges Mehdi was referred to as the best judoka in Brazil, whom the Gracie family refused to face in judo competition.
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In 1968, according to Wriedt, Georges Mehdi trained with fellow Gracie student Pedro Hemeterio, nicknamed "Okra Man" for his victory over the Judoka Akio Yoshihara.
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Georges Mehdi would have capitalized in his superior conditioning at the time to hold him down and not letting him out, claiming to win by judo rules.
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Georges Mehdi was the Brazilian judo champion for seven years straight.
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Georges Mehdi received a silver medal and a bronze medal in the Pan American games in 1963 and 1967 respectively.
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Georges Mehdi was fluent in French, English, Japanese, and Portuguese.
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Sensei Georges Mehdi died November 6,2018, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, aged 84.