Marcus Vinicios, also known as Contra Mestre Osso Duro, was born in Recife Pernambuco, Brazil. He began training Capoeira at the age of four, under the supervision of his father, Mestre Barrão. He remained in Brazil until the age of ten and then made the move to Vancouver, B.C. Canada. He continued to train diligently and also participated in shows, children’s festivals, and demonstrations throughout Canada and the United States.

As he continued to train, his interests drew him towards the self-defense and fighting aspect of the martial art. He entered his first martial arts competition, the SKF, at the age of 10, where he dominated the event and took home the gold. His natural ability to fight competitively inspired him to continue on his quest to find new challenges and to build his career.

In order to improve his skills in mixed martial arts Vinicios began spending some time in Brazil, where he could continue training with his father and also train with some of the top fighting schools in the world. He has had extensive Jiu Jitsu training with Gracie Bara, under the supervision of Mestre Ze Radiola, and currently holds his blue belt. Also, he has trained at the Chute Boxe Academy in Curitiba and has also trained at an MMA Academy in Rio de Janeiro. All of this valuable training has helped build this athlete’s skills in the ring.

Vinicios began fighting in local B.C. competitions, and then proving successful began entering in professional competitions, against some of the best fighters in Canada. These events include: Elite Fighting, Bodog Fight, Hardcore Championship Fighting, National Fighting Challenge, and North American Challenge. He has also competed at a professional level in numerous challenges throughout Brazil. His record currently stands at: 7-4-0, (W-L-D).

Not only is Vinicios focusing on his mixed martial arts training, but also, he continues to dominate the Capoeira world. Over the years, Vinicios has traveled across the globe to events and encounters in various countries, such as Canada, U.S.A. Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, France, England, Spain, Mexico, and Brazil. He accompanies his father and teaches workshops, participates in shows and rodas, and also competes in Capoeira competitions. He has also contributed to multiple Axé Capoeira Cd’s and DVD’s.

Today, Vinicios teaches Capoeira and mixed martial arts at the Axé Capoeira Vancouver Academy. He leads the Axé Capoeira Fight Team in Vancouver and coaches and trains new and upcoming talent. He continues to train and focus on Capoeira and his professional fighting career. Professor Ossoduro, is an inspirational leader and fighter in the Capoeira and mixed martial arts community.

Marcus Aurelio (Lelo), Mestrando Barraozinho was born in the city of Recife in the northeast of Brazil. He began training Capoeira at the age of three with his father Mestre Barrão, whom he accompanied to his classes, Capoeira events and street rodas. Mestrando Barraozinho’s passion for Capoeira has lead him to focus on nothing but his studies and his training. At the age of nine he moved to Canada with his parents where he continued to train and also began to perform in many shows, school demonstrations, and festivals in British Columbia Canada and abroad.

Also, at that young age he had his first experience in a recording studio where he sang a track on the CD Axé Capoeira Vol. II. Since then he has had many achievements and successes, sung chorus and played instruments on all of Mestre Barrão’s subsequent albums and even sang another track on the most recent Vol. VI. He has performed on various films, T.V. shows and commercials, commission motion capture for popular video games and helped his father to make an instructional video series for Panther Productions.

In the year 2000 Mestrando Barraozinho won second place out of two hundred and fifty participants in the International Capoeira Competition in Brazil, as well as winning the recent Axé Capoeira International Competition in 2005. In the same year Barrãozinho competed in several mixed martial arts competitions where he placed very highly with his new 20 second knockout video.

Over the past few years he has accompanied his father to events and encounters in various countries such as Canada, U.S.A, Poland, Russia, Turkey, France, Spain, Greece, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Virgin Islands, Brazil and many other locations around North America.

Today he is the owner and manager of one of Axé Capoeira’s Academies in Vancouver, Canada. His style and creativity in the game is motivational to many and has made him one of today’s most influential young capoeira players.

Marcos da Silva, Mestre Barrão was born in the port city of Recife, on the North East coast of Brazil. Recife is renowned for its Brazilian music and dance, and its long Capoeira tradition.

In 1974, Marcos began studying Capoeira with Mestre Pirajá. While learning the foundations of the art, he showed an affinity for the drums and other instruments as well as the skills that would conduct his life.

After three years of training with Mestre Pirajá, who eventually left on sabbatical, Marcos went on in 1977 to continue his training with Mestre Teté.

Mestre Teté shared with him the ways of the Street Capoeirista. He learned about the variable situations of the street: how to be shrewd and clever when playing, how to read opponents, and how to judge situations that one invariably finds oneself in, both inside and outside of the Roda of Capoeira.

In 1979, he began to enter Capoeira competitions throughout North East Brazil and in 1980, Marcos began to teach. In 1982, a young Barrão was determined to test his skills against the best opponents he could find and entered the prestigious National Championship in Rio de Janeiro. Such was his skill and fortune that in the end, he left as Brazilian Champion. Upon his return, many opportunities came his way to teach in schools, community centres, and universities throughout Brazil and eventually he formed Grupo Axé Capoeira. In 1987, he was graduated to First Degree Master by Mestre Pirajá. He has now received his Second Degree Master.

In 1990, Mestre Barrão was invited to demonstrate his art at the International Children’s Festivals throughout North America and eventually found himself in Canada at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival. After spending 1991 teaching in Italy, Barrão decided to immigrate to Canada in 1992 and begin teaching here at various locations. He started The Annual International Capoeira Encounter and has renowned and respected Mestres from all over the world visit and share their skills. In 1996, he opened Canada’s first Academy of Capoeira.

Today, Mestre Barrão frequently receives invitations to conduct and teach Capoeira at international workshops. The mestres who assembled at the Melhores Do Seculo event in Curitiba Parana in 2000, recognized Mestre Barrão as one of the great capoeiristas of the century, due to his skill and contribution to Capoeira. Mestre Barrão and his Grupo Axé Capoeira have recorded nine CD volumes of Capoeira music and one other, together with Mestre Burguês which continues to be tremendously popular throughout Brazil. They have also released Axé Capoeira 2000, a video of the 2000 International Encounter as well as Axé Capoeira Performance Videos – Brazil 2001, Brazil 2003, & Brazil 2005. Mestre Barrão now has schools in Canada, Brazil, United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Russia, China, Trinidad & Tobago, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Serbia, Azerbaijan, France, UK, Czech Republic, Angola, Turkey, Japan, Barbados, Belarus, Dominican Republic, and Poland.