Gracie family
Some sources claim that Penha may have been responsible for training Kazushi Sakuraba in Brazilian jiu-jitsu during his course of victories over various members of the renowned Gracie family. In an interview, Penha confirmed he had taught Sakuraba at the Takada Dojo, although he clarified it had been only 15 days in December 2001, long after Sakuraba had achieved his wins over the Gracie family. He also revealed the Takada Dojo fighters had been interested to learn "not secret methods and strategies specifically for beating jiu-jitsu," but "just basic techniques."