Kabuto case: what we know about the investigation into the illegal slam in Londrina

The case of black belt Willian Hiroyuki Masuda, known as Kabuto, has drawn renewed attention in recent days, including from international jiu-jitsu media. He suffered a serious injury to his cervical spine during a Super Pro Jiu-Jitsu match in August, at the Ginásio Moringão in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, and the incident is being investigated by Paraná's Civil Police.

What happened

According to accounts published by the Paraná press, Kabuto attempted a move, could not complete it and ended up upside down, holding his opponent's leg. At that moment, he was driven head first into the mat with a "pile driver," a move banned under jiu-jitsu rules precisely because of the risk of neck injury.

The athlete underwent emergency surgery on his cervical spine. After weeks in the hospital, he was discharged and is continuing treatment at home under home-care hospitalization. Speaking about the case for the first time, Kabuto said he is still "trying to process everything."

The investigation

The inquiry began after prosecutor Renato de Lima Castro, of the Paraná Public Prosecutor's Office, sent a criminal complaint to the Civil Police asking for an investigation to be opened. In the request, the prosecutor cited the possibility of very serious bodily injury with "dolo eventual," when a person accepts the risk of causing harm.

The inquiry is led by police chief Roberto Fernandes, in Londrina. Police have already heard witnesses and, at the end of September, took Kabuto's own statement. The next steps are an examination by the Forensic Medical Institute (IML) and the other athlete's statement. According to the police chief, the inquiry will only be concluded after the forensic report, which will establish the extent of the injury and the correct legal classification of the case.

The other side

The athlete identified as having applied the move is black belt Juliano Di Pelli Machado, who had not been formally named as a suspect as of the latest police update. Through attorney Felipe de Melo, his defense asked that his responsibility be judged only after the investigation. "What I ask is that people wait for the investigation before passing judgment," the lawyer said. Juliano said he will cooperate with the authorities and respect the outcome of the inquiry.