Born in Fazenda das Lajes in Campina Grande, Gomes was expected to become a cowboy like his father, but he started a career in martial arts after meeting coach Tatá.

[1] He trained formally in the latter art under Agatangelo Braga and his brother-in-law Osmar "Builson" Mouzinho de Oliveira, trainees of judoka Takeo Yano,[2] and also learned under grappler José María Freire, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert from the George Gracie lineage.

[3] Gomes, who was a black belt under Braga at 21,[3] also polished further his orthodox judo skills with Hayashi Kawamura in Recife and Masayoshi "Massaioshi" Saito in Belém do Pará.

Gomes dominated Gracie, throwing him and taking him down multiple times and hitting ground and pound, while Carlson waited for him to get tired to build an offense.

[3] In November 1965, due to the presence of Anton Geesink and several famous judoka in Brazil, the Gracies challenged them, claiming the superiority of Brazilian jiu-jitsu over judo and offering Gomes and Carlson to fight to prove it, but they were ignored.

"[3]In 1968, after handing the academy to his brother Jaildo, Gomes returned to Campina Grande and resumed his vale tudo career, meeting fighters like Waldemar Santana and Euclides Pereira.

In December 1974, when Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling toured Brazil, Gomes publicly challenged its owner Antonio Inoki to a vale tudo fight.

Inoki instead proposed Gomes to become a NJPW wrestler, and after the Brazilian became interested in the style of catch wrestling used by the Japanese troupe, he accepted the offer.

However, the Brazilian refused to release Ruska, so the referee, upon observing most of Gomes' body was outside the ropes, called for countout on him in order to end the match at 9:03.