Fernando Terere
“Tererê”
Source: web.archive.orgFernando Tererê won world titles at every belt from blue to black, taught André Galvão and Cobrinha, and built a free academy in his Rio favela.
Biography
Sources for this profile
IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1997" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1997 IBJJF World Championship, 'Fernando Augusto' of Alliance-A placed first in the adult male blue belt light division, and 'Fernando Terere' of Alliance-A placed third in the blue belt open class.
Where in the source: Results list, divisions ADULT / BLUE / MALE / LIGHT (place 1) and ADULT / BLUE / MALE / OPEN CLASS (place 3)
Accessed:
Global Training Report, "A Very Special Interview with Fernando Augusto Silva 'Tererê'", April 2015 English translation by Roberto Pedreira of a 2004 Jiu-Jitsu King (Japan) interview by Marcelo Alonso; Internet Archive capture of 24 September 2015.(opens in a new tab)
The interview presents him as Fernando Augusto Silva, known by the nickname Tererê.
Where in the source: Title block at the top of the page, the name line followed by the nickname in quotation marks
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In a 2004 interview, Tererê said he was born and raised in the Cantagalo favela in Rio de Janeiro, between Copacabana and Ipanema.
Where in the source: Q1, Tererê's answer, opening sentence (the translation spells the favela 'Cantagaro')
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Tererê said that against Marcelo Garcia at the 2003 World Championship he felt no pressure, anticipated what Garcia tried, passed his guard and finished him with a triangle choke.
Where in the source: Q19, Tererê's answer — "three-corner choke"
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Tererê said that as a boy he earned tips minding parked cars on a street in Leblon, and that Otávio 'Ratinho' Couto, while looking for a parking space, struck up a conversation and invited him to visit his academy; he gave his age at the time as 11.
Where in the source: Q1, Tererê's answer, from the parked cars in Leblon to the invitation — "I was 11"
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Tererê said Couto was an instructor at Strike Jiu-Jitsu in Leblon, where Roberto Traven and Alexandre Paiva taught; Couto lent him an old gi and, impressed by how athletic he and his friends were, told them they need not pay as long as they came every day.
Where in the source: Q2, Tererê's answer, on Strike Jiu-Jitsu — "old kimono"
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Tererê said that as a teenager he was invited to work for the drug gang that controlled the favela, and that an invitation from Alexandre Paiva and Roberto Traven to become an instructor was why, as he put it, jiu-jitsu saved his life.
Where in the source: Q4 and Q5, Tererê's answers, ending — "saved my life"
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Tererê said that after winning the world championship as a blue belt he found his first sponsor and began to believe he could make a living from the sport, and that he could show favela children by his own example that they did not need to deal drugs to get by.
Where in the source: Q6, Tererê's answer, on his first sponsor after the blue-belt world title
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Tererê said that as a purple belt he never lost to the black belts at his academy in training, and that around the time he became purple-belt world champion he was convinced he could do well at black belt.
Where in the source: Q7, Tererê's answer, first two sentences on his purple-belt year
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In 2004 Tererê said more than 140 children trained free of charge at his Cantagalo academy, which he called the 'Hill of Friends'; it paid no rent, everyone there helped clean it and mend worn gis, and a student of his taught the classes while he was based in São Paulo.
Where in the source: Q10 to Q12, Tererê's answers on the favela academy
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Tererê said he and his partner Eduardo Telles had built a large academy in São Paulo and left the Master team to compete under their own names as Tererê & Telles (T&T), a team meant to turn out champions in life as well as in competition.
Where in the source: Q14 and Q15, Tererê's answers — "champions in life"
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Tererê said he disliked pre-arranged finals between teammates and taught his own students that two of them meeting in a final, even from the same academy, should fight each other for real.
Where in the source: Q17, Tererê's answer — "go all out"
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Tererê said he and Marcelo Garcia had both been taught by Fábio Gurgel, and that when Alliance split he felt he had lost his teacher and his form suffered for a time before he recovered it.
Where in the source: Q18, Tererê's answer — "lost my teacher"
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Tererê said that after losing the 2001 world final to Shaolin he won the Copa do Mundo (World Cup) at middleweight and in the open class in 2002, and both the Copa do Mundo and the world championship at middleweight in 2003, and that children and friends from the favela came to his competitions to cheer for him, so loudly that others complained.
Where in the source: Q8, Tererê's answer, on 2001 to 2003 and his supporters from the favela
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IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1998" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1998 IBJJF World Championship, Fernando Terere of Alliance placed first in both the adult male purple belt light division and the purple belt open class; the second place in the open class is listed as 'Disqualified'.
Where in the source: Results list, divisions ADULT / PURPLE / MALE / LIGHT and ADULT / PURPLE / MALE / OPEN CLASS, place 1
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IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 1999" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 1999 IBJJF World Championship, 'Fernando Augusto' of Alliance placed first in the adult male brown belt light division; B.J. Penn of Nova União is listed among the third places.
Where in the source: Results list, division ADULT / BROWN / MALE / LIGHT, place 1
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IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2000" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2000 IBJJF World Championship, Fernando Terere of Alliance placed first in the adult male black belt middle division, with Antonio Schembri of Gracie Barra second.
Where in the source: Results list, division ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE, places 1 and 2
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IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2001" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2001 IBJJF World Championship, Fernando Augusto of Alliance placed second in the adult male black belt middle division, behind Vitor Ribeiro of Nova União.
Where in the source: Results list, division ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE, places 1 and 2
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IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2003" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2003 IBJJF World Championship, Fernando Augusto, listed with the team Master, placed first in the adult male black belt middle division, with Marcelo Garcia of Alliance second.
Where in the source: Results list, division ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE, places 1 and 2
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IBJJF, "World Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2004" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2004 IBJJF World Championship, Fernando Tereré of TT Jiu-Jitsu placed second in the adult male black belt ultra heavy division, behind Fabricio Werdum.
Where in the source: Results list, division ADULT / BLACK / MALE / ULTRA HEAVY, places 1 and 2
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IBJJF, "Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2001" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2001 Brazilian National Championship, Fernando Augusto of Alliance placed first in both the adult male black belt middle division and the black belt open class, with Marcio Cruz of Gracie Barra second in the open class.
Where in the source: Results list, divisions ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE and ADULT / BLACK / MALE / OPEN CLASS, place 1
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IBJJF, "Pan Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2004" results.(opens in a new tab)
At the 2004 IBJJF Pan Championship, Fernando Augusto of TT Jiu-Jitsu placed first in the adult male black belt middle division and second in the black belt open class, behind Ronaldo Souza.
Where in the source: Results list, divisions ADULT / BLACK / MALE / MIDDLE (place 1) and ADULT / BLACK / MALE / OPEN CLASS (place 2)
Accessed:
Marcelo Dunlop, "Relembre quando Fernando Tererê se testou no vale-tudo", Graciemag, 20 February 2024.(opens in a new tab)
He won IBJJF world titles in four consecutive years, 1997 to 2000, moving up from blue to purple, brown and black belt.
Where in the source: Third paragraph, on his consecutive Mundial titles — "da faixa-azul à preta"
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Graciemag reports that in 2001 Tererê and Demian Maia were in Caracas to promote jiu-jitsu in Venezuela, and that at a local event, Tormenta En El Ring, Tererê, weighing 77 kg, beat Oscar Diaz, who weighed 86 kg, in a vale-tudo bout fought without gloves.
Where in the source: Fifth and sixth paragraphs, on the 2001 Venezuela event — "Tormenta En El Ring"
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Graciemag reports that in 2003, drawn by the golden years of Pride FC, Tererê trained with Vitor Belfort and fought the then-unbeaten Gleison Tibau at Bitetti Combat Nordeste 2 in Natal on 20 March 2003, losing on the judges' decision, and that in July that year he won his second IBJJF world title in a final against his former academy teammate Marcelo Garcia.
Where in the source: First and third paragraphs — "Bitetti Combat Nordeste 2"
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Graciemag's photo caption describes Tererê as a champion formed by Alexandre 'Gigi' Paiva, shown teaching a class to the cast of the film about his life.
Where in the source: Lead photo caption — "formado por Gigi Paiva"
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BJJ Heroes, "Fernando 'Terere' Augusto" (fighter profile).(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes says the nickname Tererê was first used at Academia Strike when he was a blue belt, credited to Muzio de Angelis, because he liked to sing a popular song with the word in its chorus.
Where in the source: Profile header, 'Nickname' entry — "Muzio de Angelis"
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BJJ Heroes reports that he said in an interview he always preferred to fight from the top because being underneath made him feel slightly claustrophobic, and that when caught in a bad position he would try to escape at once, with explosive scrambles.
Where in the source: Biography, second paragraph, on his preference for top position — "slightly claustrophobic"
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BJJ Heroes says that at the 1998 World Championship, with Alliance and Gracie Barra level on team points going into the purple belt open-class final, Tererê faced the much larger Rolles Gracie of Gracie Barra, who was disqualified during the match, and Alliance won the team title.
Where in the source: Biography, third paragraph, on the 1998 purple belt absolute final — "team points"
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BJJ Heroes calls him one of the most charismatic jiu-jitsu competitors and says his matches often had the crowd roaring.
Where in the source: Opening sentence of the profile, and the end of the biography's second paragraph on crowds
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BJJ Heroes says that in the 2000 black belt middleweight final, in his first year at black belt, he faced Nino Schembri, a heavy favourite who had submitted almost everyone on the way, and won by scoring two points with a throw and defending inside Schembri's guard, then celebrated with an Elvis Presley dance, mocking Schembri, whose nickname is Elvis.
Where in the source: Biography, fifth paragraph, on the 2000 World Championship final — "Elvis"
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BJJ Heroes says that in 2002 Tererê was among a group of Alliance black belts who broke away following a disagreement with Fábio Gurgel about whether to prioritise the IBJJF World Championship or the CBJJO World Cup, held a week apart, the latter offering prize money; the group formed Master Team, and Tererê later formed TT with Eduardo Telles.
Where in the source: Biography, sixth paragraph, on the 2002 split — "CBJJO"
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BJJ Heroes says he began his MMA career in 2003 with a bout against Gleison Tibau, losing a split decision, and later that year won his second world title by submitting Marcelo Garcia with a triangle in the final.
Where in the source: Biography, seventh paragraph, and fight-history table row for Marcelo Garcia, 2003
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BJJ Heroes describes him as regarded among the best pound-for-pound competitors of the early 2000s and credits him with developing positions such as the toreando and the leg drag.
Where in the source: Opening paragraph, on his impact — "Toreando, the Leg Drag"
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BJJ Heroes says he had a great impact as a coach and helped raise the game of fighters including André Galvão, Rubens Charles 'Cobrinha', Michael Langhi and Lucas Lepri.
Where in the source: Opening paragraph, on his coaching — "raise the game"
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BJJ Heroes says he returned to training in Brazil in 2010, spent time teaching in the United Kingdom from August 2010, and returned to competition in September 2012 at a black belt tournament in Mexico, which he won.
Where in the source: Opening paragraph and final biography paragraph — "Mexico in September 2012"
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BJJ Heroes lists a second place at the 2013 IBJJF European Open among his main black belt results.
Where in the source: 'Main Achievements' list — "European Open (2013)"
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BJJ Heroes' fight-history table lists a points win over Raphael Abi-Rihan at Gracie Pro in 2018 at 82 kg and a loss by choke to Delso Heleno at BJJ Stars in 2019 at 88 kg.
Where in the source: 'Fernando Terere fight history' table, rows dated 2018 and 2019
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes, "Leg Drag Guard Pass" (technique article).(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes' history of the leg drag names Tererê, Leonardo Vieira and Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro as the leading figures among the few competitors who popularised the leg drag in the 2000s, and shows Tererê's leg-drag pass at the 2003 World Championship as an example of the technical advance; it credits the Mendes brothers with the major refinements of the 2010s.
Where in the source: 'The Evolution of the Leg Drag', paragraphs on the CBJJ era — "Tererê Leg Drag Guard Pass"
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BJJ Heroes, "Polaris 4 Results: USA Dominates in England, Terere Avenges his Loss!", 29 October 2016.(opens in a new tab)
At Polaris 4 on 29 October 2016, in an 82 kg gi match, Tererê, described as a Rio de Janeiro-based coach, beat Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro by referee decision, avenging his 2001 loss; he drew Ribeiro into a long stand-up game until Ribeiro pulled guard, then passed to side control with his backstep passing.
Where in the source: 'Main event results', 8th match — "backstep passing"
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Graciemag, "Fernando Tererê remembers his first BJJ session, talks about his social project", 20 December 2016.(opens in a new tab)
Tererê told Graciemag that his first black belt championship stood out because he beat Nino Schembri, then known for finishing everybody, in the final just after his promotion, and that the fight everyone remembers is his absolute final against Márcio Pé de Pano at the Brazilian Nationals.
Where in the source: Quoted paragraph below the standfirst — "unforgettable fight"
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Graciemag, "Tererê celebrates expansion of his team in Europe", 6 November 2015.(opens in a new tab)
In November 2015 Tererê told Graciemag his team had branches in Bournemouth, Southampton, Andover and the Isle of Wight, with a fifth about to open in Spain, and that they began because a student of his, Jimmy Johnstone, liked the way he taught and opened the schools; the article also describes his Tererê Kids Project in Cantagalo.
Where in the source: Article body, Tererê's quotes on the UK branches — "liked the way I taught my classes"
Accessed:
Nico Ball, "Favela Jiu Jitsu: Gis are Saving Lives at the Terere Kids Project", Vice Sports, 16 November 2016; the editor's note says the author helps organise the project.(opens in a new tab)
Vice Sports reported in 2016 that Tererê had taught free classes in Cantagalo since 2000, that the Terere Kids Project was formally started in 2013, and that before it drew outside support he funded the academy himself with help from a few friends, and that after his yearly seminar tours in Europe he would come back to buy snacks for the children and make further improvements to the gym.
Where in the source: Paragraphs after the opening anecdote, on how the project began — "on his own"
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Vice Sports reported that Tererê, with professor Julio Nogueira, kids' instructor Fabricio Silva and other students, built the Cantagalo academy up by hand, mixing cement for the walls, buying ceramic tiles for the floors and installing cabinets, and quoted him: 'I'm not just teaching them jiu jitsu, I'm teaching them about life.'
Where in the source: Paragraph on rebuilding the academy and the following quote — "mixing cement"
Accessed:
fernandoterere.com, "Comunicado importante para todos da família TT", August 2006; Internet Archive capture of 19 August 2006.(opens in a new tab)
An announcement on Tererê's own website stated that on 11 August 2006 the founders of the TT team, Fernando Augusto da Silva and Eduardo Telles, signed the dissolution of their partnership because they no longer shared the same thinking; Telles founded the team Nine Nine and Tererê continued under his own name.
Where in the source: Announcement 'Comunicado importante para todos da família TT', first paragraphs — "distrato de sociedade"
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Marcelo Dunlop, "Do baú: o dia em que voamos com Fernando Tererê", Graciemag, 11 March 2024.(opens in a new tab)
Recalling a flight they shared in October 2015, Graciemag's Marcelo Dunlop wrote that Tererê, then an Alliance black belt in Rio de Janeiro, was travelling to England for work and seminars, visiting his branches and old friends teaching in Europe, and that he had lived in London around 2010.
Where in the source: Paragraphs on meeting at Galeão airport and on boarding the flight — "viveu em Londres"
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Tererê told Dunlop that throughout his life in jiu-jitsu he watched what more experienced practitioners did well, brought those techniques into his own game and adapted them to his style, that he tries to do the same as a teacher and academy owner, and that he had learned that both training and running an academy are slow, patient work.
Where in the source: Tererê's quoted reflection at the airport café — "trabalho de formiguinha"
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Dunlop wrote that Tererê's team, Tererê Jiu-Jitsu, had opened branches in countries including England, Switzerland and South Korea, but that he spent most of the year at his academy at the foot of Cantagalo, teaching the neighbourhood's children free of charge alongside Brazilian and foreign students, many of them in private lessons.
Where in the source: Paragraph after the airport quote — "sopé do Cantagalo"
Accessed:
Wikipedia (Portuguese), "Fernando Tererê".(opens in a new tab)
Portuguese Wikipedia gives his full name as Fernando Augusto da Silva, his nationality as Brazilian, and says that after Fábio Gurgel invited him to train in São Paulo, he received his black belt from Alexandre Paiva before leaving.
Where in the source: Infobox 'Nacionalidade' and section 'Carreira', paragraph on the move to São Paulo
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Graciemag, "Exclusivo: o caminho para passar a guarda no Jiu-Jitsu, com Fernando Tererê", 5 September 2020.(opens in a new tab)
In a September 2020 technique feature, Graciemag called Tererê an Alliance professor and one of the most technical fighters in jiu-jitsu, and showed him teaching one of his favourite guard passes and details of the armlock.
Where in the source: Article body, three short paragraphs — "professor da Alliance"
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Graciemag, "Fernando Tererê sem medo de errar", 22 April 2021.(opens in a new tab)
Asked how he built such a complete, attacking game, Tererê told Graciemag that progress depends on not being afraid of failing in training; he said confidence comes from repetition and drilling, that he always drilled a great deal and then tried the move when it mattered, that a mistake in training is fine, and that when something goes wrong you have to stay calm and learn to work your way out.
Where in the source: Tererê's two quoted paragraphs below the 1999 photos — "A confiança vem da repetição"
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Graciemag, "Tererê e o Jiu-Jitsu ganham as telas da HBO Max em março", 19 December 2022.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag reported that the feature film 'O Faixa-Preta: a verdadeira história de Fernando Tererê', with Raphael Logam playing Tererê and produced by Eduardo Ferro, premiered on 6 October 2022 in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and would stream on HBO Max from March 2023; the film follows his path from his first steps in the martial art to his major titles.
Where in the source: Article body, first two paragraphs — "Raphael Logam"
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Graciemag, "Andre Galvao receives third degree from Fernando 'Terere' Silva", 6 February 2014.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag reported in February 2014 that André Galvão received his third black belt degree from Tererê in Barcelona, calling him 'my master'; it says Galvão was a purple belt when he started under Tererê in 2003, was among the earliest members of the TT team, received his brown belt from Tererê that year after nine months unbeaten, and became a black belt in 2005 after Tererê suggested his first instructor promote him.
Where in the source: Article body, Galvão's quoted post and the paragraph that follows — "my master Fernando"
Accessed:
BJJ Heroes, "André Galvão" (fighter profile).(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes says André Galvão's first coach, Luis 'Careca' Dagmar, advised him to go and train with Tererê because his own academy was too small for Galvão's talent; Galvão followed Tererê through the split from Alliance to Master and then TT, stayed unbeaten as a purple belt for almost three years and received his brown belt from Tererê after nine months.
Where in the source: Biography, paragraphs on his move to Tererê — "advised him"
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BJJ Heroes, "Rubens Charles 'Cobrinha'" (fighter profile).(opens in a new tab)
BJJ Heroes says Rubens Charles 'Cobrinha' was invited to train with Tererê after losing a São Paulo state championship final to one of Tererê's students; he moved to the TT team, lived at the academy for four months training twice a day with daily private lessons from Tererê, received his black belt from Tererê in 2005, and, after TT dissolved, was helped by Tererê to prepare for the 2006 World Championship.
Where in the source: Biography, paragraphs on joining TT — "4 months living in the Academy" and "from the hands of Terere"
Accessed:
BJJ Eastern Europe (bjjee.com), "Rubens 'Cobrinha' Clarifies His Black Belt Promotion", 18 September 2013.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2013 statement quoted by BJJ Eastern Europe, Rubens 'Cobrinha' Charles said he received his black belt under Tererê, with André Galvão tying the belt at the ceremony because Tererê could not attend; he said Tererê, together with his first instructor Mauro Pacífico, had been his teachers and mentors, that he left his job and moved to São Paulo to learn from Tererê, and that Tererê helped form his skills and style, in competition and in teaching.
Where in the source: Cobrinha's quoted statement, first three paragraphs — "received by black-belt under Terere" and "mold my style"
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BJJ Eastern Europe (bjjee.com), "Terere Reunited With His Student Andre Galvao In Barcelona, Spain", 4 February 2014.(opens in a new tab)
In a 2006 interview quoted by BJJ Eastern Europe, André Galvão said he joined Tererê in São Paulo after two years with his first teacher, Careca; that Tererê taught him his style and supported him in every respect; and that his own style was nearly all based on Tererê's, which always looked for the submission.
Where in the source: Closing quoted passage from the 2006 interview — "nearly all based on it" and "looks for the submission all time"
Accessed:
Graciemag, "A revanche esquecida de Fernando Tererê e Marcelinho Garcia no Jiu-Jitsu", 3 February 2022.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag wrote that Tererê, a product of Alexandre 'Gigi' Paiva's teaching, beat the rising Marcelo Garcia, a Fábio Gurgel student fresh from his ADCC 2003 breakthrough, with a triangle at the 2003 World Championship while Tererê was outside the Alliance team; the two met again in a professional superfight at the 2004 Japan Open, which Tererê won through pressure from the top, more dangerous guard-pass attempts and back-take threats.
Where in the source: Second to fifth paragraphs, on the 2003 final and the rematch — "Japan Open de 2004"
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Graciemag, "Relembre Arona x Tererê no Mundial 1999", 27 July 2023.(opens in a new tab)
Graciemag wrote that at the 1999 World Championship, after both had won their brown belt weight divisions, Tererê met Ricardo Arona in the open class at the Tijuca Tênis Clube; the question was whether Tererê could impose his toreando passes and leg drags, but Arona took his back and finished him with a choke.
Where in the source: Third and fourth paragraphs, on the brown belt open class — "toureadas" and "legdrags"
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Competition results
| Year | Event | Result | Division |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comMiddleweightGiVerified | Silver | MiddleweightGiVerified |
| 2000 | IBJJF World ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comMiddleweightGiVerified | Gold | MiddleweightGiVerified |