Fabiano Scherner

Fabiano Scherner was born on June 30, 1972, in Brazil. His path to becoming one of the more accomplished Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitors of his generation began not on the mats but through tae kwon do, which he took up at the age of 19. That early exposure to a striking-based martial art planted the seed for a consuming passion in combat sports. By his mid-twenties, Scherner had set his sights on mixed martial arts competition — an ambition that led him, at age 26, to the doors of Ataque Duplo, a well-regarded jiu-jitsu academy based in Florianopolis.

Training under coaches Murilo Rupp and Sergio Sá, Scherner initially approached jiu-jitsu as a tool for rounding out his MMA game. What he found instead was a deep and lasting love for grappling. The sport's technical demands, combined with the hard-training culture at Ataque Duplo, drew him in completely. MMA ambitions were set aside as he committed himself fully to the art of jiu-jitsu.

Scherner's physical attributes — he competes in the Peso Pesadíssimo division, for athletes over 100kg/221lbs — combined with an exceptional work ethic and natural aptitude for grappling produced one of the more remarkable belt progressions in the sport. He earned his blue belt in just 11 months, a timeline that reflects both his dedication and his capacity to absorb technical information rapidly. Coaches Rupp and Sá promoted him to purple belt only one year later, recognizing his continued acceleration through the ranks.

Relocating to Rio and Earning the Black Belt

As a brown belt, Scherner made the decision to relocate to Rio de Janeiro to train at Brazilian Top Team — widely known as BTT — which stood at the time as one of the most prestigious fight academies in the world. The transition was eased by the strong institutional ties already in place between BTT and Ataque Duplo. In December 2002, Murilo Bustamante and Luis Roberto Duarte — better known as 'Bebeo' Duarte — awarded Scherner his black belt after his time under BTT's coaching staff. The total journey from white belt to black belt spanned approximately 3 years and 9 months, a pace that stands as a testament to his exceptional development. It was during this formative period that he earned the nickname "Pega Leve," which followed him throughout his competitive career.

Brazilian Top Team occupied a singular position in the martial arts landscape of the early 2000s, producing and developing some of the finest grapplers and MMA fighters of the era. Scherner's time there placed him at the center of that environment. Murilo Bustamante, one of BTT's foundational figures and a highly respected black belt, played a central role in Scherner's final preparation for promotion. Alongside Luis Roberto Duarte — 'Bebeo' — Bustamante co-awarded Scherner his black belt in December 2002, cementing a lineage connection that Scherner carries forward to this day.

Beyond technical instruction, the BTT environment offered an education in elite performance. Training alongside world-class competitors and MMA fighters gave Scherner a comprehensive understanding of what it means to operate at the highest levels of both grappling and mixed martial arts. The influence of Bustamante and Bebeo Duarte on his development as a practitioner remains central to his story.

Shortly after receiving his black belt, Ricardo Liborio recruited Scherner to take on a coaching role in Olympia, Washington. The move to the United States proved to be the catalyst for the MMA career that had first driven him to train jiu-jitsu years earlier. Based in Washington and now competing at a serious level, Scherner pursued the ambition he had long set aside.

Over the course of his MMA career, he competed in several of the most prominent promotions of the era, including the UFC, Hook'n Shoot, Cage Rage, and Meca. His status as a UFC veteran places him within a select group of Brazilian black belts who tested themselves at the sport's highest level. Throughout his fighting career, the grappling foundation built at Ataque Duplo and refined at Brazilian Top Team remained central to his identity as a competitor. Though born in Brazil, Scherner represented the United States internationally throughout his post-black belt career, reflecting the transatlantic arc of his martial arts journey.

As Scherner transitioned into the Masters and Seniors divisions of IBJJF competition, he found a new arena in which to demonstrate the technical depth and physical conditioning built over decades of training. In 2011, he delivered a standout performance at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship, claiming gold in the Master 1 absolute division — a result that confirmed his standing as an elite competitor in his age category. That same year, he added two more titles at the domestic level, winning gold at both the IBJJF American Nationals and the IBJJF American No-Gi Nationals in the Adult division, demonstrating his ability to compete across age categories simultaneously.

Sustained Excellence Into 2012 and 2013

The momentum carried into 2012, when Scherner won gold at the 2012 IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in the Senior 1 division and claimed the top spot at the IBJJF Pan Championship in the Senior 1 division. In 2013, he continued to accumulate hardware, winning gold at the IBJJF International Masters and Seniors Championship in the Masters division, while earning silver at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in the Adult division — a result that underscored his continued relevance outside his primary age bracket. Competing in the Peso Pesadíssimo division throughout, his sustained success across multiple formats and age categories reflects elite conditioning and ongoing technical refinement well into his competitive career.

Scherner's career as a coach began almost simultaneously with his receipt of the black belt, when Ricardo Liborio recruited him to instruct at a school in Olympia, Washington. That early transition into teaching set the tone for a post-competitive career defined as much by the development of others as by personal achievement on the mat. Scherner's affiliation with Gracie Barra — one of the largest and most influential Brazilian jiu-jitsu organizations in the world — has extended his reach as an instructor across a well-established global network.

His background as a high-level grappling competitor, combined with genuine MMA experience at the sport's highest levels, gives his coaching a practical, well-rounded dimension that few instructors can offer. Having spent the majority of his post-black belt years based in the United States, Scherner has contributed meaningfully to the growth of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in North America. His lineage through Murilo Bustamante and Luis Roberto Duarte connects his students to one of the sport's most celebrated competitive traditions, ensuring that the technical and philosophical legacy of Brazilian Top Team continues to reach new generations of practitioners.