Fernando Yamasaki

Fernando Yamasaki's martial arts journey began at an extraordinary age. Introduced to judo at just three years old by his father, Shigueru Yamasaki — a judo Grand Master — Fernando grew up immersed in a culture of discipline and competitive excellence. That foundation bore rapid results: by 1979, he had already claimed his first state championship in judo, setting the tone for a career defined by consistent achievement across multiple combat disciplines.

By 1983, at only 16 years of age, Fernando earned his black belt in judo — a testament to both his natural aptitude and the rigorous training environment his family provided. Two years later, he broadened his competitive scope by joining the São Paulo state wrestling team, competing in both greco-roman and freestyle disciplines. The transition proved seamless. Fernando swept every major national title at both the adult and junior levels, earning a place on the Brazilian National Squad. This diverse background across judo, greco-roman, and freestyle wrestling laid the intellectual and physical groundwork for the significant contributions to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that would follow.

Fernando Yamasaki's entry into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was shaped decisively by his encounter with Marcelo Behring in 1986. Behring's technical mastery and approach to the ground game proved compelling to a young man already accomplished in grappling arts, and Fernando trained under his guidance with deep commitment. In 1989, he earned his BJJ black belt — marking him as one of the early recipients of high-level BJJ instruction in São Paulo.

Shortly after, Fernando traveled to the United States to train judo at Georgetown University, where he won every tournament he entered, including a Tri-State Championship title. After nine months, he returned to Brazil to prepare for the Pan American and World Wrestling Championships — but his return to Marcelo Behring's academy produced one of the most formative moments of his BJJ development.

Behring, assessing Fernando's ground game after his extended absence, determined that time away from the mats had dulled his jiu-jitsu sharpness. In a decision that reflected both Behring's exacting standards and Fernando's willingness to submit to the process, Fernando was demoted from black belt to brown belt. Rather than viewing this as a setback, Fernando embraced the challenge — and within one year, he had regained his black belt through renewed dedication and measurable improvement. He subsequently moved into coaching, running BJJ classes from the Yamasaki family's dojo in São Paulo and beginning a teaching career that would come to define much of his legacy.

Fernando Yamasaki's role in building the institutional framework for BJJ in São Paulo stands as one of his most enduring contributions to the sport. In 1991, Carlos Gracie Jr. and Nahum Rabay approached Fernando with an invitation to help establish a formal jiu-jitsu federation for the state. Fernando accepted, and together they co-founded the Federação Paulista de Jiu-Jitsu (FPJJ) — a landmark organization that gave São Paulo's growing BJJ community the competitive infrastructure it needed to develop and regulate the sport at a regional level.

The creation of the FPJJ positioned Fernando as a genuine pioneer of BJJ in São Paulo, helping transform what had largely been a Rio de Janeiro-centric sport into a discipline with strong roots across Brazil's most populous state. His organizational contributions extended to the international stage as well: in 1996, Fernando played an instrumental role in sourcing international athletes for the inaugural World Jiu-Jitsu Championship organized by the CBJJ/IBJJF, helping to give that historic event the global representation its significance demanded.

Fernando Yamasaki's career has not been without controversy, and the episode surrounding Sport Ju Jutsu stands as one of the most revealing chapters in early BJJ organizational history. In 1992, Fernando was introduced to Sport Ju Jutsu — a related but distinct martial discipline — and recognized in it an opportunity to compete on the world stage. He assembled the first Brazilian national team for the discipline's World Cup, held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Brazil delivered an impressive debut, finishing 2nd place at the competition.

The success came at a political cost. Fernando's involvement with a competing martial arts organization drew sharp criticism from Carlos Gracie Jr. and Nahum Rabay, who branded him "Brazilian jiu-jitsu's traitor" — a label that reflected the intense territorial dynamics and organizational rivalries that characterized the early BJJ community's formative years. The episode illustrates how questions of loyalty, identity, and institutional belonging were fiercely contested as BJJ sought to define itself as a global sport.

Despite the severity of the rift, Fernando's relationships with Carlos Gracie Jr. and Rabay were eventually re-established — a testament to the durability of bonds forged within the early BJJ community. The controversy remains an important historical footnote in understanding the complex politics that shaped BJJ's growth during the 1990s.

The Yamasaki Academy represents a multi-generational martial arts institution whose roots predate Fernando's involvement in BJJ entirely. Originally founded by Fernando's father and uncle as a judo-centered organization, the academy carried on the tradition established by Grand Master Shigueru Yamasaki. Fernando and his brother Mario Yamasaki expanded its scope significantly by incorporating Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — bridging the family's deep judo heritage with the ground-fighting art that Fernando had come to champion.

Following the 1996 Olympic qualifying trials in Colombia, Fernando retired from the Brazilian National Wrestling Team, closing one competitive chapter to focus on growth and instruction. He relocated to the United States East Coast, joining forces with Mario Yamasaki to extend the Yamasaki Academy's reach into the American market. The expansion marked a natural evolution of a family institution that had already transcended disciplines — from judo to wrestling to BJJ — and brought that comprehensive grappling philosophy to a new audience. The Yamasaki Academy stands as a living expression of a martial arts legacy built across generations, continents, and competitive disciplines.