Pedro Fernandes

Pedro Pacheco Fernandes was born in Brazil in 1974 and stepped onto the Judo mat at the age of five — an unusually early start that instilled in him a deep command of throws, takedowns, and ground control principles. That foundation gave him a physical and technical framework that would underpin his entire grappling career.

At 16, Fernandes made a deliberate shift, transitioning to Luta Livre Esportiva — a Brazilian form of submission wrestling that prioritizes no-gi grappling and finishing techniques. Training in Rio de Janeiro, he layered a sharp submission instinct over his Judo mechanics. By the time he turned his attention to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Fernandes carried a rare combination of standing technique and submission-hunting aggression that would accelerate his development at every stage.

Relocating south to Florianópolis marked a turning point in Fernandes' martial arts journey. There, he discovered that his neighbor — Antonio Claudio Collares, widely known as "Tonicão" — was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. More than that, Tonicão was the only active BJJ black belt operating in the south of Brazil at the time, a distinction that predated the arrival of Crolin Gracie to the region.

Fernandes enrolled at the Ataque Duplo Academy and began training under Tonicão in 1990, forging a student-teacher relationship that would last over a decade. Tonicão guided him through every stage of belt progression, and in October 2002, he presided over a formal ceremony awarding Fernandes his black belt — the culmination of a twelve-year journey under the same instructor.

Fernandes built his competitive reputation methodically. In 1994 and 1995, he captured back-to-back Santa Catarina State Championship titles, establishing himself as one of the standout competitors in southern Brazil. He then stepped up to the South Brazilian Championship level, claiming that title in both 1996 and 1997 — a run that confirmed his standing among the region's top grapplers during a formative era for the sport.

Competing in the Meio-Pesado division at 88 kilograms (194 lbs), Fernandes brought the technical depth of his multi-discipline background to every contest. After relocating to New Zealand and representing his adopted country on the international stage, he added a landmark result in 2010, claiming the Pan Pacific No-Gi Championship title — a performance that demonstrated his competitive edge had endured well into his black belt years.

Fernandes' career as an instructor began long before he received his black belt. As early as 1993, while still progressing through the ranks in Brazil, he took on the role of assistant coach — a reflection of the trust Tonicão placed in him and the depth of knowledge he had already accumulated.

That coaching commitment carried directly into his move to Auckland, New Zealand, where Fernandes founded Tu Kaha BJJ, one of the pioneering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies in the country. Operating through tukaha.co.nz, the academy serves as a hub for BJJ development in the Auckland region, carrying forward the lineage that runs through Tonicão Collares. Through Tu Kaha BJJ, Fernandes has worked to grow the sport in New Zealand — competing internationally under his adopted flag while preserving and passing on the technical heritage of his Brazilian roots.