Ricardo Feliciano Pereira

Ricardo Feliciano Pereira, widely known throughout the BJJ community by his nickname "Pantcho," was born on August 7, 1981, in Brazil. His introduction to the gentle art came through Demetrius, a blue belt student of Pedro Hemetério, who provided Feliciano with his first exposure to jiu-jitsu. From those foundational beginnings, Pantcho progressed under the instruction of Carlos Luz and Rocian Gracie, steadily assembling the technical base that would define his identity as both a competitor and a coach.

The most transformative chapter of Feliciano's early development unfolded under the mentorship of Severino Soares da Silva, known as Dida. Under Dida's guidance, Pantcho began competing with far greater regularity and demonstrated a level of commitment that led him to live at the gym in order to train full time. That immersive dedication established the competitive discipline that would carry him through the highest levels of the sport.

In 2004, Ricardo Feliciano made a pivotal decision by relocating to the headquarters of Brasa Clube de Jiu Jitsu, placing himself alongside some of the sport's most gifted practitioners. Training partners during this period included future elite competitors Lucas Leite and Demian Maia, and the demanding environment sharpened Feliciano into a formidable presence in the super-heavyweight division, competing at Pesadíssimo (+100.50 kg / 222.0 lbs).

It was within Brasa that Pantcho forged his most significant instructor relationship. Leonardo Vieira awarded Feliciano both his brown and black belts, with the black belt promotion taking place on September 30, 2007. The bond between the two extended well beyond the mats — Feliciano played a founding role in the establishment of Checkmat in 2008, alongside Vieira and other key figures from the Brasa lineage. Checkmat would grow into one of the most decorated and globally recognized teams in competitive jiu-jitsu, and Feliciano's presence at its inception reflects the trust and standing he had earned within that circle.

Ricardo Feliciano's competitive record spans more than a decade of high-level BJJ, demonstrating both early promise and the rare ability to sustain elite performance across multiple belt levels and age divisions.

Purple and Brown Belt Highlights

Feliciano's first major title came in 2004 at the CBJJ Brasileiro, where he claimed gold at purple belt — a result that signaled significant competitive potential even before his arrival at Brasa. That same year, he earned runner-up honors at the CBJJ Brazilian Teams Nationals, further establishing his presence on the national stage. At brown belt in 2006, he added a CBJJ Brazilian Teams Nationals championship to his résumé while finishing as runner-up at the CBJJ Brasileiro, demonstrating consistent podium presence across both team and individual formats. Months before receiving his black belt, he captured the IBJJF Pans No-Gi Championship in 2007 — a title that validated his technical versatility across gi and no-gi competition alike.

Black Belt Excellence and Competitive Longevity

His black belt career reflected a similar pattern of sustained excellence. In 2015, Pantcho won the USBJJF/IBJJF American National Championship and reached the final of the IBJJF Pans Championship in the Masters 1 division, while also earning a third-place finish at the IBJJF Masters World Championship. His appearances on the IBJJF Pans Championship podium across 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2017 — the latter in the Masters 2 division — speak to a competitive longevity that extended well beyond the typical peak years of a professional grappler. A runner-up finish at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championship in 2011 further cemented his standing among the top super-heavyweights of his generation.

Alongside his competitive career, Ricardo Feliciano built a parallel identity as a high-level coach within the professional MMA ecosystem. His relationship with MMA legend Dan Henderson began in 2009 during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), where Feliciano's ground expertise drew immediate attention from the Henderson camp. That working relationship evolved into a full-time appointment as head grappling coach at Team Quest's academy in Temecula, California.

In that role, Pantcho was tasked with constructing Team Quest's jiu-jitsu curriculum from the ground up — translating high-level sport BJJ principles into practical, competition-tested grappling for professional MMA athletes. Working directly with fighters preparing for major promotions, Feliciano integrated BJJ fundamentals and advanced grappling strategy into a structured program tailored to the specific demands of mixed martial arts. The position served as a natural extension of his career, channeling the technical knowledge accumulated over years of elite competition into the development of the next generation of combat sports athletes.