Fernando "Tererê" Augusto


Fernando Augusto da Silva is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor, mixed martial arts fighter, and submission grappler. He is a black belt under professor Alexandre Paiva of Team Alliance. Tererê is a two-time World Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in black belt division. He has also won a number of other Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions, including Pan-American Championship, South-American Championship, Copa do Mundo and Brazilian National Championship.
Tererê is known as one of the most influential competitors of all-time, as well as the most entertaining, because of his aggressive and highly active style.

Early years

Born in the slums of Cantagalo, Rio de Janeiro, Tererê began his fighting career by training capoeira, dealing drugs, and running away from the police. His Brazilian jiu-jitsu career began at the age of 14 when professor Otavio Couto invited him to try Brazilian jiu-jitsu at his recently opened gym in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro. Professor Couto had met Tererê and his friends parking cars at McDonald's on Rua de Amoedo, Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro. At the gym, Couto and other teachers, Alexandre Paiva and Roberto Traven, were impressed by Tererê's passion and desire to learn and began to teach him the techniques and principles of jiu-jitsu.

Competition career

The first big victory for him was when in 1994 he won the Brazilian Championship. In 1997 he won the World Championship as a blue belt. In 1998 Professor Couto awarded Tererê with a purple belt, who later that year won the open weight division in the Mundials.

A year later Fernando received a brown belt from professor Paiva and won the Mundials in his weight division, beating 2000 champion and future UFC lightweight champion BJ Penn in the semi-final.

Some time after the competition professor Fabio Gurgel invited Tererê to São Paulo to train with him. Before leaving, Tererê received his black belt from professor Paiva.
Next year in the Mundials Tererê won his weight class, first time as a black belt. By that time he had won the title in every belt class available. He went to win the title again in 2003.
Despite being fairly light weight Tererê competed the 2004 Championships in ultra-heavy class finishing second, only losing to Fabrício Werdum in the final by points.

Championships

World Championship
Copa do Mundo
Brazilian Nationals

TT Team

Tererê and Eduardo Telles together established the TT Team in the beginning of 2003. The team was partly assembled to train and prepare future champions in the field of jiu-jitsu, but its main focus was to improve people's lives by developing a healthy lifestyle via training. Fernando and Eduardo wanted to make it possible for everyone to enjoy their life, despite their backgrounds.
TT Team met its end in 2006 due to differences between Terere and Telles.
During its short existence the TT Team produced notable fighters like Rubens 'Cobrinha' Charles and André Galvao.

Instructor Lineage

→ Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti → Alexandre Paiva → Fernando "Tererê" Augusto