Fernando Vasconcelos

Fernando Vasconcelos received his black belt from Rigan Machado in December 1996, in California, at the same ceremony that promoted fellow Brazilian Renato Magno and Americans Chris Haueter, David Meyer and Rick Williams, three of the first U.S.-born black belts. The following year he won the middleweight title at the Pans, held in Hawaii.

His biggest title came in 1998, at the Worlds. Coverage at the time called middleweight the most competitive black belt division, and Vasconcelos reached the final against Zé Marcelo, of team Bolão. A double-leg takedown gave him the two points of a 2-0 win and the gold. André Cândido and Guilherme Santos, both of Nova União, completed the podium.

In 2001 he competed at the ADCC in Abu Dhabi, in the under 77 kg division. He was eliminated by Márcio Feitosa but left with the award for best takedown of the event, for a suplex on Japan’s Caol Uno.

Based in California, he fought MMA in 2002 and 2003 for RAW Team, out of El Segundo. He had four fights in King of the Cage: he beat John Chrisostomo by TKO and Marcus Santos by rear-naked choke, and lost to Shonie Carter and Karo Parisyan.