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5x BJJ World Champion Bibiano Fernandes: “Being Homeless In The Jungle Made Me Strong. I Never Give Up.”

5x BJJ World Champion Bibiano Fernandes: “Being Homeless In The Jungle Made Me Strong. I Never Give Up.”

 

 

Bibiano Fernandes is a 5x Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion and 3x Pan American Champion who was considered to be the best under 64kg/141lbs in BJJ before he moved on to MMA. He has competed for K-1, DREAM, ONE Championship and King of the Cage. He was the first DREAM Featherweight Champion and DREAM Bantamweight Champion, and currently the ONE Bantamweight Champion. He is currently ranked as the #5 Bantamweight in the world by MMA Weekly and Fight Matrix as well as the #1 bantamweight outside of the UFC.

As reported by Jonathan Snowden, author of Total MMA: Inside Ultimate Fighting and lead combat sports writer for Bleacher Report, Fernandes started as a homeless child in Manaus, Brazil and the surrounding jungle, when he was abandoned by his father:

 

“He explained to me that he had no choice,” said Fernandes. “I understood his decision. There were five of us kids and we all went because it was too much for him to handle on his own after my mother’s death. It was not easy and looking back, I’m really surprised I managed to go through that. I constantly searched for food to keep myself going.”

Soon they found themselves just a few miles down the road but a world away. Soon he was living in the jungle.

“It was mainly just looking for food,” said Fernandes. “Hunting and scavenging. Me and a few of the other people also took care of our shelter to make sure we at least had a roof to protect us from the environment. We ate whatever we found. We would hunt and gather food. Shelter was built from trees and branches.”

“I was there for about three years. I’m not really sure the exact number of years and it all seems like such a surreal experience now.”

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“I went years without seeing him while I was in the Amazon,” Fernandes said of his father. “I had malaria on several occasions. I almost died. My father decided enough is enough and asked me to return to the city… I have no regrets about my past. I know my father did what he thought was best for us and I don’t have any hard feelings towards him. Life in the jungle made me strong and taught me many life skills some people will never experience.”

Fernandes found jiu jitsu while cleaning car windows outside a local dojo.

“I could not afford to join. It was only after a friend volunteered to pay for me did I get into it,” said Fernandes. “My coach saw the potential and after the first month, allowed me to train for free if I cleaned up the gym every night. I loved everything about it, the competition, the knowledge, the technique, the mental battles. It was just so exciting to me and even today, I still love every second of Brazilian jiu jitsu.”

“I think the time spent (in the jungle) made me a stronger person which benefits me when I compete as I don’t give up. My coach made it all happen and I just followed his instructions. It was a far journey but the experience was amazing.”

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