Langley MMA champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes attracted some big names in the sport to the Saturday, Oct. 14 opening of his new martial arts academy, billed as a “Meet The Legends” opportunity bringing together four icons.
Five-time world jiu-jitsu champion Bibiano Fernandes opened his martial arts studio in Langley Saturday. The place was packed with more 200 turning out to get training tips from Fernandes and other top MMA fighters. pic.twitter.com/fXnmHhzieN
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) October 14, 2023
Fernandes, a five-time world jiu-jitsu champion and three-time Pan American champion, welcomed Renzo Gracie, the internationally known jiu-jitsu coach who is credited with coaching some of North America’s top fighters, Demetrious Johnson, a 15-time world MMA Champion and current flyweight world champion will be on hand, and a 2023 world jiu-jitsu champion, Lucas Don Santos Pineheiro, from Manaus, Brazil, where Fernandes got his start.
In between dispensing fighting tips, Fernandes and his fellow elite fighters were kept busy signing autographs and posing for selfies.
“Believe in yourself,” is Fernandes’ message.
“Never lose hope,” he told the Langley Advance Times. “You always can be better, that’s what I teach my students. It doesn’t matter what happens, you always can be better. You have to change the way you see life.”
His own story reflects that attitude.
In a 2015 profile, Fernandes described how he was living in Manaus, the largest city in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, when he was introduced by some friends to Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the martial art developed by the Gracie family and made famous by MMA legend and Brazilian native Royce Gracie.
At the time, he was 14, selling ice cream and cleaning houses when the mother of a friend paid for his lessons. When that ran out, he cleaned the gym to pay for them for almost four years until his coach told him to quit cleaning and focus on becoming a world champion.
Fernandes did just that, going on to win world, Brazilian and Pan-Am jiu-jitsu titles before switching his focus to MMA.
“Come in, enjoy your training, relax, I say to my students,” Fernandes said.
“Don’t be too much in your cell phone. Come and train, clean your mind, and keep performing for life.”
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Fernandes was at a jiu-jitsu competition in California when he was invited to come train in Canada. He liked what he saw and stayed, marrying and raising a family and going on to become a Canadian citizen living in Langley’s Willoughby neighbourhood.
He calls jiu-jitsu a “lifestyle” in Brazil, no different from the way hockey is viewed in his adopted home.
For a photo of all the participants at the event, the proud father sat with his son Lucas, who has taken up the sport.
“He only likes break dance and jiu jitsu,” Fernandes laughed. “He does both.”
More than 200 fans packed “Flash Academy Martial Arts” when it officially opened its doors in the 20700 block of Mufford Crescent in Langley.
Among them, Murrayville fighter Tamara Wolfe, who was awarded her advanced brown belt at the event by Fernandes.
“I took a few years off,” Wolfe explained.
“I’ve been back [competing] for two years, before that, I probably spent about five years. It was a goal of mine to be a purple belt (intermediate), actually, and this is just icing on the cake.”
Classes at the academy will begin the first week of November. Its website was set to launch at the end of the week: www.flashacademymartialarts.com
Academy contact email is info@flashacademymartialarts.com
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