Today we’d like to introduce you to Fabiano Mello.
Hi Fabiano, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
THE BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY…
Fabiano Mello started in the world of martial arts before the age of 5, influenced by his father, who had already trained in Jiu-Jitsu. His father would often play with him while teaching some techniques. At the age of 5, Fabiano Mello was formally enrolled in a Judo and Jiu-Jitsu academy. It was 1978.
Encouraged and supported by his father, he began training in other martial arts, simultaneously starting Taekwondo, Karate, and Kung Fu. He was 13 years old. In the year following his initiation in these disciplines, he became the absolute Karate champion in his city. Unknowingly, a path was already being carved for him. As a fan of great fighters, action movie actors, and books on the subject, he sought out all the references available to him at the time.
He trained tirelessly from Sunday to Sunday. Throughout his adolescence, he became the state champion in Judo and vice-state champion in Taekwondo.
A BET…
When he started high school at the age of 14, he made his first major choice toward his destiny to become a martial arts master. He decided to enroll in a physical education teacher training course. At 18, he graduated as a teacher, certified to teach students from 1st to 6th grade in elementary school.
During this time, he began training in Kickboxing because he felt a strong need to test himself in the ring. Behind this desire, a question lingered: would his training work in a fight aimed at a knockout?
Thus, at 18, he achieved his black belt in Kickboxing through the World Kickboxing Organization, and became the state champion in Full Contact the following year. By the age of 19, Fabiano Mello was both a Physical Education teacher and a black belt in Kickboxing and Kung Fu.
THE AGE OF LEARNING…
With so many achievements, Fabiano Mello became aware of the respect he had earned from the community. He realized that people in general respected him greatly. In his view, the reason was simple: he sought to respect everyone without distinction, from masters to college peers, from the strongest to the weakest, without exception. Through the lens of martial arts, he was in contact not only with scientific knowledge, which he gained from his Physical Education course, but with values: discipline, integrity, respect, life philosophy, and so on.
Unfortunately, at 19, he had to leave college due to financial difficulties. Faced with this challenge, he made a promise to himself: by the time he turned 30, he would have earned black belts in as many martial arts as his body could handle.
Over the following 10 years, he fought hard to earn black belts in other martial arts, achieving black belts in Karate, Kobudo, Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, and Tai Chi Chuan, in addition to Kung Fu and Kickboxing. In 1999, he received an invitation from the representative of the Canadian Karate organization to teach Jiu-Jitsu classes in Quebec, Canada. He was also the Brazilian Contact Karate Champion in the lightweight absolute category in 2001. In this tournament, he won 4 fights, 2 of them by knockout, setting a record for the fastest knockout in the event, with just 10 seconds of fighting. His participation and achievement were reported in newspapers and specialized magazines. Finally, he was called to the 2001 Karate World Championship.
Between 2003 and 2007, he also earned a black belt in Taekwondo and coaching titles in Wrestling and Olympic Boxing. In 2004, at 67 kg, he competed in a Jiu-Jitsu World Championship in the absolute category, but was defeated by an opponent weighing 140kg.
OLD DREAMS, NEW CHALLENGES…
In 2007, he returned to college for his Physical Education degree, where he graduated and completed a postgraduate degree in Sports Medicine and Exercise Science.
Having fulfilled his personal promise by the age of 30, he set a new goal for himself: to become a martial arts master by the age of 40, studying more and more about everything he could absorb and practice.
At 35, during a Jiu-Jitsu demonstration for a social project in São Gonçalo, where he worked as a teacher, he ruptured all the ligaments in his left knee after stepping into a hole beneath the mat. The area was simple, and the terrain was uneven. He vividly remembers there were many children watching. Still adrenaline-charged from the moment, he decided to finish the demonstration before going to the hospital. As a result of that day, the project filled all of its vacancies, although Fabiano Mello did not teach any classes.
After this episode, he sought rehabilitation for the injury. In 2004, he began training Muay Thai with Thais, falling in love with the culture and training routines of the discipline. Finally, after 9 years (2013), he had the opportunity to be evaluated by a Grandmaster from Thailand, earning the rank of Master in Muay Thai.
Taking advantage of all the knowledge gained and the martial level achieved, he was evaluated in 2014 by a Grandmaster from South Korea and received a black belt in Hapkido.
Due to his continuous effort and acquired knowledge, he started holding administrative positions in various federations, helping to establish several sports federations in Brazil. He began traveling to Asian countries to obtain specializations.
From then on, he conducted various international seminars on Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in South Korea, Colombia’s Olympic Committee, and Uruguay. He also represented Brazil at the 2015 Pan American Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Colombia, leading a delegation of 4 athletes. He opened Gracie Elite schools in Colombia and Uruguay, where he also taught seminars and was an official referee at the South American Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
AT THE SOURCE…
Between 2015 and 2024, Fabiano Mello was between Thailand and South Korea, solidifying his Muay Thai training, graduating in Krabi Krabong (Thai weapons) and Nuad Thai (traditional Thai medicine), receiving certifications from government-recognized entities in Thailand. In 2018, he worked as a referee at the Muay Thai World Championship in Thailand.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, he took grading exams, attended seminars, courses at the police school, and participated in major events in that country. He officiated at the International Hapkido Championship in Korea, where he passed the test for Master in that discipline, and was subsequently recognized as a Grandmaster by the Korean Martial Arts Association in 2019, receiving the 7th Dan black belt.
LEGACY…
In 2019, after a grading exam, he was appointed as the official representative for Kudo (Japanese MMA) in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and acted as a referee for the qualification event for the World Championship in the discipline.
In 2020, he was awarded the 6th Dan black belt in Taekwondo after an exam conducted by GM Jung Roul Kim.
In 2022, after another Muay Thai grading exam in Thailand, he earned the highest rank a foreigner can receive in the country. To further contribute and dedicate himself, he took a new professional Muay Thai referee course.
For his technical presentations and contributions to Muay Thai, having organized over 10 tournaments in the discipline, providing opportunities for newcomers and promoting professional athletes, as well as facilitating cultural exchanges between Thai masters and Brazilian instructors, he was received by Thailand’s Minister of Sports, where he was highly praised for his work. On this occasion, he received the title of Specialist Master in Muay Thai by the Sports Authority of Thailand.
In parallel, in September 2022, he was evaluated by a Japanese delegation that visited Brazil to select Brazilians who could receive the Japanese black belt in Kudo (Japanese MMA). He passed and went on to act as a referee at the Pan American Championship in the discipline. Unfortunately, during his participation in the preliminary technical exam for the event, he suffered an accident and fractured two ribs. During the event, with two athletes from Rio de Janeiro, one of them became the runner-up in the absolute category.
Combining his experience and knowledge, Master Fabiano Mello developed a course, starting in 2011, to expand the scientific foundations of martial arts in the training of Kickboxing teachers. As the director of the scientific development department at the Gonçalense Sports League, he brought his course to the Kickboxing Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro. After the course was accepted by the national federation, he directly helped train over 300 black belts in Kickboxing. Even after leaving the federation in 2017, the course is still being taught today.
In August 2023, Fabiano Mello passed the exam for Master of Sambo, a Russian martial art, by the World Federation of this discipline. In December of the same year, he received the 6th Degree black belt from the son of the creator of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and was also recognized and certified by the first Jiu-Jitsu Federation in the world.
In 2023, he also trained MMA athletes, achieving the victory of athlete Yasmin Castanho in one of the biggest MMA events in the world, the LFA. Later, in June 2024, he trained athlete Talita Bernardo to defend her title at the biggest female MMA event in the world, INVICTA FC, where she became champion in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey was never easy. In addition to training we had family difficulties and the distances necessary to travel in search of the great Masters to train and truly learn. So it was never easy. There were many sacrifices made to travel the world. I have been in martial arts for 47 years. Because I started very young, the first 15 years were essential to learn the basics. Between ages 20 and 35, I taught a lot, but never stopped learning. So, I think after 30 years of experience I had passed the phase of Professor and was already being recognized as a Master. I began traveling to Asia, mainly Thailand and Korea, and I continue to undergo evaluations by reference organizations to ensure higher levels of training. Training has always been rigorous, but the main thing is discipline and consistency.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Gracie Jiu-jitsu was established 100 years ago. It has changed in the 25 years since I began training with the Gracie’s. The growth has been exponential. The rules have adapted to protect athletes, investments grew a lot as well. New events emerged and broadcasts occur at all media levels. These factors keep the flame alive and continue to spark the interest of new athletes. I have been to the US several times to coach athletes and guest as a visiting instructor. Last year I was in Kansas City to coach one of my students in an MMA fight which they won. Recently I have been visiting Rilion Gracie KC and enjoying my time in Kansas City. After so many stories, achievements, pains, challenges, and victories, the now Master Fabiano Mello continues with the drive of the young man who saw a world of possibilities in martial arts. Honoring his past, family, masters, students, and disciplines, he continues to study and develop tirelessly in the world of martial arts. This time, not to prove anything to himself, but to help children, young people, and people of all ages awaken to the essence of martial arts through its values, possibilities, and, fundamentally, practice. This is his story. This is the life of Fabiano Mello, an authentic martial artist.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Currenly I am visiting Rilion Gracie KC and can be found there most days. I am also available on Instagram at fabianomellooficial
Contact Info:
- Instagram: fabianomellooficial
