Paulo Fernando Agusto

Sensei Paulo Fernando has been training in martial arts since 1974, starting Judo at age 4 under Shigueto Yamasaki, a protégé of Riuzo Ogawa, the founder of Judo in Brazil. He is uniquely distinguished as the only individual to concurrently hold a 7th-degree (Shichidan) coral belt in both Judo and BJJ. Sensei Paulo has won 34 gold medals in various Judo championships, including the Brazilian Nationals, California State Championship, and Pan American Masters Judo Championship. After moving to San Diego in 1997, he established one of the largest martial arts academies in the U.S., significantly contributing to the growth of BJJ and Judo in America.