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Fernando Pontes “Margarida”

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Fernando Pontes, mostly known as “Margarida” within the jiu-jitsu community, is a former open weight world champion in the sport. Margarida’s aggressive and entertaining style made him one of the most revered grapplers in the early 2000’s, he was also known for his irreverence in and outside of the mats. His high-class technical abilities and his personality made him one of the more recognizable sporting figures of his generation in Brazil.

Fernando Margarida Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Fernando Pontes

Nickname: Margarida means “Daisy” in Portuguese. He received the nickname when he first started training at Fabio Gurgel and Fernando Yamasaki’s academy. During the Carnival season, Margarida asked his dentist to put the elastic bands on the braces in different colors (in theme with the festive season). When he showed up at the gym, Fabio Gurgel thought it was so funny he named him Daisy.

Lineage: C. Gracie > H. Gracie > Rickson Gracie > Marcelo Behring > Waldomiro Perez > Roberto Godoi > Fernando Pontes

Main Achievements:

  • 1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2001**)
  • 1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2000 / 2001)
  • 1st Place CBJJ Brazilian Nationals (2000)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2000**)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

  • 1st Place IBJJF Pan Championship (1999 purple)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Cross choke, and Baseball Choke (“Alicate” in Portuguese).

Weight Division: Medio Pesado (88Kg/194.5lbs).

Team/Association: N/A

Fernando Pontes “Margarida” Biography

Fernando “Margarida” Pontes was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, being raised in a family where almost everyone was involved in medicine. With such a heavy academic minded family background, it was hard to assume that Fernando would follow a career in sports, but indeed he did.

As a child Margarida’s mother tried to make him practice sports, she enrolled him in a Basketball team, however, due to his small stature Fernando Pontes never felt like he had a future in the sport, he convinced his mother to let him leave the team and since “Margarida” had always been somewhat of a menace in the streets, often picking up fights with other kids, his parents agreed to put him in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class, as a way to possibly release a little of his anger. Fernando was only 13 when he stepped inside the Academia Formula, the academy of Fernando Yamasaki and Fabio Gurgel.

Fabio Gurgel didn’t stay long in this academy leaving months later to form his own school of BJJ. Margarida stayed alongside Yamasaki for the following 2 years, shortly after he received his blue belt, he moved to the United States (Washington) where he pursued his training with another Yamasaki family member, Mario (Fernando Yamasaki’s brother). He trained with Mario for 6 moths but moved to California in search for better training and more competition. In Cali Fernando Pontes began training with Fabio Santos, and was awarded his Purple Belt by Santos (he also received his brown belt from the same Master).

His training days in California were finished when his family moved on back to Sao Paulo. Margarida intended to return to his roots in the Academia Formula, of Fernando Yamasaki, but in an example of the “bad boy” image that characterized Fernando’s career, he had an incident with the doorman of the academy which ended in a fight and Margarida ended up being expelled. Margarida also spent some time training with Nino Shembri, but was asked to leave after a while due to a misunderstanding between himself and Schembri. (all this information is available at an interview given to Tatame Magazine in 2002)

Fernando Margarida returned to the US where he also took time to train with his favorite fighter, the man who he always tried to mimic on the mats, the legendary Rickson Gracie. After this short spell with Rickson, another trip to Sao Paulo followed to train with Roberto Godoi and Otavio de Almeida, the men who awarded him his black belt in 2000. That year “Margarida” achieved a 2nd place at both his weight and the open weight division of the World Championships (Mundial). The following year he won the Pan Americans, submitting his former teacher Fabio Gurgel (who had never been submitted in competition before), and won his weight and the open weight division of the Mundial.

The following years were filled with ups and downs and ventures in both the ADCC and in MMA with relative success. Many on internet forums argued that his drive for competition disappeared, mainly due to the star status achieved by Pontes after reaching fame in the early 2000s combined with the fact that Margarida comes from a wealthy family and he didn’t need to compete for a living.

Fernando Margarida Grappling Record

34 WINS
  • BY POINTS
    12 (35%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    2 (6%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    19 (56%)
  • BY DECISION
    0 (0%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    0 (0%)
  • BY DQ
    0 (0%)

19 SUBMISSIONS WINS

#214eb8
Armbar
47
9
#86e620
Submission
16
3
#5AD3D1
Baseball choke
11
2
#d1212a
Toe hold
5
1
#fad11b
Wristlock
5
1
#f58822
Guillotine
5
1
#224aba
Choke
5
1
#ff9124
Cross choke
5
1
19
(100%) SUBMISSIONS
10 LOSSES
  • BY POINTS
    8 (80%)
  • BY ADVANTAGES
    0 (0%)
  • BY SUBMISSION
    1 (10%)
  • BY DECISION
    0 (0%)
  • BY PENALTIES
    1 (10%)
  • BY DQ
    0 (0%)

1 SUBMISSION LOSSES

#214eb8
Choke from back
100
1
1
(100%) SUBMISSION

Fernando Margarida Fight History

ID Opponent W/L Method Competition Weight Stage Year
382Rodrigo CompridoRodrigo CompridoLPts: 2x0World Champ.ABSF2000
395Roberto RoletaRoberto RoletaLPts: 4x0World Champ.88KGF2000
469Eduardo JamelaoEduardo JamelaoLPts: 8x2Rickson CupABSGP2000
480Nino SchembriNino SchembriLPts: 5x0Rio x Sao PauloABSSPF2000
757Ronaldo SouzaRonaldo SouzaLPointsADCC Trials88KGNA2003
793David TerrellDavid TerrellLPointsADCC88KG4F2003
1076Ronaldo SouzaRonaldo SouzaLPts: 7x0World CupABSF2004
1269Alexandre RibeiroAlexandre RibeiroLPts: 9x2World CupO75KGSF2005
1314Roger GracieRoger GracieLChoke from backWorld Champ.100KGSF2005
1780Roger GracieRoger GracieLPts: 9x5World Champ.ABS4F2007
377Francisco MelloWArmbarWorld Champ.ABSR12000
378Flavio AlmeidaFlavio AlmeidaWBaseball chokeWorld Champ.ABSR22000
379Alexandre DantasAlexandre DantasWArmbarWorld Champ.ABS4F2000
381Leonardo LeiteLeonardo LeiteWPts: 9x2World Champ.ABSSF2000
393Flavio AlmeidaFlavio AlmeidaWPointsWorld Champ.88KGSF2000
473Leo DallaLeo DallaWPts: 7x0Rickson CupABSGP2000
474Flavio AlmeidaFlavio AlmeidaWPts: 14x0Rickson CupABSGP2000
475Nino SchembriNino SchembriWInjuryRickson CupABSF2000
578Paulo StreckertWChokeWorld Champ.ABSR12001
579Adriano MacielWArmbarWorld Champ.ABSR22001
581Leo DallaLeo DallaWArmbarWorld Champ.ABS4F2001
583Rodrigo CompridoRodrigo CompridoWPts: 13x8World Champ.ABSSF2001
584Saulo RibeiroSaulo RibeiroWPts: 2x0World Champ.ABSF2001
596Marcos ShefferWPointsWorld Champ.88KG4F2001
597Leandro BorgoWPointsWorld Champ.88KGSF2001
599Saulo RibeiroSaulo RibeiroWBaseball chokeWorld Champ.88KGF2001
613Adriano MacielWSubmissionPan American94KG4F2001
614Fabio LeopoldoFabio LeopoldoWSubmissionPan American94KGSF2001
615Fabio GurgelFabio GurgelWCross chokePan American94KGF2001
756UnknownWPointsADCC Trials88KGNA2003
788Robert SulskiWPointsADCC88KGR12003
1071Ronirlei SouzaWArmbarWorld CupABSR12004
1073Alexandre RibeiroAlexandre RibeiroWPts: 2x2, AdvWorld CupABS4F2004
1075Marcel LouzadoMarcel LouzadoWPts: 12x2World CupABSSF2004
1091Wellington AraujoWArmbarWorld Cup94KG4F2004
1093Saulo RibeiroSaulo RibeiroWPts: 4x2World Cup94KGSF2004
1094Eduardo TellesEduardo TellesWToe holdWorld Cup94KGF2004
1249Roberto PiasaWWristlockWorld Cup94KG4F2005
1250Rafael LouzadaWArmbarWorld Cup94KGSF2005
1266Fabio TrindadeWSubmissionWorld CupO75KG4F2005
1307Vitor HugoWGuillotineWorld Champ.100KGR12005
1311Eduardo TellesEduardo TellesWAdvWorld Champ.100KG4F2005
1329Marcio CruzMarcio CruzWArmbarYamasaki CupABSSPF2005
1775T. GaiaWArmbarWorld Champ.ABSR12007

Fernando Margarida Highlight

Margarida vs Flavio Almeida “Cachorrinho”

Fernando Margarida vs Marcio Cruz “Pé de Pano”

Fernando Margarida vs Fabio Gurgel

Fernando Margarida vs Alexandre Ribeiro “Xande”

Fernando Margarida vs Roberto Magalhaes “Roleta”

 

5050 Guard Instructional by Lachlan Giles

4 Comments

  • Agente 35 says:

    Fernando Margarida has just launched his official blogs:

    >> in English: http://margajitsu.com
    >> in Portuguese: http://fernandomargarida.com

    Keep yourself updated with his lastest news!

  • Agente 35 says:

    This part of the content is a false rumor created by people on the web:

    "Many argue that his drive for competition disappeared, mainly due to the “Playboy” status achieved by Fernando Margarida Pontes after reaching fame in the early 2000’s combined with the fact that Margarida is from a wealthy family and he doesn’t need to fight for a living."

    1) His drive for competition has never been so strong: actually, he has searched for a truly serious sponsor willing to bet on his return to competitions. He has trained hard and is determined to compete and make history again.

    2) Margarida is not a playboy and his family is not wealth as many people say (and repeat) in forums – he has worked since the age of 12.

    3) He needs to fight for a living. That’s his job.

    In the face of all these rumors, he decided to launch the blog to speak for himself once and for all as seen above.

  • Iggs says:

    I never new who Margarida was, my master mentioned him few times. I watched his fights and I severly impressed, especially with his guard.

  • Naja says:

    Margarida had a great guard passing game and a great guard too.. It isn't anyone who can beat Saulo multiple times and tap him out twice with the same sub. His DVD is also great 🙂
    I made a highlight from him also (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjesU82-aWE) xD
    And congrats for your blog dude, it's great >.<

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