Fernanda Cristo

Fernanda Yukari Makiyama Cristo, commonly known as Fernanda Cristo, is a grappling competitor and a black belt in jiu-jitsu under Rogério Cristo (her father) who represents the Evox Academy of Japan in the sport’s global circuit. Fernanda first made waves in the sport during her colored belt career for earning medals at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) purple belt Pan American and World Championships as well as for winning the European Open title at 17-years-of-age, establishing herself as one of the hottest prospects in jiu-jitsu at the time, a claim she would cement as a black belt.

Fernando Cristo Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Fernanda Yukari Makiyama Cristo

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Oswaldo Fadda > Wilson Mattos > Eduardo da Rocha > Rogerio de Cristo > Fernanda Cristo

Main Achievements:

• 3rd Place World Championship (2022)
• 3rd Place Pan Championship (2022)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place European Open (2019 / 2020 purple)
• 1st Place Asian Championship (2019 purple)
• 2nd Place Asian Championship (2019* purple)
• 3rd Place World Championship (2019 purple)
• 3rd Place Pan Championship (2019 purple)

Main Achievements (Juvenile):

• 1st Place World Championship (2018)
• 1st Place Pan Championship (2018)
• 1st Place Asian Championship (2017 / 2018*)
• 2nd Place Pan Championship (2018*)
• 2ndPlace Asian Championship (2017*)

* Absolute
** Weight and Absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard

Weight Division: Meio-Pesado (74 kg / 163.1 lb)

Team/Association: Evox BJJ

Fernanda Cristo Biography

Fernanda Cristo was born on October 1, 2001, in Presidente Epitácio, a small municipality in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Despite being born in Brazil, Fernanda’s mother was of Japanese descent and Cristo’s parents lived in Japan at the time of her birth, having merely opted to be in Brazil for the baby’s delivery with the intent of being closer to their family. When Fernanda was old enough to travel (5 months old), the couple and their daughter returned to the Asian country where they remained.

Cristo’s father, Rogério de Cristo, started training jiu-jitsu a few years prior to her birth with the mother joining the training room when Fernanda was one year old. The couple soon opened their own gym and as such, the young Brazilian was raised on the mats, watching her parents train and compete. This environment led Fernanda to join the kids’ program at the age of 4, going on to test her skills competitively for the first time at the age of 5.

Under Rogério de Cristo’s guidance, Fernanda developed into one of the top jiu-jitsu athletes in Japan, a momentum that carried through to the international level as a teenager, while competing in the juvenile and adult divisions of the IBJJF’s World, and Pan American Championship. The positive results built during her juvenile and colored belt career Cristo to her black belt promotion on July 24, 2021, at the age of 19.