Marcio Cruz, also known by his nickname “Pe de Pano” is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Junior, being unanimously considered one of the best to have ever competed in the sport. Mario Cruz was one of the biggest stars of the Gracie Barra Academy in the early 2000’s, having conquered numerous titles being his biggest achievements the two open weight black belt world championships in 2002 and 2003. Pe de Pano fought also in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) having reached the pinnacle of the sport by competing in the UFC. Originally from Brazil, Marcio Cruz moved to the United States where made a career as a jiu jitsu instructor.
Marcio Cruz Jiu Jitsu
Full Name: Márcio Ribeiro da Cruz
Nickname: The name Pé de Pano is what Sugarfoot, the character from the 80´s cartoon show “Woody the Woodpecker”, is called in Brazil. Márcio Cruz was called this due to his lanky and somewhat clumsy nature, specially as a teenager.
Lineage: Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Carlos Gracie Junior > Marcio Cruz
Main Achievements (BJJ/Grappling):
- ADCC Champion (2003)
- World Champion (1999 purple, 2000 weight & absolute brown, 2002 weight & absolute, 2003 absolute)
- Pan American Champion (1999 weigh & absolute blue, 2003 weight & absolute, 2005 weight & absolute)
- Brazilian Champion (1998 blue, 2000 weight & absolute, 2001)
- Brazilian National Silver Medallist (1999 brown, 2001 absolute)
- World Bronze Medallist (1998 blue, 2001 weight & absolute, 2012)
Favorite Technique: Triangle Choke
Weight Division: Super-heavy Weight
Team/Association: Gracie Elite Team (Formerly Gracie Barra)
Marcio Cruz “Pe de Pano” Biography
Marcio Cruz was born on the 24th of April, 1978 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started training Martial Arts at the age of 12, with a short run at Karate in a dojo close to were he lived. Pe de Pano lived part of his early teenage years at his grandfathers house, a time when he was introduced to Jiu Jitsu by a friend. Although he loved the sport straight away, there was no jiu jitsu academy were he lived, as such he joined a Judo club while he couldn’t find a BJJ academy nearby.
It was in 1996, when Marcio was 17, that jiu jitsu became a part of Marcio Cruz’ life. In Brazil if you want to become a professional jiu jitsu competitor (which Pe de Pano wanted with all his heart) 17 is an old age to start off your career as a white belt, however, Marcio had his goals set and he trained harder then anyone else at the gym, putting all his spare time on the mats.
All that work combined with the raw talent running through Marcio’s veins, helped him achieve success very fast winning his first major title, the Pan American Championship in 1999 as a blue belt, followed by a World Championship in the same year this time in the Purple Belt Division. His amazing run didn’t stop here, and Pe de Pano went on to win the Brazilian National Championship as a Brown Belt in the end of that year, making this path to black belt one of the fastest ever recorded (Marcio Cruz received his black belt in 2001).
In 2001 Marcio Cruz won the World Championships at his weight and the absolute divisions, submitting everyone on his path, being given his black belt there and then by “Carlinhos” Gracie. On that same year Marcio won the Brazilian Nationals again in his weight and absolute divisions, this time as a black belt.
Marcio Cruz has never been known to be a man that keeps his thoughts to himself. Cocky and somewhat arrogant he is one of those fighters you either love or hate and his antics against Jeff Monson, Terere and many others are well documented and have been the subject of heated forum discussions throughout the internet. Although his attitude might have been questioned by some, no one can deny he is one of the most gifted fighters the BJJ world has ever produced. Even though he may not look like the stereotypical fighter with the cauliflower ears, broad back and tattoos, his deceiving physique and his guard is game have made him a true master of the art and a delight to watch by any BJJ lover.
Marcio Cruz Grappling Record
-
BY POINTS
22 (46%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
0 (0%) -
BY SUBMISSION
24 (50%) -
BY DECISION
1 (2%) -
BY PENALTIES
1 (2%) - BY DQ
0 (0%)
24 SUBMISSIONS WINS
-
BY POINTS
7 (39%) -
BY ADVANTAGES
3 (17%) -
BY SUBMISSION
6 (33%) -
BY DECISION
1 (6%) -
BY PENALTIES
1 (6%) - BY DQ
0 (0%)
6 SUBMISSIONS LOSSES
Marcio Cruz Fight History
ID | Opponent | W/L | Method | Competition | Weight | Stage | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
549 | Sean Alvarez | L | Pen | ADCC | O99KG | 4F | 2001 |
563 | JJ MachadoJJ Machado | L | Footlock | ADCC | ABS | 4F | 2001 |
573 | Fernando TerereFernando Terere | L | Pts: 6x5 | Brasileiro | ABS | F | 2001 |
602 | Marcio CorletaMarcio Corleta | L | Pts: 2x2, Adv | World Champ. | O100KG | SF | 2001 |
825 | Dean ListerDean Lister | L | Pts: 3x0 | ADCC | ABS | SF | 2003 |
827 | Fabricio WerdumFabricio Werdum | L | Pts: 6x0 | ADCC | ABS | 3PLC | 2003 |
1215 | Gabriel Napao | L | Calf slicer | ADCC | O99KG | SF | 2005 |
1328 | Fernando MargaridaFernando Margarida | L | Armbar | Yamasaki Cup | ABS | SPF | 2005 |
1478 | Gabriel GonzagaGabriel Gonzaga | L | Points | World Cup | O100KG | F | 2006 |
1520 | Andre GalvaoAndre Galvao | L | Adv | Team Nationals | O88KG | F | 2006 |
1718 | Rolles GracieRolles Gracie | L | Points | ADCC | O99KG | SF | 2007 |
2272 | Vinny MagalhaesVinny Magalhaes | L | Flying armbar | ADCC | 99KG | 4F | 2009 |
2726 | Rodrigo CavacaRodrigo Cavaca | L | Triangle | World Champ. | O100KG | 4F | 2010 |
3143 | Rodrigo CavacaRodrigo Cavaca | L | Submission | World Champ. | O100KG | SF | 2011 |
3898 | Roberto AbreuRoberto Abreu | L | Pts: 12x4 | World Champ. | ABS | R2 | 2012 |
4140 | Marcus AlmeidaMarcus Almeida | L | Pts: 4x2 | World Champ. | O100KG | SF | 2012 |
7571 | Alexandre RibeiroAlexandre Ribeiro | L | Referee Decision | UFC Expo | ABS | SPF | 2015 |
13721 | Joao RochaJoao Rocha | L | Pts: 0x0, Adv | IBJJF Pro GP | ABS | 4F | 2017 |
547 | Van Arsdale | W | Kneebar | ADCC | O99KG | R1 | 2001 |
555 | Ricco RodriguezRicco Rodriguez | W | Armbar | ADCC | O99KG | 3RD | 2001 |
559 | Roberto TravenRoberto Traven | W | Points | ADCC | ABS | R1 | 2001 |
572 | Carlos Alberto | W | N/A | Brasileiro | O100KG | F | 2001 |
579 | Marcio CorletaMarcio Corleta | W | Triangle | World Champ. | ABS | 4F | 2001 |
622 | Fernando TerereFernando Terere | W | Pts: 2x0 | Manaus Challenge | ABS | SPF | 2002 |
686 | Unknown | W | Points | World Champ. | O100KG | 4F | 2002 |
688 | Felipe Pederneiras | W | Choke | World Champ. | O100KG | SF | 2002 |
689 | Luiz GuilhermeLuiz Guilherme | W | Knee ride | World Champ. | O100KG | F | 2002 |
692 | Marcus Valle | W | Armbar | World Champ. | ABS | R1 | 2002 |
700 | Roger CoelhoRoger Coelho | W | Triangle armbar | World Champ. | ABS | 4F | 2002 |
703 | Alexandre RibeiroAlexandre Ribeiro | W | Pts: 2x0 | World Champ. | ABS | SF | 2002 |
704 | Saulo RibeiroSaulo Ribeiro | W | Pts: 2x0 | World Champ. | ABS | F | 2002 |
720 | Eduardo TellesEduardo Telles | W | Pts: 10x2 | Team Nationals | O88KG | F | 2002 |
742 | Alex Monsalve | W | Kneebar | Team Nationals | O88KG | 4F | 2003 |
757 | Rodrigo Artilheiro | W | RNC | ADCC Trials | O99KG | SF | 2003 |
758 | Fabiano SchernerFabiano Scherner | W | N/A | ADCC Trials | O99KG | F | 2003 |
808 | Mike Whitehead | W | Points | ADCC | O99KG | R1 | 2003 |
810 | Jeff Monson | W | Points | ADCC | O99KG | 4F | 2003 |
812 | Alex Negao | W | Guillotine | ADCC | O99KG | SF | 2003 |
814 | Fabricio WerdumFabricio Werdum | W | Points | ADCC | O99KG | F | 2003 |
815 | Ilir Lafiti | W | Points | ADCC | ABS | R1 | 2003 |
821 | Marcelo GarciaMarcelo Garcia | W | Pts: 6x0 | ADCC | ABS | 4F | 2003 |
837 | Beto Ferreira | W | Armbar | World Champ. | ABS | R1 | 2003 |
839 | Leo. Montenegro | W | Triangle | World Champ. | ABS | R2 | 2003 |
843 | Fabricio WerdumFabricio Werdum | W | Pts: 7x0 | World Champ. | ABS | SF | 2003 |
844 | Roger GracieRoger Gracie | W | Pts: 3x0 | World Champ. | ABS | F | 2003 |
901 | Robert Handley | W | Pts: 15x0 | Brazil vs USA | O100KG | SPF | 2003 |
916 | Thiago Cruz | W | Armbar | Pan American | O100KG | SF | 2003 |
918 | Todd Margolis | W | Knee on belly | Pan American | ABS | 4F | 2003 |
921 | Joao Silva | W | Armbar | Pan American | ABS | SF | 2003 |
923 | Fabricio WerdumFabricio Werdum | W | Armbar | Pan American | ABS | F | 2003 |
1017 | Alexandre RibeiroAlexandre Ribeiro | W | Referee Decision | Best Fighters | ABS | SPF | 2004 |
1146 | Alexandre RibeiroAlexandre Ribeiro | W | Pts: 2x0 | Pan American | ABS | F | 2005 |
1206 | Miodrag Petkovic | W | RNC | ADCC | O99KG | R1 | 2005 |
1212 | Daniel SimoesDaniel Simoes | W | Pts: 2x0 | ADCC | O99KG | 4F | 2005 |
1517 | Unknown | W | Choke | Team Nationals | O88KG | 4F | 2006 |
1715 | J. Pietlainen | W | Armbar | ADCC | O99KG | R1 | 2007 |
1716 | Marcos OliveiraMarcos Oliveira | W | Points | ADCC | O99KG | 4F | 2007 |
1719 | Darren Andy | W | Points | ADCC | O99KG | 3PLC | 2007 |
2267 | Anthony PeroshAnthony Perosh | W | Points | ADCC | 99KG | R1 | 2009 |
3092 | Tom Florence | W | Triangle | World Champ. | O100KG | RDS | 2011 |
3126 | Pega Leve | W | Choke | World Champ. | O100KG | 4F | 2011 |
3888 | Daniel Richards | W | Triangle | World Champ. | ABS | R2 | 2012 |
4131 | Stephen Hall | W | N/A | World Champ. | O100KG | R2 | 2012 |
4137 | Antonio PeinadoAntonio Peinado | W | Triangle | World Champ. | O100KG | 4F | 2012 |
5124 | R. EvangelistaR. Evangelista | W | Pen | IBJJF Pro League | O94KG | SF | 2013 |
5126 | Gustavo PiresGustavo Pires | W | Armbar | IBJJF Pro League | O94KG | F | 2013 |
Pe de Pano vs Terere (Brazilian Nationals 2001)
Pe de Pano vs Jerre Norton (Mayhem Submision Fighting 2009)
All I got to say Im proud to train under Pe-De-Pano For BJJ!!!
Marcio is not only in the top three of all time, he is number 1 when it comes to instructing!
I earned my Purple belt under him, and lets just say each lesson was a break thru!
You know life is funny there was a rivalry between the two but the respect was always there.It's just a shame that Terere chose a diffrent path.Master Cruz is far better in technical areas where Terere was just raw hunger from the favela. Talent is talent but hands down to Marcio Cruz on Style.
Hey, Andre, Pe de Pano was born in 1978 not in 1984.
yep, you are right Nikolay. Dunno what happened there. Thanks for the head's up
André
hola amigo me gustaria invitarlo a mi academia que estoy abriendo proximamente si tiene gusto de venir aqui lo recibimos con gusto gracias….
I live in tampa and i dont know who would be a better technical guy to study under marcio pe de pano cruz or robson moura please help ???????????????????
Marcio teaches every class. I've heard Robson teaches but not every class like marcio does. Marcio also rolls with us quite often and his instruction is top notch.
What is the cost per month to train with Marcio Cruz?
YOu'd have to come in and talk to someone. they'll give you a free month trial I believe. I'm an instructor there so I don't know how much everyone pays.
Marcio Cruz is a legend among jiu-jitsu champions.
He competed and won at the highest level for two decades. “Pe de Pano” uses his champion mindset and passes it into everything. In 2010, speaking no English, he relocated to Tampa, Florida, with a vision of Marcio Cruz Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. His competitive success continued. 10 years later, MCBJJ is one of the most dominant jiu-jitsu academies in the world. It’s tough to find a person in any professional sport who’s is a successful athlete, teacher, coach, and entrepreneur. You can find him teaching classes and learn from one of the greatest