The Master

Mestre Paulo Ribeiro

“Mestre” is Portuguese for “Master”. Paulo Ribeiro is a Taekwondo master, president of FECAMTT, the Santa Catarina Traditional Muaythai Federation, and founder of Projeto Campeões do Futuro, his free Taekwondo project for kids. For more than 20 years he has taught children and adults in Balneário Camboriú, a coastal city in southern Brazil.

A life devoted to martial arts

A student of Grão-Mestre (Grandmaster) Te Bo Lee, one of the Taekwondo pioneers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Paulo Ribeiro competed at the top level: he took part in the 1989 World Championship in South Korea and became Brazilian champion in 1990, winning gold in the welterweight division of the 13th Brazilian Men’s Taekwondo Championship, in Porto Alegre.

He made four trips to South Korea for championships and courses. From the home of Taekwondo he brought back what he still repeats to his students: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and an indomitable spirit.

In Balneário Camboriú, where he has lived and trained for more than 20 years, he teaches children and adults. He coached the Taekwondo team of the city’s Municipal Sports Foundation (FMEBC) in 2014, organized the 17th Open BC Taekwondo Cup in 2015 and, in February 2024, celebrated the 25th Open Camboriú, with athletes from Argentina.

Since December 27, 2013 he has been president of FECAMTT. Through the federation, he brought Muaythai to JASC, the Santa Catarina Open Games: the request was filed in 2013 and the sport joined the games in 2019. In 2025 FECAMTT was declared a state public-interest organization, and the Master accompanied Santa Catarina’s athletes at the WBC World Championship in Verona, Italy, and led the 30-strong Brazilian delegation at the WBC Summer Camp in Thailand.

A family man, he raised three children on his own. He also created Projeto Campeões do Futuro (“Future Champions”), which offers free Taekwondo to children and teenagers in Balneário Camboriú.

Mestre Paulo Ribeiro in a suit, in fighting stance between two black belts, with the flags of South Korea, the Kukkiwon and Brazil behind them — Black belt exam, December 2017.

Old black-and-white photo of a referee raising the winner’s arm after a Taekwondo bout in a packed gym — From the Master’s personal archive, posted in June 2019 with the caption “Long time ago”.

Timeline

From the mat to the world

1977
Grão-Mestre Te Bo Lee, Paulo Ribeiro’s master, arrives in Rio Grande do Sul from Korea.
Source: Rio Grande do Sul Taekwondo Federation
1989
Competes in the World Championship in South Korea.
Source: The Master’s Instagram, Nov 10, 2018
1990
Gold medal, welterweight division, at the 13th Brazilian Men’s Taekwondo Championship in Porto Alegre (October 21).
Source: Brazilian Taekwondo Association certificate
c. 2000
Creates Projeto Campeões do Futuro (“20 years ago”, he said in 2020; the exact year is being confirmed).
Source: The Master’s Instagram, Oct 2020
2013
Asks FESPORTE, Santa Catarina’s state sports foundation, to include Muaythai in JASC, and becomes president of FECAMTT on December 27.
Source: The Master’s Instagram, Jun 17, 2019; company registry (CNPJ)
2014
Organizes the Muaythai Beach Battle on the Balneário Camboriú waterfront, a qualifier for the World Championship, and coaches the FMEBC Taekwondo team.
Source: muaythai.sport; Balneário Camboriú City Hall
2015
17th Open BC Taekwondo Cup, at the Irineu Bornhausen Gym (February 6 to 8).
Source: Balneário Camboriú City Hall
2018
Summer Martial Arts Games at Praça Tamandaré, with Paraguay and Argentina, and the first Tai Chi class (November 20).
Source: The Master’s Instagram
2019
After a meeting with FESPORTE on January 23, Muaythai debuts at the Santa Catarina Open Games.
Source: The Master’s Instagram
2024
25th Open Camboriú, on February 10.
Source: The Master’s Instagram
2025
State Law 19,281 (April 11) declares FECAMTT a public-interest organization. WBC World Championship in Verona (June) and Summer Camp in Thailand (July).
Source: Alesc; Página 3 newspaper
2026
Muaythai regionals on the road to JASC 2026 kick off in Pinhalzinho (May 16 to 18).
Source: The Master’s Instagram

Certificate from the Brazilian Taekwondo Association awarded to athlete Paulo Ribeiro for 1st place at the 13th Brazilian Taekwondo Championship, Porto Alegre, October 21, 1990 — ABT certificate: gold medal in the welterweight division of the 13th Brazilian Men’s Taekwondo Championship, Porto Alegre, October 21, 1990.

Old photo of three people sitting on an outdoor bench, with buildings and Korean signs in the background — From the Master’s personal archive: trip to South Korea (old photo posted in June 2019).

Titles and ranks

Only what is documented

Brazilian Taekwondo champion (1990): 1st place and gold medal, welterweight division, at the 13th Brazilian Men’s Taekwondo Championship in Porto Alegre, according to a certificate from the Brazilian Taekwondo Association.
1989 World Championship, in South Korea.
Training black belts: grading exams with FETESC (the Santa Catarina Taekwondo Federation) and the National League in 2017 and 2018.
President of FECAMTT since December 27, 2013.

The Master’s current rank (Dan) is being checked against official records and will be published here once confirmed.

Mestre Paulo Ribeiro, in a Balneário Camboriú tracksuit, next to Grão-Mestre Te Bo Lee in a suit and red tie — With Grão-Mestre (Grandmaster) Te Bo Lee (photo posted by the Master on October 26, 2020).

Lineage

The Master’s master

Grão-Mestre Te Bo Lee came from Korea to Rio Grande do Sul in February 1977 and, in 1987, founded the Rio Grande do Sul Taekwondo Federation. Paulo Ribeiro is listed among the standout students of his school.

In October 2020, the Master posted a photo beside him with this tribute: “Grão-Mestre Te Bo Lee, who taught me to be a better person.”

Read the story of Grão-Mestre Te Bo Lee

Contact

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