Issue 079
September 2011
From the legendary Royce Gracie through to Jose Aldo and Anderson Silva, fighters from Brazil have always been at the forefront of modern MMA. Now, a new generation are coming through, hungry to emulate their predecessors
Marcos Rogerio de Lima
Who
Light heavyweight fighting out of Barbosa Jiu-Jitsu in Sao Paulo.
Known For
Muscular clinch work and devastating kicks. ‘Pezao’s aggressive stand-up would make him a fan favorite on any show.
Career
8-0 in MMA after clocking up 70 wins as a Muay Thai fighter.
Worth Seeing
His first-round TKO win over Daniel Villegas last year. A spectacular ‘Timber!’ moment as his stunned opponent back peddled across the ring before falling.
Future
The five-round decision victory over Paulo Filho last year showed his ground game is now fit for purpose.
Roger Gracie
Who
A member of the famous grappling dynasty, currently plying his trade in the Strikeforce 205lb division.
Known For
His seemingly simple cocktail of mount attacks and chokes defeated all comers on the mat at the ADCC grappling finals in 2005 and 2007.
Career
4-0 in MMA. Not surprisingly, all the wins came by submission.
Worth Seeing
Showed some decent stand-up before catching Trevor Prangley in a rear naked choke in January.
Future
With his charm, good looks, skills and surname, Roger is a marketing man’s dream.
Renan Barao
Who
24-year-old bantamweight. Teammate of José Aldo at Nova Uniao.
Known For
A lethal combination of speed and power.
Career
Lost his first fight before setting off on a 27-fight unbeaten run that has taken him all the way to the UFC via the WEC.
Worth Seeing
Barao’s first-round demolition of Jorge Enciso at Platinum Fight Brazil 2; his penultimate fight before North America called.
Future
Renan is yet to taste defeat in the big leagues. Looks set to move into title contention.
Francisco Drinaldo
Who
Interim lightweight champion of Jungle Fight, South America’s premier promotion.
Known For
A true all-rounder, alternates slick submissions with brutal KOs.
Career
9-1. His victims include a number of names with international experience.
Worth Seeing
At Jungle Fight 28, Massaranduba’s punches flattened the Strikeforce veteran Derrick Burnsed.
Future
After years of grinding poverty, Drinaldo looks set to move on to the big shows and the big bucks.
Leonardo Santos
Who
The greatest lightweight jiu-jitsu competitor of his generation.
Known For
Butterfly guard and incredible sweeps.
Career
After some unwise early decisions, Takanori Gomi as a debut for instance, Leo has built a respectable 9-3 record.
Worth Seeing
Not MMA, but his flying armbar on GSP at the 2005 ADCC tournament has over 700,000 views on YouTube.
Future
Santos’ labored points win over Jason Ball at BAMMA 6 in London suggests his progression may be slower than initially anticipated.
John Lineken
Who
The 20-year-old with the Mohawk and the crisp English sounding name hails from the southern port of Paranagua.
Known For
His ferocious stand-up has earned him the nickname ‘Maos de Pedra’ (hands of stone).
Career
17-5. Currently on an 11-fight win streak, which includes a couple of high-profile tournament wins.
Worth Seeing
After 78 seconds, two left hands from hell sparked out Luiz Carlos ‘Salgadinho’ Salgado at Jungle Fight 28.
Future
The improving youngster has more fights on his slate than many twice his age and shows no sign of slowing down.
Edson Barboza
Who
Originally from Nova Friburgo in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Edson now fights out of The Armory in Jupiter, Florida.
Known For
The fluid movement and crippling leg kicks of an experienced Muay Thai specialist.
Career
25-3 in Muay Thai (22 KOs). Has not looked back since switching to the more lucrative MMA game: 8-0 with seven early finishes.
Worth Seeing
Went the distance for the first time at UFC 128 against Anthony Njokuani and was rewarded for his effort with a $70,000 ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus.
Future
An impressive performance in his homecoming fight against Ross Pearson at UFC 134 in Rio would make Barboza a genuine lightweight contender.
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