Barão trains with Aldo’s help to fight against Wineland, in UFC 161. Photo: Carlos Arthur Jr./GRACIEMAG

It was a regular Wednesday. A common working day. I went out into the Flamengo neighborhood of Rio to cover the weigh-ins of Shooto Brazil 38, invited by André Pederneiras, coach and organizer of the event which was held last April 19 at the headquarters of the samba school Vila Isabel.

With some athletes delayed due to the chaotic traffic in Rio, and with most of the fighters present hitting the weight limit for their respective divisions, everything was going as planned. Since I was near Upper gym, where Nova Uniao trains, I wanted to know if there was going to be normal training activities. The answer came from Giovani Diniz: “It starts now, at 3 p.m.”

Walking into Nova União on any normal day is finding the Brazilian UFC elite in an atmosphere of complete relaxation. Renan Barão joked a bit and finally got dressed to shoot his training for his sponsor. Jose Aldo, with a distant fight against Anthony Petits said, “Today I’ll just help my teammates.” However, only by helping the featherweight champion of the UFC already showed what he is capable of doing. At the place, Hacran Dias, Jussier Formiga, Raoni Barcelos and other athletes initiated the training.

On one side, Barão was training with a young guy from the gym to shoot for the sponsor. Closer to me, Sérgio Bomba was training by changing his opponent every two minutes. In the other dojo, Jussier sharpened his stand-up game and on the ground. Where would you look in the midst of such movement?

Barão fits a triangle on Aldo, who escapes. Photo: Carlos Arthur Jr./GRACIEMAG

After a few minutes, Barão and Aldo were face to face during training. The bantamweight interim UFC champion against featherweight UFC champion were exchanging quick punches. Aldo sometimes shot in on Barão’s legs, who was not intimidated to be taken down by the friend and champion of the other division taking the game to the ground and he even tried to apply a triangle. Aldo managed to get out of the position. Will Wineland have the same fate?

On the other side, Hacran and Raoni started their training. Raoni as Hacran’s sparring sought takedowns frequently. Strong hip and leg movements led Raoni to achieve the takedown, but Hacran who was speedy, rose quickly.

The training was running strong with all fighters focused on their steps. But they all stopped when they heard a different noise. Barão, trying to take the fight to the ground against a sparring hit his head on a training area protection. Everyone stops. Barão gets up, puts his hand on his forehead and breaks the tension. “It was nothing, my head is hard,” he said.

After the scare came the laughter.

Then came Thales Leites’ time to train. After eight months recovering from knee surgery, the middleweight who fought against Anderson Silva for the UFC belt worked hard standing up and submitted a few during training.

After a heavy day, the conversation went on among the athletes. Between jokes shared among them, talk about soccer and even how each was dressed at the time, the friendly mood at the gym was evident.

Is this environment the basis of Dede Pederneiras’ formula in his factory of champions?

Ximu solta a canela em Ricardo Hulk no WOCS 21, na última sexta-feira, no Rio. Foto: Wellington Borges

Na sexta-feira, cerca de 3 mil pessoas acompanharam uma overdose de lutas no ginásio da AABB, no Rio, onde dez dos 14 combates terminaram antes do tempo previsto. Destaque para Jadson “Tita” Costa, que não gostou de ser chamado de zebra e surpreendeu a promessa da BTT Wallace Negão.

Depois de levar um atraso no primeiro round do pupilo de Murilo Bustamante, Jadson reverteu o jogo no segundo assalto, pegando as costas e finalizando no mata-leão.

Nos principais duelos da noite, Gustavo Ximu aproveitou bem os treinos com a fera do UFC Rousimar Toquinho, e despachou Ricardo Hulk com um golpe clássico de seu jogo, a chave de calcanhar. Ximu explicou abaixo como fez.

Quem finalizou bonito também foi o campeão brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu Alexandre Pulga. O aluno de Francisco Toco usou as pernas para finalizar aos 2min44s de combate, com um triângulo que obrigou Felipe Alves a batucar.

O evento foi exibido ao vivo pelo canal Combate, que reprisa as melhores cenas do evento em sua programação.

WOCS 21

Ginásio da AABB, Rio, RJ

28 de setembro de 2012

Gustavo Ximu finalizou Ricardo Hulk com uma chave de calcanhar no R1

Alexandre Pulga finalizou Felipe Alves com um triângulo no R1

Julio Cesar Merenda venceu Mauricio Deltinha por decisão unânime dos jurados

Bruno Robusto venceu Sergio Bomba por KO no R1

Gabriel Monkey finalizou Thiago dos Santos com um mata-leão no R2

Marcos Vinicius Cabecinha finalizou Claudir Dutkevis com um armlock no R3

Jadson Tita finalizou Wallace Negão com um mata-leão no R2

Jamilson “Daduzinho” Silva venceu Jonathan Karate por KO no R3

Francisco Chicão venceu Wellington Azevedo por decisão unânime dos jurados

Otto Jasse venceu Jonas Silva por TKO no R1

Vaciles Speridion venceu Marco Antonio Mosquitinho por finalização no R2

Fabiano Mantena venceu Felipe Silva por finalização no R2

Junior Andrade venceu Gabriel Cardoso por decisão dividida dos jurados

Francisco Jagunço venceu Gabriel Oliveira por decisão unânime dos jurados

Alexandre Pulga at WOCS 21 weigh-ins / Publicity photo

by Vitor Freitas

In the main event of this Friday’s big event in Rio de Janeiro, WOCS 21, the seasoned Gustavo Ximu takes on Ricardo Hulk, and he doesn’t want to even hear about leaving it to the judges. “He’s a good opponent, a guy who likes fighting on his feet, which is just where I like it. I’m in good shape and will be going out there to get the knockout, to win,” says Ximu, who won ten of his last 12 fights.

Another much awaited fight has Alexandre “Pulga” Pimentel, a fighter undefeated in his 11-win-MMA career, dropping to featherweight to take on Felipe Alves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wvm0XaYmvo

“I live in Leblon and am stoked to be fighting at the AABB Lagoa, right near home in front of my crowd. I’ve suffered a lot of injuries and have been away for almost a year. I’m happy to be picking up my career again and anxious to debut in this new weight class, featherweight,” remarks the fighter, who has won several important Jiu-Jitsu titles in the past, like the Brazilian Nationals and Brazilian Team Nationals.

WOCS 21
AABB Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
September 28, 2012

Gustavo Ximu vs Ricardo Hulk
Alexandre Pulga vs Felipe Alves
Wendell Negão vs Gilmar Manaus
Sérgio Bomba vs Bruno Robusto
Walace Negão vs Ricardo PQD
Marcos Cabecinha vs Claudir Dutkevis
Gabriel Monkey vs Rodrigo Otero
Chicão Pezzi vs Wellington Azavedo
Jamilson Dadozinho vs Jonathan Karatê
Vitor Soldado vs Oton Jasse

Alexandre Pulga na pesagem do WOCS 21. Foto: Divulgação

O canal Combate transmite nesta sexta-feira, ao vivo do Rio de Janeiro, o WOCS 21, com o melhor do MMA nacional. Será a partir das 20h45, com narração de Rhoodes Lima e reportagens de Viviane Ribeiro.

Na principal luta da noite, o experiente Gustavo Ximu encara Ricardo Hulk, e não quer saber de deixar a vitória para os jurados. “Ele é um adversário bom, um cara que gosta da luta em pé, que é a minha praia. Estou bem em vou para nocautear, para sair vencedor”, comenta Ximu, que venceu dez de suas últimas 12 lutas.

Outro desafio aguardado traz Alexandre “Pulga” Pimentel, que se mantém invicto no MMA, com 11 triunfos. Pulga, que desceu de categoria, enfrenta Felipe Alves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wvm0XaYmvo

“Moro no Leblon e stou amarradão por lutar na AABB Lagoa, perto de casa, diante da minha torcida. Tive muitas contusões e estou há quase um ano afastado. Fico feliz por retomar a minha carreira e ansioso para estrear numa nova categoria, agora entre os penas (66kg)”, comenta o lutador, que também detém diversos títulos importantes no Jiu-Jitsu, como o ouro no Brasileiro e no Brasileiro de Equipes.

WOCS 21
AABB Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
28 de setembro de 2012

Gustavo Ximu vs Ricardo Hulk

Alexandre Pulga vs Felipe Alves

Wendell Negão vs Gilmar Manaus

Sérgio Bomba vs Bruno Robusto

Walace Negão vs Ricardo PQD

Marcos Cabecinha vs Claudir Dutkevis

Gabriel Monkey vs Rodrigo Otero

Chicão Pezzi vs Wellington Azavedo

Jamilson Dadozinho vs Jonathan Karatê

Vitor Soldado vs Oton Jasse

Renan Barão solta a sola contra Scott Jorgensen, no UFC 143. Foto: UFC/Divulgação

O canal Combate transmite neste sábado, a partir das 20h, o UFC 149. No Canadá, a fera Renan Barão (31v, 1d, 1e) disputa com Urijah Faber (26v, 5d) o título interino dos pesos galos.

Se Renan vencer o ex-campeão do WEC, ele se junta aos brasileiros Junior Cigano, Anderson Silva e José Aldo, atuais campeões do UFC. Para esquentar o público antes deste confronto especial, uma seleção de lutas do brasileiro e do americano vai ao ar nos programas “Espaço Octógono”, “Combate Brasil” e “Melhor do WEC”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJgmqQp3G_c

A partir das 20h de hoje, o “Espaço Octógono” traz três lutas do brazuca no UFC e mais duas do seu oponente, Urijah Faber.  No entanto, o canal de lutas da Globosat acompanha Barão há mais tempo, muito antes de o representante da Nova União vencer internacionalmente, o que está registrado no “Combate Brasil” desta quarta-feira, a partir das 23h. O programa relembra oito confrontos do lutador em eventos nacionais como Shooto, WOCS e Jungle Fight. Já no “Melhor do WEC”, às 20h de quinta-feira, é a vez de observarmos melhor Faber em sete lutas, quando o californiano bom de quedas imperou na organização.

Confira a lista de combates:

“Espaço Octógono”

Renan Barão vs Cole Escovedo

Renan Barão vs Brad Picket

Renan Barão vs Scott Jorgensen

Urijah Faber vs Eddie Wineland

Urijah Faber vs Brian Bowles

“Combate Brasil”

Renan Barão vs Willian Viana

SHOOTO – BRAZIL 6

ABRIL 2008

Renan Barão vs Lucas Bob Esponja

SHOOTO – BRAZIL 8

AGOSTO 2008

Renan Barão vs Willians Parrudinho

WOCS – WATCH OUT COMBAT SHOW 2

SETEMBRO 2008

Renan Barão vs Rogério Paraíba

WOCS – WATCH OUT COMBAT SHOW 2

SETEMBRO 2008

RENAN BARÃO vs Alexandre Pinheiro

SHOOTO – BRAZIL 9

NOVEMBRO 2008

Renan Barão vs André Minhoca

WOCS – WATCH OUT COMBAT SHOW 3

MARÇO 2009

Renan Barão vs Paulo Guerreiro

SHOOTO – BRAZIL 13

AGOSTO 2009

Renan Barão vs Sérgio Bomba

JUNGLE FIGHT 17

FEVEREIRO 2010

“Melhor do WEC”

Urijah Faber vs Cole Escovedo

Urijah Faber vs Joe Pearson

Urijah Faber vs Domick Cruz

Urijah Faber vs Chance Farrar

Urijah Faber vs Jens Pulver

Urijah Faber vs Raphael Assunção

Urijah Faber vs Takeya Mizugaki