Johnny against Guerreiro. Photo: Rogério Gomes

Considered one of the best featherweights in the Brazilian domestic MMA scene, Johnny Eduardo overcame Paulo Guerreiro at Shooto Brazil 17 and snatched the promotional belt. A muay thai stalwart, Johnny was produced by late Grandmaster Luiz Alves, the renowned coach of such notable fighters as Rodrigo Minotauro and Rogério Minotouro.

“I dedicate this win to Master Luiz Alves,” he said while still in the ring.

The belt was a struggle to come by, the win coming by unanimous decision after three rounds.

I fought a really tough, really high-caliber athlete in Paulo Guerreiro. He gave me some trouble in the standup action, kept changing base all the time. That put be behind some. I managed to turn things around, though, got some takedowns and became champion,” said the fighter, who has no plans to take a break any time soon.

“I’m going to keep at it,” he says in closing.

(Collaborator: Rogério Gomes)

Beição with both South American and World Shooto belts. Photo: Rogério Gomes

Luiz Beição didn’t have it easy against Igor Chatubinha in their Shooto World title fight this past Friday in Rio de Janeiro. It was the third time the new champion came out the victor against the same opponent and the second time by unanimous decision.

“The truth is that when you fight someone three times in two years, each has the other’s game covered. I knew he was going to try and shoot in on my legs, and he knew I was going to kick and punch. I had to keep my distance and was prepared for his takedowns. If he’d open up, I’d try for the knockout. As it was for the belt, I decided not to leave any room for bad luck and didn’t expose myself much,” said Beição in analysis to our collaborator Rogério Gomes.

“I dominated the first round, the second he drew even and in the third I managed to handle things well,” he continued.

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Beição, next to André Pederneiras, is the new world champion. Photo: Jamil Silveira, MMA fighter

On a cold and rainy Rio de Janeiro evening, only action-packed MMA bouts could heat things up. And that’s just what Shooto Brazil 17 provided this Friday. Two world title belts and a South American one jst added importance to the occasion, bringing promoter André Pederneiras to move the event to the traditional Hebraica club in the Laranjeiras neighborhood of the city. The action kicked off at nine and was broadcast live on Brazil’s fights-only Combat channel.

In the main event, Afghani fighter living in Holland Siyar Bahadurzada paid the partisan crowd no heed, knocking out Carlos Índio, who carried an eight-fight win streak into the bout, in just 38 seconds, thus keeping his Shooto World middleweight title.

The other world title fight, this one in the lightweight division, saw two Brazilians facing off. For the third time, Luiz Beição beat Igor Chatubinha to take the belt. It wasn’t easy, though, with Beição avoiding his opponent’s attacks and getting the better of the standup action to tilt the unanimous decision in his favor.

For the Shooto South America featherweight title, Johnny Eduardo extended his win streak to ten and snatched the strap. But his task wasn’t easy either, as Paulo Guerreiro lived up to his name (“Guerreiro” means warrior in Portuguese), hanging on the three rounds but losing the unanimous decision.

Another highly-anticipated fight saw two kickboxing beasts lock horns, with Guto Inocente against Vitor Miranda. The two had already faced off under muay thai rules at Shooto at the same Hebraica club. This time, though, it was Guto who triumphed, but under MMA rules. The win came by way of technical knockout after the younger fighter mounted Miranda and rained down blows.

In other bouts, Giovanni Diniz defeated Cristian Nogueira by technical knockout; Hacran Dias knocked out Holland’s Cesário Di Domenico; and Rodolfo Marques beat Walter Junior by decision. There was some controversy surrounding Junior Killer’s submission win over Hernani Perpetuo. Hernani didn’t tap to the fight-ending straight armbar, but referee Mario Yamasaki stopped the fight, alleging Hernani let out a scream, which, after seeing the replay on TV, seemed to be the right decision.

Check back for photos of the event later, here on GRACIEMAG.com.

Shooto Brazil 17
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
August 6, 2010

Siyar Bahadurzada defeated Carlos Índio via KO in R1
Luiz Beição defeated Igor Chatubinha via unanimous decision
Johnny Eduardo defeated Paulo Guerreiro via unanimous decision
Guto Inocente defeated Vitor Miranda via TKO in R2
Hacran Dias defeated Cesário Di Dominico via TKO in R2
Junior Killer defeated Hernani Perpetuo via armbar in R1
Giovanni Diniz defeated Cristian Nogueira via TKO in R3
Rodolfo Marques defeated Walter Junior via unanimous decision

(Collaborator: Rogério Gomes)

Group gathered at Shooto weigh-ins. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Weigh-ins for Shooto Brazil 17 just ended at Rio de Janeiro fitness club Upper. The André Pederneiras-promoted event to take place this Friday night features three title fights, two of them worth Shooto World belts.

Johnny, Hacran and Beição hydrate intravenously. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Carlos Índio faces Siyar Bahadurzada, a fighter originally from Afghanistan now living in Holland who is the current world title holder. The other world title fight feature Luiz “Beição” Ramos versus Igor Chatubinha, for the lightweight title left vacant when Willamy Chiquerim forsook his belt for a move to the UFC. Tomorrow night marks the third encounter between the two, with Beição the winner in the prior two. Rounding out the list of title fights, striking specialist Johnny Eduardo faces off with Paulo Guerreiro for the Shooto South America featherweight title vacated by Renan Barão when he moved to the WEC.

But that’s not the end of the list of promising matchups. With a win over Guto Inocente in muay thai under his belt, Vitor Miranda will now try to repeat the feat under MMA rules.

Shooto Brasil will take place at Hebraica Club in the Laranjeiras borough of Rio de Janeiro starting at 9 pm. The fights will be broadcast live across Brazil on Combate channel.

Check out some more photos from weigh-ins courtesy of fighter Jamil Silveira:

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Check out the complete card:

Carlos Índio's knockout over Alexandre Baixinho. Photo: Carlos Ozório

Carlos Índio made a bang in the Shooto Brazil promotion with his knockout win over André Chatuba capturing the organization’s South American title. Now the athlete will have a chance to snatch the Shooto World title against current champion Siyar Bahadurzada, a Dutch-Afghan fighter who knocked out Leandro Batata at Shooto Brazil 13, in a title match to be held in Brazil.

The Shooto Brazil promotion will hold its 17^th installment this August 6 at the Hebraica Club in the Laranjeiras borough of Rio de Janeiro, and there will be two more title fights featured on the occasion.

Igor Chatubinha will face Luis Beição, current holder of the under 76 kg belt, in a rematch that promises to put the crowd in the traditional South Rio de Janeiro City club at the edge of their seats. In the under 65 kg division, Paulo Guerreiro and Johnny Eduardo will face off for the vacant South American title, in what promises to be a slug-fest.

Further fights on the card feature Vitor Miranda against Guto Inocente, Hernani Perpetuo against Junior Killer and Hacran Dias versus Cesário Di Dominicos.

Shooto Brazil 17
Hebraica Club, Laranjeiras, Rio de Janeiro
Friday, August 6, 2010

Carlos Índio vs Siyar Bahadurzada
Luiz Beição vs Igor Chatubinha
Johnny Eduardo vs Paulo Guerreiro
Rodolfo Marques vs Walter Junior
Giovanni Diniz vs Cristian Nogueira
Vitor Miranda vs Guto Inocente
Hacran Dias vs Cesário Di Dominicos
Hernani Perpetuo vs Junior Killer