Ninja may move down in weight, Sperry shooting a new DVD series, Jungle Fight is back, Minotauro’s next fight shaping up, Ryan Gracie recovering well, and more!
The Brazilian Beat:
October has quickly rolled to an end and here comes November, promising some busy action for Brazilian MMA fans with many shows taking place this month – from Storm Samurai’s wild action, to the country’s current finest at Jungle Fight, and starting with a new promotion debuting early this month in Thai Combat Vale Tudo.
November promises to be full of excitement in the biggest country of South America. Besides that, as always, news regarding MMA’s "big picture" is always being made, with many negotiations going on, plans and projects being run, and plenty of hardcore training at the teams’ headquarters. From Sperry’s new DVD set in the works, to Murilo "Ninja" Rua considering moving down a weight class, to the unfortunate news of Ryan Gracie’s accident, there is a lot to be told! So, get closer to the screen, and enjoy your reading as Full Contact Fighter brings you The Beat once again straight out of Brazil, loud and clear!
- Murilo "Ninja" Rua returned from Japan this Thursday, October 27th, following his submission win at PRIDE 30. Alongside Ninja came his brother, PRIDE Middleweight GP 2005 champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, as both stayed in Japan for a longer while than usual to attend autograph sessions and press activities. Back to Brazil, Ninja told FCF that he is considering the possibility of dropping some more weight to join the 185-pound division following comments made by DSE president Nobuyuki Sakakibara. Motivated by the better shape shown in his last fight, Ninja commented that he sees no problem in losing some more weight if needed. Another Chute Boxe fighter is supposed to be going down to 83kg as well, for the plan is to have Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos competing in this weight class in PRIDE Bushido in 2006.
- Speaking of Ninja, the PRIDE veteran will be traveling to the city of Macapa, up in the north of Brazil, capital of the state of Amapa, where he will be a special guest at the first Thai Combat Vale Tudo show, a new fighting promotion that will debut in Brazil mixing Muay Thai bouts with MMA fights. The show will take place on November 5th and the card will feature some international Muay Thai bouts, as well as many MMA fights, including the participation of Chute Boxe fighter and Storm Samurai veteran Rogelson BA. Ninja will be working as a referee for most of the bouts, and FCF will be there to witness the action.
- Ninja’s brother, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is back in training at the Chute Boxe academy, looking to likely participate on PRIDE’s December 31st card. Shogun is expecting to start negotiations for his next fight in the coming weeks and has told FCF that he would like to face either Kazuhiro Nakamura or Hidehiko Yoshida if possible. Rua is eager to fight again and is currently weighing 104 kg, with plans to gain even more muscle mass up to around 107 kg, before starting to cut prior to the bout.
- PRIDE veteran Ryan Gracie suffered an accident on Sunday, October 23rd, while at his sister’s house in Rio de Janeiro. According to his sister Flavia, who’s married to a police officer, Ryan was searching for a towel in a closet, and ended up shooting his leg by accident, as his sister’s husband had a gun hidden there. Gracie lost a lot of blood and was rushed to the hospital. Although he is still in intensive care, his condition is stable and he is recovering well thanks to countless blood donations by friends. There’s no date for Ryan to leave the hospital yet and FCF wishes a speedy recovery for the fighter.
- Speaking of the MMA scene in the north of Brazil, the country’s currently biggest MMA show is going to be back at the Brazilian Northern region one more time, as Jungle Fight 5 will take place once again in the city of Manaus, near the Amazon Jungle. Despite plans to hold its fifth edition in Las Vegas, bureaucratic issues postponed these plans and brought Jungle Fight back to its origin for its next edition on November 26th, once again at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas. Promoter Wallid Ismail told FCF he is already working on the project full time and may announce the first fights very soon. Among the rumored names for the card are RINGS and Heat FC veteran Gustavo "Ximu" Machado, PRIDE veterans Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons and Jorge "Macaco" Patino, as well as Pancrase veteran Fredson Paixao. FCF will keep an open eye on the news there.
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