Renato da Cunha Sobral (; born 7 September 1975), also known as "Babalu", is a retired Brazilian

Luta Livre Luta Livre (, lit. ''freestyle fighting''), known in Brazil as Luta Livre Brasileira (lit. ''Brazilian freestyle fighting'') or Luta Livre Submission, and also Brazilian Submission Wrestling, is a Brazilian martial arts and combat sport created ...

submission grappler Submission wrestling, also known as Submission grappling, Submission fighting a form of competition and a general term for martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission through the ...

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorp ...

, and was the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral previously fought in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

, where he posted a 6–4 record and has also competed for Bellator,

RINGS Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...

Jungle Fight Jungle Fight is a Brazilian mixed martial arts and kickboxing promotion. It was created in 2003. The name is derived from its origin, the Amazonas state in Brazil. History Jungle Fight was founded by pioneering MMA fighter and long-time Brazi ...

Cage Rage Cage Rage Championships, also known as Cage Rage, was a United Kingdom-based, mixed martial arts promotion that premiered on 7 September 2002 in London. Cage Rage went into liquidation and is now no longer trading. Cage Rage had been owned and ma ...

Affliction Affliction or Afflicted may refer to: Books * ''Affliction'' (novel), a 2013 Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novel by Laurell K. Hamilton * ''Affliction'', a novel by Russell Banks, basis of the 1998 film Film and TV * ''Affliction'' (1997 film), ...

, and

ONE Championship ONE Championship (formerly ONE Fighting Championship) is a Singaporean combat sports promotion. Founded on 14 July 2011 by entrepreneur Chatri Sityodtong and former ESPN Star Sports senior executive Victor Cui, its events have featured mixed ...

. He is the Head Instructor of Babalu's Iron Gym Cerritos and has a

black belt under

Marco Ruas Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas (; born 23 January 1961) is a Brazilian former mixed martial arts fighter, Submission Wrestler, Kickboxer and instructor. Ruas was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion, and also competed for the World Vale Tudo Champions ...

and also a

Brazilian jiu-jitsu Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ; pt, jiu-jitsu brasileiro ) is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission holds. BJJ focuses on the skill of taking an opponent to the ground, control ...

black belt under

Carlos Gracie Jr. Carlos "Carlinhos" Gracie Jr. is a Brazilian 8th-degree coral belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and instructor. A member of the Gracie family, he is the son of Carlos Gracie, and first cousin to the Machado family brothers. Caree ...

Background

Sobral is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and began competing in

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

from a young age of nine. Sobral later went on to be a South American Wrestling Champion in 1998, a three-time Brazilian National Wrestling Champion in 1998, 1999, and 2000, and was a Brazilian National Muay Thai Champion in 1992. Sobral joined the Gracie Barra Combat Team and trained in Ruas

Vale Tudo Vale Tudo (; en, Everything Goes/Everything Allowed), also known No Holds Barred (NHB) in the United States, is an unarmed, full-contact combat sport with relatively few rules. It became popular in Brazil during the 20th century and would event ...

, a

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

system developed by

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Sobral made his professional mixed martial arts debut on 27 September 1997 in his hometown of

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

. He won all three of his fights on the same night by strikes and then had a one-fight stint in International Vale Tudo before fighting in Brazilian Vale Tudo on 24 July 1999. Sobral again won all three of his fights that night and then made his debut in the Japanese

organization.

RINGS

Sobral made his RINGS debut against

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

wrestler

Zaza Tkeshelashvili Zaza "Grom" Tkeshelashvili (Georgian: ზაზა ტყეშელაშვილი; born March 19, 1965) is a Georgian retired Freestyle wrestling Olympic competitor (100 kg) for Georgia in 1996 Olympic Games Atlanta and mixed martial ...

and won via

kimura Kimura (written: lit. "tree village") is the 17th most common Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *, Japanese novelist *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese botanist *, Japanese idol and singer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanes ...

arm submission. He followed this up with a unanimous decision win over British

kickboxer Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...

Lee Hasdell Lee Hasdell (born 13 December 1966)Sherdog profile
Retrieved 4 April 2019Dan Henderson Daniel Jeffery Henderson (born August 24, 1970) is an American retired mixed martial artist and Olympic wrestler, who last competed as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champi ...

. Sobral lost the fight via minority decision, two judges scored the bout a draw while a third judge scored the bout in Henderson's favor. Sobral then won his next four consecutive fights before losing to

Valentijn Overeem Valentijn Overeem (; born 17 August 1976) is a retired Dutch professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer currently signed with United Glory. A professional competitor since 1996, he has previously fought for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, ...

by a

toe hold A leglock is a joint lock that is directed at joints of the leg such as the ankle, knee or hip joint. A leglock which is directed at joints in the foot, is sometimes referred to as a foot lock and a lock at the hip as a hip lock. Leglocks are feat ...

submission. After a one-fight stint in the UFC, he fought in RINGS three more times. He defeated

Kiyoshi Tamura is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Once a student of legendary professional wrestlers Billy Robinson, Lou Thesz and Akira Maeda, Tamura was known for his skills in catch wrestling and is considered to be one of ...

via majority decision, followed this up with another majority decision win over

Tsuyoshi Kohsaka is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist, submission grappler and professional wrestler who competed in the Heavyweight division. A professional MMA competitor from 1994 till 2022, he has competed for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships ...

. Sobral then faced Fedor Emilianenko at the 10th Anniversary show and lost via unanimous decision.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Sobral made his

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

debut at

UFC 28 ''UFC 28: High Stakes'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 17, 2000 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey. History UFC 28 marked the first Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC even ...

against former

UFC Heavyweight Champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

Maurice Smith. Sobral won the fight via unanimous decision. Sobral next fought

Kevin Randleman Kevin Christopher Randleman (August 10, 1971 – February 11, 2016) was an American mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, and former UFC Heavyweight Champion. Randleman's background was in collegiate wrestling, in which he became ...

UFC 35 ''UFC 35: Throwdown'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on January 11, 2002. The event was seen live on pay per view in the United States, and later releas ...

on January 11, 2002. He lost via unanimous decision. Sobral's next fight was against

Elvis Sinosic Elvis Sinosic (born 13 February 1971) is a retired Australian professional mixed martial artist and unsuccessful Political Candidate for United Australia in Blaxland. Sinosic is perhaps best known for his seven-fight stint in the Ultimate F ...

UFC 38 ''UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, United Kingdom, on July 13, 2002. The event was seen live on pay-per-view in the United Sta ...

on July 13, 2002. He won via unanimous decision. Sobral next fought Chuck Liddell at

UFC 40 ''UFC 40: Vendetta'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 22, 2002, at the MGM Grand Arena on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The event was broadcast live on pay per view in the United Sta ...

on November 22, 2002. He lost via head kick in the first round. He left the

in early 2003 and fought for minor and local promotions until his return in 2005. Sobral returned to the

UFC 52 ''UFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell 2'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 16, 2005, at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States and Cana ...

against

Travis Wiuff Travis James Wiuff (born March 15, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2001 and a longtime veteran of the sport, Wiuff has competed for the UFC, PRIDE, Bellat ...

on April 16, 2005. He won the fight via

armbar An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow joint or shoulder joint. An armlock that hyper-extends the arm is known as an armbar, and it includes the traditional armbar, pr ...

in the second round. Sobral next fought future

Middleweight Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have be ...

and

Light Heavyweight Light heavyweight, also referred to as junior cruiserweight or light cruiserweight, is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the division is above and up to , falling between super middleweight and cruise ...

title challenger

Chael Sonnen Chael Patrick Sonnen (; born April 3, 1977) is an American submission grappling promoter, mixed martial arts (MMA) analyst, and retired mixed martial artist. Beginning his MMA career in 1997, Sonnen competed for the Ultimate Fighting Champion ...

UFC 55 ''UFC 55: Fury'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 7, 2005 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, and later releas ...

on October 7, 2005. He won the fight via triangle choke in the second round. Sobral's next fight was at

UFC 57 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

against Mike Van Arsdale on February 4, 2006. He won the fight via

rear naked choke The rear naked choke (RNC) is a chokehold in martial arts applied from an opponent's back. The word "naked" in this context suggests that, unlike other strangulation techniques found in jujutsu/judo, this hold does not require the use of a keiko ...

in the first round. At

UFC 62 The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

, Sobral was defeated by Chuck Liddell in a rematch for the

UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

. The match was stopped as a

technical knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...

at 95 seconds into the first round. Following his loss to Liddell, Sobral faced

Jason Lambert Jason L. Lambert (born September 23, 1977) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2001 until 2013, he competed for the UFC, WEC, Bellator, King of the Cage, and AFC. He is the former WEC light heavyweight champion. M ...

UFC 68 ''UFC 68: The Uprising'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on March 3, 2007, at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Background ''UFC 68'' was the first UFC event held in the state of Ohio, and coincid ...

. Sobral was knocked out in the second round.

UFC 74 controversy

Sobral's next fight was at ''

UFC 74 ''UFC 74: Respect'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 25, 2007, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Background The main event was a UFC Heavyweight Championship ...

'' against David Heath. The first round consisted of Sobral ground and pounding Heath. In the second round, he opened a cut on Heath's forehead which bled profusely. Sobral secured another takedown and then worked to an

anaconda choke Arm triangle choke, side choke, or head and arm choke are generic terms describing blood chokeholds in which the opponent is strangled in between their own shoulder and the practitioner's arm. This is as opposed to the regular triangle choke, whi ...

. Heath tapped out, but Sobral continued to hold the anaconda choke, ignoring referee Steve Mazzagatti's commands and resisting his attempts to break the hold. Sobral did not release the choke until Heath passed out from hypoxia. During his post-fight interview, Sobral told UFC commentator

Joe Rogan Joseph James Rogan (born August 11, 1967) is an American UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly ...

that he was aware that Heath had tapped, but "he (Heath) has to learn respect. He deserved that. He called me motherfucker." In his dressing room after the fight, Sobral spoke to ''Las Vegas Journal-Review''

columnist A columnist is a person who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Column (newspaper), Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs. They take the fo ...

Ed Graney. Sobral then mocked the crowd for booing him, saying "The crowd didn't like it? Who cares? At least they had a reaction." On 30 August 2007, Sobral was released from his contractual obligations by the UFC due to his actions at

, with UFC President

Dana White Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 milli ...

calling Sobral's actions "completely unacceptable. This is the fight game and shit happens. But no way can you do what he did." White also supported the fans attitude towards Sobral after the fight. "I think you saw the response from the fans. Babalu was a fan favorite. They turned on him immediately." Additionally, the

Nevada State Athletic Commission The Nevada State Athletic Commission (also known as the Nevada Athletic Commission or NSAC) regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, ...

withheld $25,000 of Sobral's $50,000 fight purse and convened a hearing to deal with both his holding the choke and ignoring Mazzagatti's orders.

Strikeforce and Affliction

After the termination of his deal with the UFC, Renato Sobral was courted by numerous promotions looking to sign him. During the 29 September

Strikeforce Strike Force may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game *'' Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game *'' Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game *''Marvel Strike Force'', ...

event at the

Playboy Mansion The Playboy Mansion, also known as the Playboy Mansion West, is the former home of ''Playboy'' magazine founder Hugh Hefner who lived there from 1974 until his death in 2017. Barbi Benton convinced Hefner to buy the home located in Holmby Hill ...

it was announced that Sobral had signed a non-exclusive deal with Strikeforce. It has since been revealed that he signed two more non-exclusive deals with Hardcore Championship Fighting and Xcess Fighting. Sobral also later competed in an event for the Ring of Fire promotion, defeating K-1 veteran Rodney Faverus by submission (arm triangle choke). Sobral was scheduled to fight fellow UFC veteran Vernon "Tiger" White in a match to crown the first WCO Light Heavyweight Champion. However, because the show's promoters were unable to secure adequate funding to pay the fighters, the show was canceled at the last minute by the

California State Athletic Commission The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) regulates amateur and professional boxing, amateur and professional kickboxing and professional mixed martial arts (MMA) throughout the State by licensing all participants and supervising the events. ...

. Sobral then signed with

Affliction Entertainment Affliction Entertainment was an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company created by Affliction Clothing in 2008. The UFC prohibited its fighters from wearing Affliction clothing after learning Affliction was applying to become an MMA ...

's MMA promotion and appeared at Affliction: Banned on 19 July, defeating

Mike Whitehead Michael Joe Whitehead (born June 29, 1981) is a former professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight weight classes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce. Mixed m ...

by unanimous decision. Sobral's next fight was against

Bobby Southworth Bobby Masai Southworth (born December 16, 1969) is a retired American mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist who fought in the Light Heavyweight (MMA), Light Heavyweight division. He has fought in PRIDE FC and appeared on Season 1 of The Ultima ...

in San Jose, California on 21 November for the Strikeforce promotion. Babalu defeated Southworth via TKO due to a cut over the right eye in between round one and two, making him the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral next fought his second fight for Affliction, this time against

Sokoudjou Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua (; born April 18, 1984), mostly billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2006, Sokoudjou is the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion, and h ...

at Affliction: Day of Reckoning on 24 January 2009 in a light heavyweight fight. The fight ended in the second round when Babalu submitted Sokoudjou with a D'arce choke. After his victory he showed an interest in fighting former

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships. Historical notes At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...

Tito Ortiz Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz (; born January 23, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist and politician. He is currently signed to the Combate Americas promotion. Ortiz is best known for his stints with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UF ...

. Sobral was set to fight fellow Brazilian Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante at the past event Strikeforce Presents: Lawler Vs. Shields in St. Louis, Missouri on 6 June 2009, but the bout was scratched. The bout would have been for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship. Sobral was next set to make his third appearance for Affliction in a fight against

Gegard Mousasi Gegard Mousasi (born 1 August 1985), is a Dutch mixed martial artist and former kickboxer, currently competing in Bellator MMA, where he is the former two-time Bellator Middleweight Champion. As of December 13, 2022, he is #10 in the Bellator MMA ...

at Affliction: Trilogy, but the event was canceled after losing its main event. The fight was then moved to Strikeforce's 15 August card, '' Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg'' and changed into a bout for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship with Sobral as the titleholder. Sobral lost the title to Mousasi via knockout in the first round. Sobral last fought

Robbie Lawler Robert Lawler (born March 20, 1982) is an American professional mixed martial artist who has been competing since 2001. He is the former UFC Welterweight Champion, former EliteXC Middleweight Champion, and has formerly competed in Strikeforc ...

in a 195 lbs

Catchweight A catchweight is a term used in combat sports, such as boxing or mixed martial arts, to describe a weight limit that does not adhere to the traditional limits for weight classes. In boxing, a catchweight is negotiated prior to weigh-ins, which are ...

bout on 16 June 2010 at Strikeforce: Los Angeles. Renato Sobral won via unanimous decision. After defeating

it was believed that Sobral would face

Muhammed Lawal Oklahoma State Cowboys Central Oklahoma Bronchos Muhammed Lawal (born January 11, 1981), also known as "King Mo", is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to Major League Wr ...

for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title. However, in his post-fight interview Sobral stated that he would not fight Lawal and instead requested a rematch with

Dan Henderson Daniel Jeffery Henderson (born August 24, 1970) is an American retired mixed martial artist and Olympic wrestler, who last competed as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champi ...

who he fought over ten years ago. Sobral's request was later fulfilled and he fought

at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II on 4 December 2010. Sobral was knocked out in the first round.

ONE Championship

In late December 2011, After one year of inactivity Sobral signed an exclusive deal with Singaporean MMA promotion

also known as ONE FC, ONE FC officials stated that Sobral has "global exclusivity" with the promotion. Sobral was slated to fight

Melvin Manhoef Melvin Manhoef (born 11 May 1976) is a retired Surinamese-born Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer. In kickboxing, he is a former It's Showtime Middleweight Champion, and in MMA he was the Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion. In mixed mar ...

on 31 March 2012 at ONE Fighting Championship 3 which was to be held at the

Singapore Indoor Stadium The Singapore Indoor Stadium, known exonymously as the Indoor Stadium, is an indoor arena located in Kallang, Singapore. It is within walking distance of the Singapore National Stadium, and collectively form a part of the wider Singapore Spor ...

Kallang Kallang is a planning area and residential town located in the Central Region of Singapore. Development of the town is centered around the Kallang River, the longest river in Singapore. Kallang Planning Area is bounded by Toa Payoh in the no ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

but the two sides were unable to agree on a weight and he instead became the

coach in

Wanderlei Silva Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian-American former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the ...

's team on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil. Sobral returned to action in the main event of ONE FC 4 on 23 June. He defeated

Tatsuya Mizuno (born June 2, 1981) is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor since 2006, he has fought for DREAM, Pancrase, DEEP, M-1 Global, ProElite, ONE FC, K-1, and also participated in ...

at ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors in

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

, via an armbar submission in the first round. The stoppage came less than a minute into the first round.

Bellator Fighting Championships

Sobral faced Combat

Sambo , aka = Sombo (in English-speaking countries) , focus = Hybrid , country = Soviet Union , pioneers = Viktor Spiridonov, Vasili Oshchepkov, Anatoly Kharlampiev , famous_pract = List of Practitioners , oly ...

Russia National Champion

Mikhail Zayats Mikhail Zayats (russian: Михаил Заяц;born October 14, 1981) is an ethnic Russian professional mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Light Heavyweight division. He has also competed in M-1 Global. According to the ...

on 17 January 2013 at

Bellator 85 2013 in Bellator MMA was the eighth installment of the Bellator MMA, which began on January 17, 2013 and ended on April 4, 2013. Mixed martial arts tournaments were held in five Mixed martial arts weight classes, weight classes and all of the ch ...

. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round. Despite the loss, Sobral competed in Bellator's Light Heavyweight summer series tournament on

Spike Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Books * ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave * ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick * ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...

. He faced

Jacob Noe Jacob Noe (born July 29, 1980) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in Bellator's Light Heavyweight division. A professional competitor from 2000 until 2013, he also competed for Strikeforce. Background Noe was born in ...

in the opening round of a 4-man tournament at

Bellator 96 2013 in Bellator MMA was the eighth installment of the Bellator MMA, which began on January 17, 2013 and ended on April 4, 2013. Mixed martial arts tournaments were held in five weight classes and all of the champions, except the heavyweight ch ...

on 19 June 2013. Sobral lost when the referee stopped the fight for a standing TKO. After the fight, Sobral announced his retirement from MMA.

Metamoris III

Dean Lister and Renato Sobral fought to a draw at Metamoris 3 a submission only jiu-jitsu match.

Metamoris VI

and Renato Sobral fought to a draw in a trilogy fight at Metamoris 6 a submission only jiu-jitsu match.

Personal life

Sobral and his wife Natasha have two daughters named Maria Fernanda and Sophia, who was born in May 2009. He has both their names tattooed on him. His nickname comes from a brand of bubblegum that he used to chew (

Bubbaloo Bubbaloo is a Latin American brand of bubble gum produced by Canderaria. They are small pieces of bubble gum with a liquid center. Bubbaloo also contains BHT, an antioxidant food preservative. Bubbaloo gum includes a variety of flavors, some ...

). In October 2008 he opened his own gym,

Gracie Barra Gracie Barra is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu association with over 800 schools on six continents. The organization was founded by Carlos Gracie, Jr. History Carlos Gracie Jr., who was born in 1956, grew up heavily influenced by his family, especiall ...

Cerritos'', in

Cerritos, California Cerritos (Spanish for "Little hills") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956. As of 20 ...

. In 2010, his gym changed to Babalu's Iron Gym, in

. Sobral was awarded his

3rd Degree Black Belt in August 2017 from Roberto “Gordo” Correa – 6th degree black belt by FJJ in Rio de Janeiro. Appeared in the video Still I Rise by the American heavy metal band

Shadows Fall Shadows Fall is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1996. Although Shadows Fall has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career, Shadows Fall has been composed of Jon Donais (lead guitar, ...

. In May 2019 Sobral revealed that he was suffering from symptoms consistent with early onset of CTE.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

** Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship (One time) * Fighting Network RINGS ** 1999 RINGS King of Kings Tournament Runner-up *International Fighting Championships **International Fighting Championships Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner

Amateur wrestling

International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

**2001 Pan American Championships Senior Freestyle (6th Place) *Confederação Brasileira de Lutas Associadas **Brazil Senior Freestyle National Championship (1998)

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 37–12 ,

, TKO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:32 ,

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, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 37–11 ,

, TKO (punches) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:49 ,

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 37–10 ,

, Submission (armbar) , ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:31 ,

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

, Malaysia , , - , Loss , align=center, 36–10 ,

, KO (punches) , Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:53 ,

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 36–9 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , Strikeforce: Los Angeles , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 35–9 ,

, KO (punches) , Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 35–8 ,

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou Nkamhoua (; born April 18, 1984), mostly billed simply as Sokoudjou, is a Cameroonian professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2006, Sokoudjou is the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion, and h ...

, Submission (D'Arce choke) , Affliction: Day of Reckoning , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 2:36 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 34–8 ,

, TKO (doctor stoppage) , Strikeforce: Destruction , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 33–8 ,

, Decision (unanimous) , Affliction: Banned , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 32–8 ,

Rodney Glunder Rodney Glunder (born as ''Rodney Faverus'', March 1, 1975) is a retired Dutch professional kickboxer, mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and boxer, current actor, entrepreneur and bodybuilder. He has fought for M-1 Global, Cage Rage, K- ...

, Submission (arm-triangle choke) , Ring of Fire 30: Babalu vs. Glunder , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:31 ,

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 31–8 , David Heath , Technical Submission (anaconda choke) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:30 ,

Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 30–8 ,

, KO (punch) ,

, , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:26 ,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 30–7 , Chuck Liddell , TKO (punches) , UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:35 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 30–6 , Mike van Arsdale , Submission (rear-naked choke) , UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:21 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 29–6 ,

, Submission (triangle choke) , UFC 55: Fury , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:20 ,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 28–6 ,

, Submission (armbar) , UFC 52: Couture vs Liddell , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:24 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 27–6 , Pierre Guillet , TKO (submission to punches) , Cage Rage 10 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 1:57 ,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, United Kingdom , , - , Win , align=center, 26–6 ,

Cyrille Diabaté Cyrille Moktar Diabaté (born October 6, 1973) is a retired French mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He has also competed in shoot boxing and Muay Thai. He has fought at Palace Fighting Championship, Tachi Palace Fights, PRIDE, ShoXC, Deep, ...

, Submission (guillotine choke) , Cage Rage 9 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:38 ,

, United Kingdom , , - , Win , align=center, 25–6 , José Landi-Jons , Decision (unanimous) , Jungle Fight 3 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Manaus Manaus () is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. It is the seventh-largest city in Brazil, with an estimated 2020 population of 2,219,580 distributed over a land area of about . Located at the east center of the s ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 24–6 ,

Jeremy Horn Jeremy Graham Horn (born August 25, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist. Horn is best known for fighting in smaller American promotions, he has also competed in some of the premiere mixed martial arts organizations around the world, inclu ...

, Decision (unanimous) , IFC: Global Domination , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 23–6 ,

Maurício Rua Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former model. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a forme ...

, Submission (guillotine choke) , IFC: Global Domination , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:07 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 22–6 ,

Trevor Prangley Trevor Prangley (born 24 August 1972) is a South African mixed martial artist. He has fought in the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Dream, King of the Cage, MFC, the SFL, Shark Fights, and Bodog Fight. He competed in the Middleweight and Light ...

, Decision (unanimous) , IFC: Global Domination , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 21–6 , Marcelo Azevedo , Decision (unanimous) , Heat FC 1: Genesis , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Rio Grande do Norte Rio Grande do Norte (, , ) is one of the states of Brazil. It is located in the northeastern region of the country, forming the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. The name literally translates as "Great Northern River", ref ...

, Brazil , , - , Loss , align=center, 20–6 ,

, Decision , Hitman Fighting 3 , , align=center, N/A , align=center, N/A ,

Santa Ana, California Santa Ana () is the second most populous city and the county seat of Orange County, California. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census, making Santa Ana the List of ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 20–5 , Chuck Liddell , KO (head kick) ,

, , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:55 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 20–4 ,

, Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United Kingdom , , - , Loss , align=center, 19–4 ,

, Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 19–3 ,

Fedor Emelianenko Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko ( rus, Фёдор Влади́мирович Емелья́ненко, r=Fyodor Vladimirovich Yemelyanenko, p=ˈfʲɵdər vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ jɪmʲɪˈlʲjænʲɪnkə, IPA; born ...

, Decision (unanimous) , Rings: 10th Anniversary , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 19–2 ,

, Decision (majority) , Rings: World Title Series 2 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 18–2 ,

, Decision (majority) , Rings: King of Kings 2000 Final , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 17–2 , Maurice Smith , Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 16–2 ,

, Submission (toe hold) , Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:19 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 16–1 ,

Tariel Bitsadze Tariel Bitsadze ( ka, ტარიელ ბიწაძე) is a Georgian karateka and mixed martial artist. He competed in the Heavyweight and Super heavyweight division. Mixed martial arts career A former 1991 World Open Karate Championsh ...

, Submission (armbar) , Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:58 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 15–1 ,

Hiromitsu Kanehara ) is a former Japanese mixed martial artist and professional wrestler of Korean descent. A professional MMA competitor from 1998 until 2012, he found success in Fighting Network RINGS, gaining notable victories over Valentijn Overeem, Alexand ...

, Decision (unanimous) , Rings: Millennium Combine 2 , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 14–1 , Jacob Zobnin , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Rings Russia: Russia vs. The World , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:20 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 13–1 ,

Travis Fulton Travis Jon Fulton (May 29, 1977 – July 10, 2021) was an American mixed martial artist and a professional boxer in the heavyweight division of both sports. Known as a longtime veteran in mixed martial arts, he competed in over 300 sanctioned ...

, Submission (armbar) , Rings: Millennium Combine 1 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:49 ,

, Japan , , - , Loss , align=center, 12–1 ,

, Decision (majority) , Rings: King of Kings 1999 Final , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 12–0 ,

, Decision (majority) , Rings: King of Kings 1999 Final , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 11–0 ,

Mikhail Ilyukhin Mikhail Ilyukhin (born November 21, 1966) is a retired Russian mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who competed in the light heavyweight division. He competed in both Fighting Network Rings, and Pride Fighting Championships, and was ...

, Submission (armbar) , Rings: King of Kings 1999 Final , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 0:40 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 10–0 ,

Brad Kohler Bradley Kohler (born May 26, 1964) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Heavyweight division. A professional from 1997 until 2012, Kohler competed for the UFC, RINGS and DEEP. Career Kohler made his pr ...

, KO (soccer kick) , WEF: Goin' Platinum , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:50 ,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–0 ,

Lee Hasdell Lee Hasdell (born 13 December 1966)Sherdog profile
Retrieved 4 April 2019Rings: King of Kings 1999 Block A , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 8–0 ,

, Submission (kimura) , Rings: King of Kings 1999 Block A , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:11 ,

, Japan , , - , Win , align=center, 7–0 , Dario Amorim , TKO (submission to punches) , BVF 14: Circuito Brasileiro de Vale Tudo 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:14 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 6–0 , Pedro Otavio , TKO (submission to punches) , BVF 14: Circuito Brasileiro de Vale Tudo 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:34 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 5–0 , Augusto Menezes Santos , Submission (americana) , BVF 14: Circuito Brasileiro de Vale Tudo 5 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:56 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 4–0 , Fernando Cerchiari , KO (punches) , IVC 8: The Road Back to the Top , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:41 ,

Aracaju Aracaju () is the capital of the state of Sergipe, Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country on the coast, about 350 km (217 mi) north of Salvador. According to the 2020 estimate, the city has 664,908 inhabitants, which re ...

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 , Marco Vinicios , TKO (retirement) , Desafio: Rio vs. São Paulo , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 4:58 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , Manoel Vicente , TKO (punches and stomp) , Desafio: Rio vs. São Paulo , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 6:27 ,

, Brazil , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Claudio Palma , TKO (submission to leg kicks) , Desafio: Rio vs. São Paulo , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:08 ,

, Brazil ,

Submission grappling record

{, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%; text-align:left;" , - , colspan=8 style="text-align:center;" , 4 Matches, 0 Wins, 1 Losses, 3 Draws , - ! Result ! Rec. ! Opponent ! Method ! text-center, Event ! Date ! Location , - , Draw , , align=center, 0–1–3, ,

Clay Guida Clayton Charles Guida (; born December 8, 1981) is an American professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to the UFC competing in the Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 2003, Guida also formerly competed for Strikeforc ...

, , Draw , , Quintet Ultra , , December 12, 2019 , ,

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

, - , Loss , , align=center, 0–1–2, , Roberto Godoi , , Decision · Points , , BJJ Stars: Black Belt Edition , , February 24, 2019 , ,

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

, Brazil , - , Draw , , align=center, 0–0–2, ,

, , Draw , , Metamoris 6 , , May 9, 2015 , ,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, - , Draw , , align=center, 0–0–1, ,

Dean Lister Dean Richard Lister (born February 13, 1976) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2000 until 2015, he fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, and California-based promotion King of t ...

, , Draw , , Metamoris 3 , , March 9, 2014 , ,

, -

References

External links

B.I.G. (Babalu's Iron Gym)
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sobral, Renato Brazilian male mixed martial artists Light heavyweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing catch wrestling Mixed martial artists utilizing Luta Livre Mixed martial artists utilizing Muay Thai Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Strikeforce (mixed martial arts) champions Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters Sportspeople from Rio de Janeiro (city) Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Living people 1975 births Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Brazilian submission wrestlers Brazilian male sport wrestlers Brazilian catch wrestlers Brazilian Muay Thai practitioners

Background

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

RINGS

Ultimate Fighting Championship

UFC 74 controversy

Strikeforce and Affliction

ONE Championship

Bellator Fighting Championships

Metamoris III

Metamoris VI

Personal life

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Amateur wrestling

Mixed martial arts record

Submission grappling record

See also

References

External links