By Bruna Almeida

Photo personal archive

That Brazil is a huge barn of MMA stars the world knows, but what many Brazilians still need to know is who are the guys who raise up high a big green and yellow flag outside our country and find there an opportunity to live for the sport. One of these names is Eduardo Guedes, Jiu-Jitsu black-belt graduated by Brazilian Top Team by the masters Zé Mário, Murilo Bustamente and Bebeo Duarte. The fighter, who had walked a long way on his journey on the gentle art’s world, now is writing his name on MMA history, and is preparing himself for his next fight, which will be on Bellator.

Guedes joined the martial arts world when he was only 16 and lives in Porto Alegre, with the coaches Walter Mattos and Zé Mário (both members of Carson Gracie’s team), then he moved to Rio de Janeiro to train on Brazilian Top Team and to dedicate himself only to the fights. “On BTT I made a lot of friends, like Rodrigo Minotauro and Rogério Minotouro, who encouraged me to fight MMA. After I learned Boxing and Wrestling, I decided to take my chances on a professional career of the Mixed Martial Arts. Just like that, years later, I came to live on the United States, when the former UFC fighter, Hermes Franca, called me to join The Armony team, where I’m working until current days”, told Eduardo to TATAME, directly from Florida, United States.

Living on the United States for four years, the tough guys stays unbeaten with seven wins. His next bout already has its day and time set: October 24 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Bellator, against the real tough Chris Ligouri, athlete from Frankie Edgar’s team, current lightweight champion of UFC. In order to score on more point on his favor, the athlete has been training hard with his team “The Armony” in Jupiter City, Florida, and told us how his trainings are going. “The grappling part I train with Pablo Popovitch and Cavaca BJJ in Fortlauderdale, Florida, and the stand-up game I train in Armony, with Ouali (former coach of ATT) and Edson Junior, and my conditioning is trained by Joe Mullings, who is also manager of the team”.

But when it comes to gentle art, the fighter has a great professional record, with over 30 submission fights without any loss, besides being seven-time champion of Rio Grande do Sul, three-time South Brazil champion and getting a bronze medal on Mundial and Brazil championships in 2002 and champion of the trials for ADCC in 2005. Guedes guarantees he is ready to face any tough guys he might fight. “My expectations is to fight on bigger events, like UFC, Bellator or Strikeforce, because I believe these are the events which can make me famous on the USA and worldwide. I don’t choose my opponents, but to fight with great names of MMA, like BJ Penn, Takanori Gomi and Gilbert Melendez would be very special for me and my career”, declared the athlete.