Claudia Gadelha angry split with Nova Uniao, starts own gym

The authoritative Brazilian Combate reports that the #1 women’s featherweight contender, Claudia Gadelha, has left Nova Uniao, following an argument last month with founder and head coach Andre Pederneiras. Gadelha will now fight not under the Nova Uniao banner, but under Claudia Gadelha’s MMA and BJJ Academy, in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, which she founded in April of this year.

However, Gadelha will be training for her fights at Kimura Nova Uniao, an affliliate of the headquarters, in Natal, Brazil, under head coach Jair Lourenco, with whom she continues to enjoy a good relationship. Other Kimura Nova Uniao team members in Natal include former uFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao and UFC flyweight Jussier Formiga.

The fight with her former head coach reportedly started after Gadelha was unhappy with her preparation for a title fight with champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the TUF 23 Finale on July 8, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pederneiras reportedly heard about Gadelha’s dissatisfaction with the camp, and the pair spoke on the phone. The two had what you might diplomatically call a “full and frank discussion” and now the mighty Nova Uniao is short one very popular fighter.

Both Gadelha and Pederneiras politely declined to speak with Combate about the split.

Combate also reports that UFC flyweight Matheus Nicolau has also split from the team. Nicholau apparently told Pederneiras he would be spending some time training at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, NM. After consideration, Pederneiras determined Nicolau should no longer be a Nova Uniao team member. However, unlike the case with Gadelha, Nicolau and Pederneiras maintain cordial relations.

H/T Lucas Rezende for BE.