Shine Fights signs Braulio Estima
The world’s best grappler at the moment will give mixed martial arts a shot. Fledgling promoter Shine Fights announced today…
The world’s best grappler at the moment will give mixed martial arts a shot.
Fledgling promoter Shine Fights announced today that it has signed Braulio Estima, winner of the 194-pound and open-weight divisions at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club championships last September. Estima — who competes out of the Gracie Barra Academy in Birmingham, England — also has won several Braziilan jiu-jitsu world championships.
Estima expects to make his MMA debut at the organization’s third show, tentatively scheduled for April.
Many ADCC champions have competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Pride Fighting Championships or Strikeforce, though none has won a major title belt. Ricardo Arona came closest in 2005, when he lost a split decision to then-Pride champion Wanderlei Silva, four months after winning a unanimous decision over Silva in a non-title fight during Pride’s 205-pound tournament that year.
In UFC, heavyweight Jeff Monson lost a five-round decision to then-UFC titleholder Tim Sylvia in 2006.
At the other end of the spectrum, the most successful competitor in ADCC history, jiu-jitsu prodigy Marcelo Garcia, suffered a technical knockout loss in 2007 during the only MMA fight of his career.