Gabriel Gonzaga - UFC Heavyweight Champion

Gabriel Gonzaga is a fifth-degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt grappler, professional boxer, and MMA fighter. On 18 May 1979, Gabriel was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gonzaga has competed at the professional level in jiu-jitsu and earned several titles in the BJJ discipline. Many of his friends called him Napao, which means ‘big nose’ in Portuguese. Gonzaga is a world's famous jiu-jitsu champion with a rock-solid 13-6 MMA record at age of 33. He is also an elite heavyweight competitor in the UFC.

His coach decided to relocate to the USA in 2000, and Gonzaga moved back to Sao Paulo in 2002 where he joined the academy of Jorge Patino known as the Macao Gold Team. Gonzaga progressed in jiu-jitsu and became the prominent black belt of the region and continued conquering competitions on national and international levels. In 2003, Gabriel was inclined toward MMA and it was the start of his transition from BJJ to MMA. But still, Gabriel prefers grappling in his career and gives priority to jiu-jitsu as his main career meanwhile the first debut of his MMA was held in 2003.

Gabriel Gonzaga also teaches jiu-jitsu at his home.

Brazilian native Gabriel Gonzaga started taking interest in martial arts at age of 14. He was attracted to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and decided to train under the coaching of Wander Braga. Gonzaga continued to earn reverence by winning jiu-jitsu competitions. Gonzaga made his professional MMA debut on 4 April 2003 in Santos, Brazil and fought with Cicero Costa. Gonzaga won the fight via first round punches KO.

Gonzaga has been in this profession of fighting for more than 20 years. He entered the promotion with a vaunted jiu-jitsu pedigree, a 2004 Mundalsi winner, and an Abu Dhabi Grappling veteran. Coach Alvan trained him in his early career and Gabriel said he remember his coach’s words:

The two became friends while growing up and competing in jiu-jitsu in Brazil. The two started Team Link with the goal of turning out top-notch fighters and competitors.

Gabriel Gonzaga began his profession in 2003 as a Brazilian Gladiator. Within two years Gonzaga subsequently surfaced on UFC boards in 2005. Gabriel continued his career in grappling, later on when MMA bouts got serious, he started to prioritize UFC. He retired from MMA, however, he remains busy in boxing. He had 28 battles in MMA with 17 wins and 12 losses. After his UFC winning streak, he turned into the next weight division which is ultra-heavyweight.

Gabriel Gonzaga set his name in UFC on August 25, 2007, in Las Vegas was the night that was poised for his victory. A young Brazilian fighter was making headlines in UFC 74 and fighting Randy Couture for his heavyweight title. Fresh off his career with the highlight reel head rock kick KO of Mirko. Gonzaga was surging and fancied by many senior mates.

Fast forward to the present and the UFC Heavyweight division looks very different. It is now one of the more competitive UFC divisions. Gonzaga bounced back by defeating Tuchscherer.

Antonio Silva is famous for the name “Bigfoot” mentioned by Gonzaga in his comment to MMA Fighting.

In his response, Gonzaga said:

Gabriel Gonzaga started his professional career in 2003 battling for the Brazilian Gladiators. He had his early training in jiu-jitsu and boxing in Brazil, Gabriel then debuted his UFC fight on November 19, 2005, in Santos, Brazil. Although his wife miscarried one of their twins, he could not practice properly due to the high risk to his wife's health, weeks before the match. Still, he didn't lose his focus, not only Gabriel won the match against Kevin Jordan with an amazing hero punch at 4:39 of the third round but also won the attention of millions of fans.

Gonzaga made his professional MMA debut on 4 April 2003 in Brazil against Costa, securing a first round win via submission.

He made his UFC debut at UFC 56, knocking out Kevin Jordan with a supreme punch at 4:39 of the third round. However, Weeks before the fight, Gonzaga’s obligation to his wife during her pregnancy left him unable to train properly. In his UFC duration, Gonzaga finished several battles, with minimum time and rounds. At UFC 102 Gonzaga defeated Chris Tuchscherer via TKO in the first round.

His career in the UFC was going amazing and was about to get promoted but because of his defeat against Brendan Schaub, caused his release from the promotion in 2010.

After getting released from UFC, Gonzaga stated that he will focus on his BJJ fights but showed interest in returning to MMA. Gonzaga then fought in reality fighting against Parker Porter. He won the Reality Fighting Heavyweight Championship via an arm triangle choke.

On December 16, 2011, Gonzaga secured a new UFC contract of 4 fights. In UFC 142, he fought Ednaldo Oliveira at and submitted him via RNC.

UFC veteran Gabriel Gonzaga won his pro boxing debut against Alejandro Esquilin Santiago via four-round majority decision. pic.twitter.com/O7tNFLd1Qm

— Mike Fridley (@mikefridley) October 29, 2017

On 14 September 2017, Gonzaga stepped in pro boxing, representing Rivera Promotions Entertainment boxing on 26 October and faced Alejandro Esquilin Santiago. Gonzaga secured a win via decision after a tough four round fight.

On August 28, 2019, it was announced that Gonzaga would make his professional debut headlining his bare-knuckle match on October 19, 2019. He won the fight against Antonio Silva ( aka BigFoot) via second round knockout.

In 2014, it was announced that Gonzaga would face the Ultimate Fighting Champion Matt Mitrione. Gonzaga was defeated in the First-round via TKO punches. 

Gonzaga is 35 years old, and he has been fighting professionally since 2003. He has been knocked out nine times of his twelve losses. It's time for him to take a turn in his professional fighting career.

Former heavyweight number Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga was forced to withdraw from the UFC 108 card due staph infection where he would face Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos. The Brazilian has been doing light training but has to take antibiotics.

According to the Journal:

Gabriel Gonzaga fought in UFC 108. However, the fight got canceled because of Gonzaga’s staph infection.

Former UFC heavyweight No 1. Gabriel shared his right hand during his 265-pound collision against Stipe Miocic on Jan 25, 2014. After undergoing surgery to have a plate and a couple of screws put in to repair the hand, Gabriel was set to undergo yet another surgery to have them removed. Once fully healed, Gonzaga eyes a late 2014 return to action, as he told MMA fighting.

Gonzaga lost another fight via unanimous decision to Stripe, breaking his two-winning streaks, which he earned by knocking out Dave Herman and Shawn Jordan in a combined time of almost 2 minutes.

Gabriela Gonzaga's words;

Gabriel Gonzaga launched his BJJ lessons in his four parts in DVD with instructions for passing a difficult guard. Whatever your passing style is, you’ll benefit from the DVS instructions of Passing Difficult Guard. Well, at least those covering guards that work in both, like the half guard and closed guard. The DVD is divided into four volumes that contain more details,

Part 1: Giving lessons about passing opening with closed guard.

Part 2: He adds leg looks of the lasso pass is the perfect way of making everyone think twice about using an ankle lock.

Part 3: From straightforward passing to wrist locking and Omo Plata along the way, to passing to the back, everything is in here.

Part 4: There are more attacks with the ankle locks and rolling takes than complicated multi-stage passes.

Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga Highlights

Gabriel gonzaga final IBJJF European master

Gabriel Gonzaga on Derrick Lewis "I'm going to try to knock him out or submit him" UFC Zagreb

Miami winter master Gabriel gonzaga 20202

Photo credit: @gonzagabjj