Bruno Carvalho with his Jiu-Jitsu professor/training partner Cristiano Marcello, who’s on the UFC Rio card / Publicity photo
Bruno Carvalho has been the talk of the Thai boxing town in Brazil for some time now, even holding a win over UFC ace Edson Barboza.
With a record of 8 wins and 2 losses in MMA, and often fighting opponents with a considerable size advantage, the featherweight is now looking to greener pastures, now that his last outing showed he has undergone a marked evolution in the grappling department.
Last Saturday Carvalho, who is both trainer and student to the UFC’s Cristiano Marcello, put to his gentle-art skills to good use in outpointing a game Maicon “Gladiador” Bastos at Iron Fight, an MMA event held in Feira de Santana, in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
“I feel it was a good fight. Maicon brought it on. It’s like he’s made of rubber, and he had good boxing, not to mention he was a real warrior,” said the fighter who put in a dazzling performance, sinking omoplatas, armbars and americanas that looked to be fight-stoppers.
“I couldn’t get the finish. I was just missing a few details in the positions, but I’m already working on them. I demand a lot of myself and don’t like making mistakes,” said Bruno, who some in the Brazilian press feel has what it takes to make a move to the UFC.
“I’ve been working hard to get into the UFC. I’m training to be ready when the opportunity arises. I know my time will come,” he added.
Watch Bruno Carvalho’s now-vaunted Jiu-Jitsu in the first round against Maicon Gladiador at Iron Fight:
Iron Fight Combat
Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Alexandre Lima tapped out David Pé de Pano via arm-and-neck choke in R1;
Edilson Teixeira defeated Danilo Noronha by desistence in R2;
Rafael Correia defeated Alexandre Bambam by desistence in R2;
Jurandir Sardinha defeated Rivaldo Junior por TKO no R1;
Bruno Menezes defeated Ricardo Maciel Mirrado por TKO no R2;
Goiti Yamauchi tapped out Dimitre “Moicano” Damiane via rear-naked choke in R1;
Leonardo “Leleco” Guimarães vs Jollyson Francino was determined a No Contest;
Guilherme Vianna defaeted Ed Carlos Monstro via KO in R1;
Bruno Carvalho defeated Maicon Gladiador Bastos via unanimous decision;
Edilberto Crocotá defeated Alessandro “Bob Wrestler” Miguel via desistence between rounds 1 and 2;
Samuel Trindade tapped out Klaiton Tom Baiano via kneebar in R2;
Iliarde Santos defeated Alan Barros via TKO in R1.