Gabriel Gonzaga

MMAstatsbox|name=Gabriel Gonzaga

---

nick= Napão ("big nose")
height=height|ft=6|in=1
weight=convert|242|lb|kg|abbr=on|lk=on
nationality= flagicon|Brazil Brazilian
birthdate=birth date and age|year=1979|month=5|day=18
died=
fightingfrom=Ludlow, Massachusetts
hometown=Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
fightteam=Team Linkcite web
title=Team Link Website
year=2007
accessdate=2007-08-15
publisher=Team Link
url=http://www.linkbjj.com/]
fightstyle= Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai
wins=10
losses=3
draws=0
nocontest=
ko=4
submissions=6|

Gabriel "Napão" Gonzaga (born May 18, 1979 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), is a professional mixed martial arts fighter currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Wander Braga, is a former member of the famous Chute Boxe Academy, and now fights out of Ludlow, Massachusetts as a part of Team Link. Gonzaga won by knockout over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović on April 21, 2007, which earned him a UFC Heavyweight title shot with Randy Couture. He won the Mundials (2004), which is considered to be the top BJJ competition in the world.

Mixed martial arts career

Gabriel "Napão" Gonzaga is a part of Team Link in Ludlow, Massachusetts. His coaches include Marco Alvan (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) and Elcio Machado (Muay Thai). [http://www.masslive.com/republican/stories/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1177574901247590.xml&coll=1]

Gonzaga's MMA record is currently 10-3-0. He made his MMA Debut on April 4th, 2003 in Santos, Brazil against Cicero Cicero. He won via submission from strikes in the first round. He has gone on to compete over the next two years winning three more bouts, losing only once to Fabricio Werdum.

He made his UFC debut at UFC 56 knocking out Kevin Jordan at 4:39 of the third round. Although the knockout was considered an excellent finishFact|date=April 2007, the fight was considered uneventful by the fans who booed the fight, and the announcers who criticized it. Gonzaga's poor performance may have been partly due to complications during his wife's pregnancy that resulted in her near death and the death of one of the twin girls she was carrying. [http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/04/22/monday-review-the-gabriel-gonzaga-show/] This occurred a few weeks before the match was scheduled to take place, Gonzaga was unable to properly train for the fight, since he was caring for his wife. [http://www.fightopinion.com/2007/04/22/monday-review-the-gabriel-gonzaga-show/]

Gabriel would later return at UFC 60 and win against Fabiano Scherner via TKO at the second round. At UFC 66 he would defeat Carmelo Marrero's in the first round by armbar.

At UFC 70, in a shocking upset Gonzaga knocked out PRIDE FC 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix Champion Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović in the first round with a head kick. With the win, Gonzaga became the next contender for UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy "The Natural" Couture.

At UFC 74, Gonzaga lost to Randy Couture.

Gonzaga returned to the octagon to face Fabricio Werdum at UFC 80, losing via TKO in the second round. [cite web
url=http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=9724
title=Top Brazilian Heavyweights Battle in Newcastle
last=Leidecker
first=Tim
publisher=Sherdog
date=October 30, 2007
accessdate=2007-10-30]

Gonzaga's latest fight was at UFC 86 against Justin McCully. Early in the first round, McCully fell to the ground due to a leg kick from Gonzaga. Gonzaga took to McCully's half guard, quickly passing to the mounted position and winning by first round submission with an Americana from the mount. [ [http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=6639&zoneid=2 UFC 86 REVIEW: MAIN EVENT WOWS, FORREST WINS! - MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more ] ]

His next fight is November 15th at UFC 91 vs Josh Hendricks

Personal life

Gabriel and his wife have two children, a daughter and a son.cite web
url=http://www.masslive.com/sports/republican/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1200615905252230.xml&coll=1
title=Ultimate Time for Gonzaga
last=Remillard
first=Jason
publisher=Mass Live.com
date=2008-01-18
accessdate=2008-01-19] They were expecting twin girls, but their daughter Leticia passed away at birth.cite web
url=http://www.puroresupower.com/pph/cutenews/show_news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1132991929&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&
title=A statement from Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga
last=Gonzaga
first=Gabriel
publisher=PuroresuPower.com
date=2005-11-26
accessdate=2008-01-19]

Mixed martial arts record

Notes

External links

* [http://www.gabrielnapao.com.br Official site Gabriel "Napão" Gonzaga]
*Sherdog|id=7306|name=Gabriel Gonzaga
* [http://www.linkbjj.com Team Link Website]