411 Fighter Profile: Renato “Babalu” Sobral
Posted by Morgan Marx on 09.16.2008
He’s defeated Shogun, Gumby, and Pele. He’s taken Henderson, Randlemen, and Fedor to decision. He’s been banned from the UFC and participated at the debut of Affliction: Banned. He has one of the best nicknames in MMA.
He is Renato “Babalu” Sobral.
Renato Sobral
Nickname: Babalu Record: 30-7 (2 KOs, 16 Submissions) Weight: 205 Lbs. Height: 6'1" Hometown: Costa Mesa, California Ranking #8 LHW (In Fight! Magazines admittedly wonky rankings) Association: Gracie Barra Combat Team/ Erik Paulson's CSW Organizations: Affliction, UFC, Cage Rage, Rings, Possibly Strikeforce Accomplishments: UFC Light Heavyweight Title Challenger, IFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner, Rings: King of Kings Finalist
Introduction
It starts with the look. Tattoos adorn his body. They occupy his back and his chest. They creep up his right arm before encircling his neck. Then there is the killer's stare, a piercing look that screams of bad intentions. Like nemesis Chuck Liddell, Renato Sobral just looks like a fighter. Like someone capable of inflicting bodily harm.
Sure, that tattoo on his chest might be his daughter's name. And his nickname might refer to a brand of bubblegum (not the most fear inducing moniker around). And for all intents and purposes, Sobral might be an affable, good-natured individual. Yet for many MMA fans, Sobral represents the image of violence. And his controversial actions haven't dissuaded that notion.
Sobral's lengthy career can be viewed in different lights. Softcore fans will remember his losses to Liddell and the highlight reel head-kick that sent him crashing to the mat. MMA detractors will point to his post-fight assault on David Heath and the lack of remorse he displayed immediately afterwards. Fanatics will name check the Who's Who list of stars on Sobral's record, and lionize the several single night tournaments he conquered.
Sobral may never have captured UFC gold or defeated a Liddell or Fedor. Yet he remains an intriguing figure in the world of MMA, and continues to garner headlines wherever he fights.
Early Life
Sobral was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1975. He started wrestling in his early tweens before moving to MMA. Sobral joined the famed Ruas Vale Tudo team, training with the likes of Pedro Rizzo. Eventually, Sobral made the switch to Gracie Barra, which dramatically improved his ground game.
MMA Career
Win, Fernando Cerchiari, KO (Punches), Round 1, 4:41 International Vale Tudo Championship, Aracaju, Brazil, January 20, 1999
Win, Augusto Menezes Santos, Submission (Keylock), Round 1, 0:56 Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting, Brazil, July 24, 1999 Win, Pedro Otavio, Submission (Strikes), Round 1, 4:34 Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting, Brazil, July 24, 1999
Win, Dario Amorim, Submission (Strikes), Round 1, 2:14 Brazilian Vale Tudo Fighting, Brazil, July 24, 1999
Sobral wins his first single night tournament, dispatching his competition in a little over seven minutes.
Win, Zaza Tkeshelashvili, Submission (Kimura), Round 2, 1:11 Rings: King of Kings (Block A), Tokyo, Japan, October 28, 1999
Win, Lee Hasdell, Decision (Unanimous) Rings: King of Kings 1999 (Block A), Tokyo, Japan, October 28, 1999
Win, Brad Kohler, KO (Kick), Round 2, 0:50 World Extreme Fighting, Rome, Georgia, January 15, 2000
Win, Mikhail Illoukhine, Submission (Armbar), Round 3, 0:40 Rings: King of Kings 1999 (Final), Tokyo, Japan, February 26, 2000
Win, Kiyoshi Tamura, Decision (Majority) Rings: King of Kings 1999 (Final), Tokyo, Japan, February 26, 2000
His first decision victory, Sobral finished his first eight fights.
Loss, Dan Henderson, Decision (Majority) Rings: King of Kings 1999 (Final), Tokyo, Japan, February 26, 2000
Henderson completes one of the best single night performances ever, defeating Gilbert Yvel, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and Sobral in order.
Win, Travis Fulton, Submission (Armbar), Round 1, 4:49 Rings: Millennium Combine 1, Tokyo Japan, April 20, 2000
Win, Jacob Zobnin, Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 1, 3:20 Rings: Russia, Ekaterinburg, Russia, May 20, 2000
Win, Hiromitsu Kanehara, Decision (Unanimous) Rings: Millennium Combine 2, Tokyo, Japan, June 15, 2000
Win, Tariel Bitsadze, Submission (Armbar), Round 1, 2:58 Rings: King of Kings 2000 (Block A), Tokyo, Japan, October 9, 2000
Loss, Valentijn Overeem, Submission (Toe Hold), Round 1, 2:19 Rings: King of Kings 2000 (Block A), Tokyo, Japan, October 9, 2000
Sobral is stopped for the first time in his career (and submitted for the only) to eventual King of Kings finalist Overeem.
Win, Maurice Smith, Decision UFC 28: High Stakes, Atlantic City, New Jersey, November 17, 2000
Win, Kiyoshi Tamura, Decision (Majority) Rings: King of Kings 2000 (Final), Tokyo, Japan, February 24, 2001
Sobral ups his record to 2-0 against Japanese legend Tamura.
Win, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, Decision (Majority) Rings: World Title Series 2, Kanagawa, Japan, June 15, 2001
Loss, Fedor Emelianenko, Decision (Unanimous) Rings: 10th Anniversary, Tokyo, Japan, August 11, 2001
Loss, Kevin Randleman, Decision (Unanimous) UFC 35: Throwdown, Uncasville, Connecticut, January 11, 2002 Win, Elvis Sinosic, Decision (Unanimous) UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall, London, England, July 13, 2002
Loss, Chuck Liddell, KO (Head Kick), Round 1, 2:55 UFC 40: Vendetta, Las Vegas, Nevada, November 22, 2002
Win, Trevor Prangley, Decision (Unanimous) International Fighting Championship: Global Domination, Denver, Colorado, September 6, 2003
Win, Mauricio Rua, Submission (Guillotine), Round 3, 3:07 IFC: Global Domination, Denver, Colorado, September 6, 2003
Sobral is the first to defeat Shogun, Rua's only non-injury loss in five years.
Win, Jeremy Horn, Decision (Unanimous) IFC: Global Domination, Denver, Colorado, September 6, 2003
Sobral fights for a combined 43 minutes, emerging victorious from a field that also included Forrest Griffin and Chael Sonnen.
Win, Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons, Decision (Unanimous) Jungle Fight 3, Manaus, Brazil, October 23, 2004
Win, Cyrille Diabate, Submission (Choke), Round 1, 3:38 Cage Rage 9: No Mercy, London, England, November 27, 2004
Win, Pierre Guillet, Submission (Strikes), Round 1, 1:57 Cage Rage 10: Deliverance, London, England, February 26, 2005
Win, Travis Wiuff, Submission (Armbar), Round 2, 0:24 UFC 52, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 16, 2005
Win, Mike Van Arsdale, Submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 1, 2:21 UFC 57, Las Vegas, Nevada, February 4, 2006
Sobral caps off a 10-fight win-streak that places him in title contention.
Loss, Chuck Liddell, TKO (Strikes), Round 1, 1:35 UFC 62, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 26, 2006
Loss, Jason Lambert, KO (Punch), Round 2, 3:26 UFC 68: Uprising, Columbus, Ohio, March 3, 2007
A listless Sobral suffers a surprising loss.
Win, David Heath, Submission (Anaconda Choke), Round 2, 3:30 UFC 74: Respect, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 25, 2007
Sobral caps his bloody victory by holding onto the choke well after the referee indicated the end of the fight. At first, Sobral declares that Heath "has to learn respect. He deserved that." Later, in an open letter to Sherdog, Sobral changes his story, claiming he didn't feel the tap and his post-fight comments referred to the overall win, not the extra choke. Either way, the NSAC withholds half of Sobral's purse, and the fighter's UFC contract is terminated.
Win, Rodney Faverus, Submission (Choke) PFP: Ring of Fire, Manila, Philippines, December 9, 2007
Win, Mike Whitehead, Decision (Unanimous) Affliction: Banned, Anaheim, California, July 19, 2008
Sobral receives one of the biggest ovations of the evening from the knowledgeable crowd. An upbeat Sobral celebrates with training partner Josh Barnett, claims he's "mellowed out," and generally seems to be in a better frame of mind.
The Future
Sobral was slated to appear on the Strikeforce at the Mansion II card, before a leg injury forced him to pull out of a fight against Anthony Ruiz. The big rumor surrounding Sobral is that a showdown with Tito Ortiz under the Affliction banner is inevitable. Sobral seemed to hint at such a fight following his win over Whitehead, even though Ortiz has yet to sign with the organization. Should the fight take place alongside a major Goldenboy Promotion boxing match, it would be the biggest event of Sobral's career.
The 33-year-old Sobral still has competitive years ahead of him. A return to the Octagon seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened. While some fans may have changed their opinion on the Brazilian fighter following the Heath incident, Sobral deserves another chance.
If I had to summarize MMA, both the good and the bad, the history and the present, I'd offer up Sobral. From his history in Rings to his international career, from his big victories to his dramatic losses, Sobral embodies MMA. Though not a superstar on the level of Liddell, Couture or Ortiz, Sobral bridges the gap between the pre-TUF days and the current MMA boom.
