Renato Sobral
From FightWiki
Renato "Babalu" Da Cunha Sobral is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes at Light Heavyweight. He is currently fighting with the Affliction fight promotion. He previously fought with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), but was let go because of his disrespectful attitude towards other fighters safety.
Some of his major MMA achievements include defeating fighters Trevor Prangley, Mauricio Rua, and Jeremy Horn in a single night at IFC's Global Domination tournament.
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Name | Renato Sobral |
| Nickname | Babalu | |
| Association | Gracie Barra | |
| Weight Class | LHW | |
| Style | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu,Wrestling, Ruas Vale Tudo | |
| Birth Date | 07/09/1975 | |
| Country | Brazil |
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 31 - 7 - 0 (Win - Loss - Draw) |
| Wins | 3 T(KO) 16 Submissions 12 Decisions |
| Losses | 3 T(KO) 1 Submissions 3 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Bobby Southworth | TKO (Cut) | Strikeforce: Destruction | 11/21/2008 | 1 | 5:00 | Won Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship |
| Win | Mike Whitehead | Decision (Unanimous) | Affliction: Banned | 7/19/2008 | 3 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Rodney Faverus | Submission (Choke) | PFP: Ring of Fire | 12/09/2007 | N/A | N/A | x |
| Win | David Heath | Submission (Anaconda Choke) | UFC 74: Respect | 8/25/2007 | 2 | 3:30 | N.S.A.C fined Babalu $25,000 for initially refusing to release the hold. These actions resulted in Babalu's release from the UFC. |
| Loss | Jason Lambert | KO (Punch) | UFC 68: The Uprising | 3/03/2007 | 2 | 3:26 | x |
| Loss | Chuck Liddell | TKO (Punches) | UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral | 8/26/2006 | 1 | 1:35 | For UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. |
| Win | Mike Van Arsdale | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 | 2/04/2006 | 1 | 2:21 | x |
| Win | Chael Sonnen | Submission (Triangle Choke) | UFC 55: Fury | 10/07/2005 | 2 | 1:20 | x |
| Win | Travis Wiuff | Submission (Armbar) | UFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell 2 | 4/16/2005 | 2 | 0:24 | x |
| Win | Pierre Guillet | Submission (Punches) | CR 10: Deliverance | 2/26/2005 | 1 | 1:57 | x |
| Win | Cyrille Diabate | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | CR 9: No Mercy | 11/27/2004 | 1 | 3:38 | x |
| Win | Jose Landi-Jons | Decision (Unanimous) | JF 3: Jungle Fight 3 | 10/23/2004 | 3 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Jeremy Horn | Decision (Unanimous) | IFC: Global Domination | 9/06/2003 | 3 | 5:00 | IFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Final. |
| Win | Mauricio Rua | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | IFC: Global Domination | 9/06/2003 | 3 | 3:07 | IFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Semi-Final. |
| Win | Trevor Prangley | Decision (Unanimous) | IFC: Global Domination | 9/06/2003 | 3 | 5:00 | IFC Light Heavyweight Tournament Quarter-Final. |
| Win | Marcelo Azevedo | Decision | Heat FC 1: Genesis | 7/31/2003 | 3 | 5:00 | x |
| Loss | Chuck Liddell | KO (Head Kick) | UFC 40: Vendetta | 11/22/2002 | 1 | 2:55 | x |
| Win | Elvis Sinosic | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall | 7/13/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | x |
| Loss | Kevin Randleman | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 35: Throwdown | 1/11/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | x |
| Loss | Fedor Emelianenko | Decision (Unanimous) | Rings: 10th Anniversary | 8/11/2001 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Tsuyoshi Kohsaka | Decision (Majority) | Rings: World Title Series 2 | 6/15/2001 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Kiyoshi Tamura | Decision (Majority) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Final | 2/24/2001 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Maurice Smith | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 28: High Stakes | 11/17/2000 | 3 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Tariel Bitsadze | Submission (Armbar) | Rings: King of Kings Block A | 10/09/2000 | 1 | 2:58 | x |
| Loss | Valentijn Overeem | Submission (Toe Hold) | Rings: King of Kings 2000 Block A | 10/09/2000 | 1 | 2:19 | x |
| Win | Hiromitsu Kanehara | Decision (Unanimous) | Rings: Millennium Combine 2 | 6/15/2000 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Jacob Zobnin | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Rings Russia: Rings Russia | 5/20/2000 | 1 | 3:20 | x |
| Win | Travis Fulton | Submission (Armbar) | Rings: Millennium Combine 1 | 4/20/2000 | 1 | 4:49 | x |
| Win | Kiyoshi Tamura | Decision (Majority) | Rings: King of Kings 1999 Final | 2/26/2000 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Loss | Dan Henderson | Decision (Majority) | Rings: King of Kings 1999 Final | 2/26/2000 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Mikhail Illoukhine | Submission (Armbar) | Rings: King of Kings 1999 Final | 2/26/2000 | 3 | 0:40 | x |
| Win | Brad Kohler | KO (Soccer Kick) | WEF 8: Goin' Platinum | 1/15/2000 | 2 | 0:50 | x |
| Win | Zaza Tkeshelashvili | Submission (Kimura) | Rings: King of Kings 1999 Block A | 10/28/1999 | 2 | 1:11 | x |
| Win | Lee Hasdell | Decision (Unanimous) | Rings: King of Kings 1999 Block A | 10/28/1999 | 2 | 5:00 | x |
| Win | Augusto Menezes Santos | Submission (Keylock) | BVF 14: Circuito Brasileiro de Vale Tudo 5 | 7/24/1999 | 1 | 0:56 | x |
| Win | Pedro Otavio | Submission (Punches) | BVF 14 - Circuito Brasileiro de Vale Tudo 5 | 7/24/1999 | 1 | 4:34 | x |
| Win | Dario Amorim | Submission (Punches) | BVF 14 - Circuito Brasileiro de Vale Tudo 5 | 7/24/1999 | 1 | 2:14 | x |
| Win | Fernando Cerchiari | KO (Punches) | IVC 8: The Road Back to the Top | 1/20/1999 | 1 | 4:41 | x |
Career
Sobral's background is in wrestling before joining the Gracie Barra Combat Team, he was a Brazilian national wrestling champion and was trained in Ruas Vale Tudo, a martial arts system developed by Marco Ruas.
Sobral is known throughout the UFC for his intense and grueling training regimen, which typically involves bench-pressing fellow workout partners, running up the steep mountains of Brazil and swimming 2000 meters in an hour.
At UFC 62, Sobral was defeated by Chuck Liddell in a bout for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. The match was stopped as a technical knockout at 95 seconds into the first round. Following his loss to Liddell, Sobral faced Jason Lambert at UFC 68. Sobral was knocked out in the second round. Sobral went on to defeat former UFC Heavyweight champion Frank Mir in a special submission grappling superfight at Tuff-N-Uff's "Unarmed Combat" event on June 22, 2007. Sobral won the bout by points (6-2).
UFC Controversy
At Sobral's fight at UFC 74 against David Heath, Sobral defeated Heath by anaconda choke in the second round. Despite referee Steve Mazzagatti's attempts to break Sobral's choke, Sobral held onto it for four more seconds after Heath tapped out, resulting in him losing consciousness. During his post-fight interview, Sobral told UFC color analyst Joe Rogan that he was aware that Heath had tapped, but "he (Heath) has to learn respect. He deserved that. He called me 'motherfucker'." In his dressing room after the fight, Sobral spoke to Las Vegas Journal-Review columnist Ed Graney. Sobral then mocked the crowd for booing him, saying "The crowd didn't like it? Who cares? At least they had a reaction."
On August 30, 2007, Sobral was released from his contractual obligations by the UFC due to his actions at UFC 74. UFC President Dana White called Sobral's actions "completely unacceptable. This is the fight game and shit happens. But no way can you do what he did." White also supported the fans attitude towards Sobral after the fight. "I think you saw the response from the fans. Babalu was a fan favorite. They turned on him immediately." Additionally, the Nevada State Athletic Commission withheld $25,000 of Sobral's $50,000 fight purse and convened a hearing to deal with both his holding the choke and ignoring Mazzagatti's orders.
Future After The UFC
After the termination of his deal with the UFC, Sobral was courted by numerous promotions looking to sign him. During the September 29 Strikeforce event at the Playboy Mansion it was announced that Sobral had signed a non-exclusive deal with Strikeforce. It has since been revealed that he has signed two more non-exclusive deals with Hardcore Championship Fighting and Xcess Fighting. Sobral also later competed in an event for the Ring of Fire promotion, defeating Rodney Faverus by submission (arm triangle choke).
Sobral was scheduled to fight fellow UFC veteran Vernon "Tiger" White in a match to crown the first WCO Light Heavyweight Champion. However, because the show's promoters were unable to secure adequate funding to pay the fighters, the show was canceled at the last minute by the California State Athletic Commission.
Affliction
Sobral has recently signed with Affliction Clothing's MMA promotion and appeared at Affliction: Banned on July 19, 2008, defeating Mike Whitehead by unanimous decision. In his next fight on October 11 he rumored to be going up against former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz at Affliction: Day of Reckoning, the promotions second event. This fight has not yet been confirmed however, and Tito has stated he has not yet been signed by Affliction.
Personal Life
Sobral has a daughter named Maria Fernanda, whose name is tattooed on his chest.
His nickname comes from a brand of bubblegum that he used to chew.
Sobral was also arrested on July 14, 2007 for misdemeanor battery and trespassing at the Seminole Indian Reservation Casino.
