Zuluzinho
 |
Name | Wagner da Conceição Martins |
| Nickname | Zuluzinho / Zulu | |
| Association | B-Tough | |
| Weight Class | Super-Heavyweight (390lbs/177kg) | |
| Height | 6' 5" (2.01 m) | |
| Style | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing | |
| Birth Date | May 19, 1978 | |
| Fighting Out Of | São Luís, Maranhao | |
| Country | Brazil |
Wagner da Conceição Martins, better known as Zuluzinho, is a Brazilian vale tudo and mixed martial arts fighter. His father was vale tudo fighter Rei Zulu. Wagner was raised by his grandmother and works as a security guard in a number of reggae clubs in northern Brazil. Following in his father's foot-steps, young Zuluzinho trained in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Vale Tudo. Zuluzinho holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under black belt Cássio Façanha. He trained for over seven years with Vale Tudo fighter Ricardinho "Bulldog".
Professional Record
| Record | 8 - 7 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 6 (T)KOs 1 Submission 1 Decisions |
| Losses | 3 (T)KOs 4 Submissions 0 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Geronimo dos Santos | KO (Punches) | MC: Mr. Cage 4 | 11/30/2010 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | Douglas Humberto | Decision (Split) | Ilha Combat 3: Confrontation of Giants | 4/09/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Angelo Araujo | TKO (Retirement) | Ilha Combat 2: Araujo vs. Zuluzinho | 12/19/2009 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Geronimo dos Santos | KO (Punch) | FC - Fusion Combat | 12/14/2008 | 2 | 0:22 | |
| Loss | Guigao Guigaotd | Submission (Punches) | DDG - Desafio de Gigantes 10 | 7/6/2008 | 1 | N/A | |
| Loss | Ibragim Magomedov | TKO | fightFORCE - Russia vs. The World | 4/19/2008 | 1 | N/A | |
| Win | Ikuhisa Minowa | TKO (Corner Stoppage) | K-1: Premium 2007 Dynamite!! | 12/31/2007 | 3 | 2:13 | |
| Win | Vladimir Kuchenko | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | Bodog Fight: USA vs. Russia | 11/30/2007 | 1 | 2:14 | |
| Loss | Eric Esch | Submission (Keylock) | PRIDE 34: Kamikaze | 4/8/2007 | 1 | 2:35 | |
| Loss | Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira | Submission (Armbar) | PRIDE Total Elimination Absolute | 5/5/2006 | 1 | 2:17 | |
| Loss | Fedor Emelianenko | Submission (Punches) | PRIDE: Shockwave 2005 | 12/31/2005 | 1 | 0:26 | |
| Win | Henry Miller | TKO (Knees) | PRIDE 30: Fully Loaded | 10/23/2005 | 1 | 1:31 | |
| Win | Rafal Dabrowski | KO | CWFC: Strike Force 2 | 7/16/2005 | 2 | 2:04 | |
| Win | Fabio Black | KO | WCVT: World Combat Vale Tudo | 5/13/2005 | 1 | 1:20 | |
| Win | Junior Pitbull | TKO (Punches) | DDG: Desafio de Gigantes 2 | 3/13/2004 | 1 | 0:37 | |
Record Controversy
Zuluzinho reportedly compiled an undefeated Vale Tudo record of 38-0 (38 knockouts) in Brazil prior to his fight at Cage Warriors Strike Force 2 in England. 25 fights from this record are unconfirmed. In the December 2005 issue of Full-Contact Fighter, Marcelo Alfonso wrote that Zuluzinho started his MMA career in 2000 in the town of Teresina, near the city of Sao Luis, Brazil.
Career Highlights
Zuluzinho's first major victory was a knockout over Brazilian Vale Tudo fighter Victoria de Guigui at Desafio de Gigantes 8 in Brazil, South America.
Prior to fighting at Cage Warriors Strike Force 2 in England, Zuluzinhho knocked out Brazilian fighter James Adler in one round in a Vale Tudo match in Brazil. A video of the fight is available on the internet. In 1990, Adler scored two knockout victories over Rei Zulu, father of Zuluzinho.
The 6 feet and 7 inch, 440 pound (185 kg) Zuluzinho TKO'ed former professional sumo wrestler Henry Miller in one round via knees.
Zuluzihno was beaten after only 26 seconds of the first round in PRIDE Fighting Championships Shockwave 2005 event at the hands of world champion Fedor Emelianenko.
In the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix on May 5, 2006, he was defeated via armbar in the first round by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
His next fight was a loss against Eric "Butterbean" Esch at PRIDE 34 by Submission (kimura).
On December 31, 2007, Zuluzinho scored the biggest win of his career by stopping Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa in 3 rounds at K-1 in Japan.
He saw his winning streak snapped when he lost by 1st round TKO to Ibragim Magomedov at FightForce - Russia vs. The World on April 19, 2008.
On July 7, 2008, Zuluzinho was knocked out by fellow super heavyweight Guigao Guigao at DDG-Desafio de Gigantes 10. In the semi-final match, Zuluzinho's 63 year old father, Rei Zulu, lost by a disqualification to Santos Samurai. Zulu faced rising star Geronimo "Mondragon" dos Santos on December 14, 2008. In this bout he landed a flurry of strikes early in the first round but was unable to finish dos Santos, and subsequently was knocked out in round 2. One year later he returned to action with a win against Brazilian Top Team veteran Angelo Araujo.
