Rafael Cordeiro (born June 1, 1973) is a
Brazilian mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
(MMA) coach and founder of MMA Gym,
Kings MMA. He is best known for training multiple MMA world champions.
History
Cordeiro was a fighter affiliated with the
Chute Boxe Academy where he participated in mixed martial arts and
Muay Thai
Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...
. He was three-time Brazilian Muay Thai champion and lightweight champion at the
International Vale Tudo Championship
The International Vale Tudo Championship (IVC) was a Vale Tudo and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting promotion based in Brazil starting in 1997. The IVC was a fundamentally important platform in the promotion of Brazilian MMA in the late 1990s an ...
(IVC).
In 1999, Cordeiro stopped competing professionally and started his career as a full-time coach at Chute Boxe where would remain until 2009.
In 2008 he moved to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and in 2010 opened his own gym,
Kings MMA in
Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County, California, United States. The city was originally called Pacific City, but it was changed in 1903 to be named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 as o ...
,
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
.
Cordeiro has won the 2012 and 2016 coach of the year awards for MMA.
In 2019, during the weigh-ins for
UFC 244, the NYSAC "determined that
Kelvin Gastelum
Kelvin Gastelum (born October 24, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gastelum earned a contract with the UFC after winning '' The ...
made contact with another person while on the scale, a violation of the weigh in policy". This was because he was in contact with Cordeiro, who was his coach for the bout. As a result, Gastelum and Rafael Cordeiro were fined $1,000 and $200 respectively by New York State Athletic Commission.
In 2020, Cordeiro was trainer and cornerman to the former boxing world heavyweight champion,
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1985 and 2024. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "the Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson i ...
for his
exhibition bout against
Roy Jones Jr.
Roy Levesta Jones Jr. (born January 16, 1969) is an American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in four weight classes, including middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. As an amateur he r ...
Notable students
Mixed martial arts
*
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 ...
- Former
UFC Middleweight Champion
*
Maurício Rua
Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He competed in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Light H ...
- Former
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and
2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion
*
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the most wins, knockouts, ...
- Former
PRIDE Middleweight Champion and the
2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament Champion
*
Fabrício Werdum - Former
UFC Heavyweight Champion
*
Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael Souza dos Anjos (; born 26 October 1984), also known by his initials RDA, is a Brazilian and American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Welterweight and Lightweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Champion ...
- Former
UFC Lightweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight class ...
*
Cris Cyborg
Cristiane Justino Venâncio (born July 9, 1985), known professionally as Cris Cyborg and formerly by her married name Cristiane Santos, is a Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist and Professional boxing, professional boxer who com ...
- Former
UFC Women's Featherweight Champion
*
Lyoto Machida
is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as a UFC Middleweight Championship title challenger. He mos ...
- Former
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
*
Murilo Rua
Murilo Milani Rua (; born May 22, 1980), also known as Ninja, is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist. He is the older brother of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua. He was the inaugural EliteXC Middleweight Champion and a ...
- Former
EliteXC Middleweight Champion
*
Beneil Dariush - Former RITC Lightweight Champion
*
Marvin Vettori - Former VFC Welterweight Champion
*
Kelvin Gastelum
Kelvin Gastelum (born October 24, 1991) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Gastelum earned a contract with the UFC after winning '' The ...
*
Giga Chikadze
Boxing
*
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1985 and 2024. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "the Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson i ...
-
Undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990
Championships and accomplishments
*
International Vale Tudo Championship
The International Vale Tudo Championship (IVC) was a Vale Tudo and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting promotion based in Brazil starting in 1997. The IVC was a fundamentally important platform in the promotion of Brazilian MMA in the late 1990s an ...
**
IVC Lightweight Championship (One time)
*
World MMA Awards
The World MMA Awards are awards presented by ''Fighters Only'' magazine to honor exceptional performance in various aspects of mixed martial arts. Winners are presented with the ''Fighters Only silver statuette''. The World MMA Awards are divided ...
** 2012 The Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
** 2015 The Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
Mixed martial arts record
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 4–2
,
Rumina Sato
(, kanji for given name: 留美奈) is a Japanese retired mixed martial artist, famous for his career in the Shooto organization. In the past he fought mostly in the 155 lb division, but he moved down to the 145 lb division.
Mixed mar ...
, Submission (kneebar)
,
VTJ 1999 - Vale Tudo Japan 1999
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 0:58
,
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 4–1
, Henry Matamoros
, Decision (unanimous)
, IVC 9 - The Revenge
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 30:00
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 3–1
, Sergio Melo
, DQ (rope grabbing)
, IVC 7 - The New Champions
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 11:32
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 3–0
, Altair de Oliveira
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, BVF 4 - Circuito de Lutas 7
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 2:24
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 2–0
, Cosminho da Silva
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
, BVF 4 - Circuito de Lutas 7
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 3:38
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 1–0
, Daniel Daniel
, TKO (cut)
, CP X CB - Capoeira vs. Chute Boxe
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 0:42
,
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cordeiro, Rafael
1973 births
Living people
Martial artists from Curitiba
Brazilian male mixed martial artists
Lightweight mixed martial artists
Mixed martial artists utilizing Muay Thai
Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Mixed martial arts trainers
Brazilian male Muay Thai practitioners
Brazilian practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in the United States