Zuluzinho Explained

Zuluzinho
Birth Name:Wágner da Conceição Martins
Birth Date:19 May 1978
Birth Place:São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
Height:6 ft 7 in
Weight Lb:390
Weight Class:Super Heavyweight
Style:Vale Tudo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Team:B-Tough
Rank:Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Years Active:2004–2010, 2018–present (MMA)
Mma Kowin:12
Mma Subwin:1
Mma Decwin:1
Mma Koloss:8
Mma Subloss:2
Mma Decloss:1
Mma Nc:1
Sherdog:13398

Wágner da Conceição Martins (born May 19, 1978), better known as Zuluzinho (pronounced as /pt/), is a Brazilian vale tudo fighter and mixed martial artist. He is the son of Vale Tudo legend Casemiro Nascimento Martins ("Rei Zulu").[1] 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 footsteps, he trained in both Brazilian jiu-jitsu and vale tudo. Zuluzinho holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under black belt Ricardo "Ricardinho Bulldog" Candido Gomes, who also serves as his MMA coach.[2]

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. However, all but five of those fights are unconfirmed.[3] 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.[2]

Career highlights

Zuluzinho 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 Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.

His next fight was a loss against Eric 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.[4]

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.[5]

On Nov. 30, 2010, Zuluzinho lost in his second bout against Geronimo dos Santos via first-round KO at Mr. Cage 4.

On June 2, 2018, Zuluzinho lost to Edvaldo de Oliveira via TKO at Imortal FC 9.

On February 23, 2021, Zuluzinho faced undefeated Russian Yusup Shuaev at AMC Fight Nights: Sochi. Despite dropping his opponent at the very end of a round and celebrating prematurely his win, Zuluzinho would go on to lose the bout via majority decision.[6]

Mixed martial arts record

|-|Loss|align=center||Serigne Ousmane Dia|TKO (punches)|MMA Attack 4: #Comback||align=center| 1|align=center| 0:42|Będzin, Poland||-|-|Loss|align=center|14–11 (1)|Petr Romankevich|KO (knee)|AMC Fight Nights 114||align=center| 1|align=center| 4:53|Minsk, Belarus||-|-|Loss|align=center|14–10 (1)|Yusup Shuaev|Decision (majority)|AMC Fight Nights: Sochi||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Sochi, Russia||-| Win| align=center| 14–9 (1)| Aleksandar Aleksic| TKO (punches)| Megdan Fighting 6| | align=center| 1| align=center| 3:18| Belgrade, Serbia||-| Win| align=center| 13–9 (1)| Marko Djordevic| TKO (punches)| Megdan Fighting 5| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:53| Sremska Mitrovica| [7] |-| Win| align=center| 12–9 (1)| Aleksandar Aleksic| TKO (punches)| Megdan Fighting 4| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:23| Novi Sad, Serbia| |-| Loss| align=center| 11–9 (1)| Edvaldo de Oliveira| TKO (retirement)| Imortal FC 9| | align=center| 1| align=center| 5:00| Sao Luis, Brazil| [8] |-| Loss| align=center| 11–8 (1)| Geronimo dos Santos| KO (punches)| Mr. Cage 4| | align=center| 1| align=center| N/A| Manaus, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 11–7 (1)| Douglas Humberto| Decision (split)| Ilha Combat 3: Confrontation of Giants | | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Sao Luis, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 10–7 (1)| Angelo Araujo| TKO (retirement)| Ilha Combat 2: Araujo vs. Zuluzinho| | align=center| 2| align=center| 5:00| Sao Luis, Brazil| |-| Loss| align=center| 9–7 (1)| Geronimo dos Santos| KO (punch)| Fusion Combat| | align=center| 2| align=center| 0:22| Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil| |-| Loss| align=center| 9–6 (1)| Guilherme dos Anjos| TKO (submission to punches)| Desafio de Gigantes 10 | | align=center| 1| align=center| 3:52| Macapa, Brazil| |-| Loss| align=center| 9–5 (1)| Ibragim Magomedov| TKO (punches)| fightFORCE: Russia vs. The World| | align=center| 1| align=center| N/A| St. Petersburg, Russia| |-| Win| align=center| 9–4 (1)| Ikuhisa Minowa| TKO (corner stoppage)| K-1 Premium 2007 Dynamite!!| | align=center| 3| align=center| 2:13| Osaka, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 8–4 (1)| Vladimir Kuchenko| Submission (rear-naked choke)| Bodog Fight: USA vs. Russia | | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:14| Moscow, Russia| |-| Loss| align=center| 7–4 (1)| Guilherme dos Anjos| TKO (retirement)| Desafio de Gigantes 8| | align=center| 2| align=center| 3:50| Macapa, Brazil| |-| Loss| align=center| 7–3 (1)| Butterbean| Submission (americana)| PRIDE 34| | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:35| Saitama, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 7–2 (1)| Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira| Submission (armbar)| Pride FC - Total Elimination Absolute| | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:17| Osaka, Japan| |-| Loss| align=center| 7–1 (1)| Fedor Emelianenko| TKO (submission to punches)| Pride FC: Shockwave 2005 | | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:26| Saitama, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 7–0 (1)| Henry Miller| TKO (knees)| Pride 30: Fully Loaded| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:31| Saitama, Japan| |-| Win| align=center| 6–0 (1)| Rafal Dabrowski| KO (punch)| CWFC: Strike Force 2| | align=center| 2| align=center| 2:04| Coventry, England| |-| NC| align=center| 5–0 (1)| Kleber Ranieri Jansen| NC (both fighters fell from ring)| Desafio de Gigantes 4| | align=center| 1| align=center| N/A| Macapa, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 5–0| Fabio Black| KO (strikes)| World Combat 3| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:20| Sao Luis, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 4–0| Junior Pitbull| TKO (punches) | Desafio de Gigantes 2 | | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:37| Macapa, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 3–0| James Adler| KO (punches)| Main Event Vale Tudo| 2004| align=center| 1| align=center| N/A| Itapeua, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 2–0| James Adler| KO (punches)| Main Event Vale Tudo| 2004| align=center| 1| align=center| N/A| Itapeua, Brazil| |-| Win| align=center| 1–0| Carlos Andino| KO (punches)| Main Event Vale Tudo| November 4, 2003| align=center| 1| align=center| N/A| Itapeua, Brazil|

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cruz. Guilherme. Zuluzinho 'shocked' by standup rule that led to brutal knockout, still plans to fight in late-September. 6 September 2022. 1 December 2023. MMA Fighting. en.
  2. Web site: "I Can Beat the Champion Fedor," Says Zuluzinho; Brazilian Behemoth Prepares for Fight of His Life . Alonso . Marcelo . Full Contact Fighter . March 8, 2015.
  3. Web site: AGNER DA CONCEICAO MARTINS : "ZULUZINHO". Sherdog.com. 2016-03-30.
  4. Web site: Sakuraba Still Dynamite!!. Onthemat. Monty DiPietro. January 1, 2008. November 15, 2019.
  5. Web site: Zuluzinho uses his 440 pounds to beat Angelo. March 16, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110706155212/http://portaldovaletudo.uol.com.br/english/?channel=2&id=29 . July 6, 2011 .
  6. Web site: Newswire . MMA Fighting . Video: Zuluzinho celebrates prematurely after early knockdown, ends up losing decision . MMA Fighting . 23 February 2021 . en . 23 February 2021.
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZCcgZV1ghA Zuluzinho vs. Marko Djordevic Megdan 5
  8. Web site: Video: Referee can't stop wild brawl in Brazil; Zuluzinho returns. 3 June 2018.