Yuri Alcantara is a Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian professional mixed martial artist

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

 who competes in the lightweight

Lightweight (MMA)

The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...

 division. A professional MMA competitor since 2004, Alcantara mostly fought in Brazil before signing with World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...

 to take part in their final event before the merger with the UFC.

Background and early career

Alcantara was born on the island of Marajó

Marajó

Marajó is an island located at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil. It is part of the state of Pará.- Geography :With a land area of 40,100 km² , which compares to the size of Switzerland, it is the largest island to be completely surrounded by freshwater in the world...

 in Brazil. Incidentally, Alcantara takes his fighting nickname from the island and is billed as Yuri "Marajó" Alcantara. Alcantara trains at the "Striker Team" team and is managed by Wallid Ismail

Wallid Ismail

Wallid Farid Ismail is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and promoter. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Carlson Gracie, and is an IVC mixed martial arts world champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion...

, the owner of the Jungle Fight promotion that Alcantara has competed in and won a championship.

Alcantara's early career was spaced out considerably. His debut fight took place in March 2004 and he would not return until June 2005, where he won twice in the space of four months. Amongst Alcantara's wins was a grand prix tournament victory in November 2009, when he defeated two fighters in a single night.

Jungle Fight

Alcantara then joined his manager's promotion, Jungle Fight, to compete at the Jungle Fight 19 event against Viscardi Andrade. Alcantara did not have the same success as previously in his career as he was forced to a judges decision by Andrade; something that had only happened once before in his career, when he lost via unanimous decision. Alcantara was more successful against Andrade, winning via split decision; his first decision victory in his career.

Following another win via armbar, outside of Jungle Fight, Alcantara returned for the Jungle Fight 21 event to face Armando Gomes. Alcantara claimed another first round stoppage, when he ended the fight via TKO (punches).

Alcantara entered into the lightweight grand prix at Jungle Fight 22. His opening round was the highly touted, undefeated Francisco Drinaldo

Francisco Drinaldo

Francisco Drinaldo, better known as Massaranduba is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Drinaldo has mostly fought in Brazil's largest promotions....

, a.k.a. Massaranduba. Drinaldo had previously been named as one of the top prospects in the sport of MMA, having beaten experienced veterans such as Luiz Firmino

Luiz Firmino

Luiz Firmino de Carvalho Júnior , commonly known as Luiz "Buscapé" Firmino, is an Brazilian Vale Tudo fighter and mixed martial artist, who fights at Lightweight...

 and considering he held an unbeaten 6-0 record coming into the fight. Despite the reputation, Alcantara was able to hand Drinaldo his first professional loss when he forced Drinaldo to tap out to an armbar in the second round.

The win advanced Alcantara into the final where he faced the Peruvian Manuelo Morales. Alcantara ran through Morales, defeating him via TKO from a front kick to the body, in just 16 seconds of the opening round. With the win, Alcantara became the first ever Jungle Fight Lightweight Champion.

World Extreme Cagefighting

On November 3, 2010, it was announced that Alcantara had signed a five-fight deal with Zuffa and that his debut would come at World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting

World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...

's final event, WEC 53

WEC 53

WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on December 16, 2010 at Jobing.com Arena in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. The event was the first time that Zuffa has hosted an event in Arizona...

. His opponent was Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Alejandro Lamas is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He trains with Team Top Notch in Elmhurst, Illinois...

 and Alcantara won via KO in the first round.

It is expected that he will join the UFC immediately after the fight due to the merger between the WEC and the UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

His first fight with the UFC will take place in the featherweight division.

Alcantara was expected to face Mackens Semerzier

Mackens Semerzier

Mackens Semerzier is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Semerzier has mostly fought in Virginia...

 on August 27, 2011 at UFC 134

UFC 134

UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 27, 2011 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...

  However, Semerzier was injured and was replaced on the card by UFC newcomer Antonio Carvalho

Antonio Carvalho

Antonio Carvalho is a Canadian professional mixed martial artist and Shooto veteran who has fought for TKO Major League MMA, Maximum Fighting Championship, Ironheart Crown, Cage Force and Warrior-1 MMA...

. Carvalho also was forced from the bout, with an injury, and replaced by Felipe Arantes. He won the fight via unanimous decsion.

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
|align=center| 26–3
| Felipe Arantes
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 134

UFC 134

UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 27, 2011 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...

|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| Featherweight Debut
|-
| Win
|align=center| 25–3
| Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Alejandro Lamas is an American mixed martial artist who currently fights as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization. He trains with Team Top Notch in Elmhurst, Illinois...

| KO (punches)
| WEC 53

WEC 53

WEC 53: Henderson vs. Pettis was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on December 16, 2010 at Jobing.com Arena in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. The event was the first time that Zuffa has hosted an event in Arizona...

|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:26
|Glendale, Arizona

Glendale, Arizona

Glendale is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, located about nine miles northwest from Downtown Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau, the population of the city is 226,721....

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 24–3
| Manuelo Morales
| TKO (front kick to the body)
| Jungle Fight 22
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:16
|Sao Paulo, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 23–3
| Francisco Drinaldo

Francisco Drinaldo

Francisco Drinaldo, better known as Massaranduba is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Drinaldo has mostly fought in Brazil's largest promotions....

| Submission (armbar)
| Jungle Fight 22
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:24
|Sao Paulo, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 22–3
| Francisco Mario

Francisco Mário

Francisco Mário Pinto da Silva is a former Portuguese footballer who played as forward.- External links :* *...

| Submission (kimura)
| Amazon Fight 4
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 0:28
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 21–3
| Armando Gomes
| TKO (punches)
| Jungle Fight 21
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:01
|Natal, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 20–3
| Joao Paulo
| Submission (armbar)
| Iron Man Championship 6
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:11
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 19–3
| Viscardi Andrade
| Decision (split)
| Jungle Fight 19: Warriors
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Sao Paulo, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 18–3
| Jackson Pontes
| Submission (triangle armbar)
| Iron Man Championship 5
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:42
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–3
| Marinho Rocha
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Iron Man Championship 4
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:40
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–3
| Jamil Silveira
| Submission (triangle choke)
| Leal Combat: Grand Prix
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:45
|Natal, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–3
| Francisco Silva
| TKO (knee injury)
| Leal Combat: Grand Prix
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:42
|Natal, Brazil
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 14–3
| Mauricio Reis
| Submission (kneebar)
| Minotauro Combat 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:49
|Macapa, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–2
| Alexandre Alcantara
| TKO (punches)
| Belem Open Fight 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:52
|Macapa, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–2
| Rafael Carvalho
| TKO (punches)
| Iron Man Championship 3
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–2
| Jimmy Nascimento
| TKO (punches)
| IMVT: Champions
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:40
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–2
| Carlos Aldenis
| TKO (punches)
| Tribus de Vale Tudo
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:22
|Santarem, Para

Santarém, Pará

-External links:*...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–2
| Jimmy Nascimento
| TKO (punches)
| Iron Man Championship 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:30
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–2
| Furdjel de Windt
| Decision (unanimous)
| Cage Fight Event: Rumble in the Jungle
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Paramaribo, Suriname
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 8–2
| Henrique Mello
| Decision (unanimous)
| Fury FC: Fury Trials
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–1
| Elielson Almeida
| Submission
| MF: Midway vs. Dinamite
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–1
| Ronie Ronie
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| DFC 2: The Lightweights
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
|Santarem, Para

Santarém, Pará

-External links:*...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 6–1
| Andre Luis Oliveira
| TKO (leg injury)
| Predador FC 4: Kamae
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
|Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–0
| Rerison Araujo
| Submission (armbar)
| Midway Fight
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| N/A
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–0
| Ivanildo Santos
| Submission (armbar)
| EcoFight 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:47
|Macapa, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Michel Addario Bastos
| TKO (punches)
| EcoFight 2
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:40
|Macapa, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Rafael Bastos
| KO
| Mega Combat Vale Tudo
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 3:20
|Belem, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Renenson Greugy Costa da Silva
| Submission (armbar)
| Iron Man Vale Tudo 7
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:11
|Macapa, Brazil
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Ari Mao de Pedra
| Submission (armbar)
| Desafio de Gigantes 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:11
|Macapa, Brazil
|

External links

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