Outside Source
Photo Credit: O Globo
Marcelo Medeiros is experiencing triumph amid tragedy in a way his famous countryman Vitor Belfort could appreciate.
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Medeiros (9-1) won the Jungle Fight “Fight of the Million” lightweight grand prix on Oct. 25, prevailing by unanimous decision over Arcangelo Oliveira. Medeiro revealed in the wake of his victory that his brother Roberto has been missing and presumed kidnapped since August.
Medeiros learned of his brother’s disappearance a day before his semifinal matchup against Carlos Alexandre in August. Despite the distraction, he won the fight via disqualification after being rendered unable to continue due to an eye poke from “Mistoca.” Medeiros said of that win, “I don’t know how that fight would have continued. That accident happened, and it ended with his disqualification. But it was very difficult for me, because I found out after the weigh-in. I was recovering from the weight cut, so I couldn’t eat. At night I couldn’t sleep. I cried a lot all night.”
Heading into the tournament final, Medeiros was an underdog against Oliveira, who handed him his sole career loss last April. After being controlled by Oliveira in the opening stanza, Medeiros dropped his opponent in the second round and rallied back to earn a unanimous decision win. The win also earned him the biggest prize ever paid in an MMA event in Brazil, R$500,000 (US$95,000). Medeiros said on the live broadcast:
“I knew this prize would change my family’s history. After losing the first round, I managed to get my head in the right place and imposed my tactical plan. Everyone is still very shaken by what happened. We still don’t have any answers. My brother hasn’t shown up yet. There are some clues about what happened, but he’s not here. We haven’t been able to find anything, neither alive nor dead. So, we’re waiting for the police, the investigators, to be able to bring light to what happened. And, unfortunately, we carry this sadness.”
The champion with a big heart also promised Oliveira part of his purse, saying, “Arcangelo was a very tough opponent, it’s not fair that he leaves empty-handed. I promised him that if I won I would give him R$50,000 (9,400 dollars) to help his mother buy her house and that’s what I did”
According to a report published on O Globo, Roberto’s case is being investigated as a disappearance by the local police’s Homicide Division.
Medeiros’ situation is sadly reminiscent of the one faced over two decades ago by one of Brazil’s most celebrated MMA icons, Belfort. “The Phenom,” who won the Ultimate Fighting Championship over Randy Couture at UFC 46 in 2004, famously broke down in tears in the cage afterward, wearing a t-shirt with the picture of his sister Priscilla, who had disappeared a few weeks before the fight and has never been found.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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