André_Muniz

André Muniz

André Muniz

Brazilian mixed martial artist (born 1990)


André Muniz de Aguiar (born February 17, 1990) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Quick Facts Born, Other names ...

Background

Born in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Muniz was a very active teenager, which made his mother sign him up for Jiu-Jitsu classes to see if he could get calmer and more disciplined. It worked, Muniz fell in love with martial arts, and started practicing Muay Thai too. His first competition happened when he was 15 years old, a white belt championship in Montes Claros. He began practicing MMA at the age of 19, when he asked his teacher at the time to schedule a fight for him.[5]

Muniz attended Faculdades Unidas do Norte de Minas, from where he graduated with bachelor's degree in physical education with honors.[6]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Muniz started his career travelling back and forth between his hometown and Rio de Janeiro, training with the likes of Thiago Santos and Luis Henrique at Tata Fight Team, and earning extra money on the side as a personal trainer to make ends meet in between fights. Starting off with a decision win over former PRIDE star and WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho at the Bitetti Combat 19 event on February 6, 2014, Muniz would go on to win 10 out of the next 11 bouts between 2014 and 2018, culminating in being offered a chance on Dana White's Contender Series.[7][8]

Dana White's Contender Series

Muniz was invited onto the Brazilian version of DWCS at Dana White's Contender Series Brazil 2 on August 11, 2018. He won a unanimous decision against Bruno Assis, but the win did not win him a UFC contract.[9]

Almost a year later, Muniz returned to DWCS to face undefeated Taylor Johnson at Dana White's Contender Series 23 on August 6, 2019. He finished Johnson via rear-naked choke in the first round, finally winning a UFC contract.[10]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

After two wins in Dana White's Contender Series, Muniz signed with the UFC and made his promotional debut against Antônio Arroyo at UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré on November 16, 2019. He won the fight via unanimous decision.[11]

Muniz made his sophomore appearance against Bartosz Fabiński at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai on September 5, 2020. He won the fight via first-round armbar.[12]

Muniz was scheduled to face Andrew Sanchez at UFC 257 on January 23, 2021.[13] However, Muniz withdrew from the bout and was replaced by Makhmud Muradov.[14]

Muniz faced multiple-time Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Ronaldo Souza at UFC 262 on May 15, 2021.[15] He won the fight via technical submission in the first round after breaking Souza's arm in an armbar, becoming the first person to submit Souza in the process.[16] The feat was widely recognized and named as the Submission of the Year by the mixed martial arts media and also the UFC itself.[17][18][19][20][21]

Muniz was scheduled to face Dricus Du Plessis on December 11, 2021, at UFC 269.[22] However, Du Plessis was removed from the event due to injury and he was replaced by Eryk Anders.[23] He won the fight via an armbar submission in the first round.[24]

Muniz was scheduled to face Uriah Hall on April 16, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 206[25] However, Hall withdrew due to undisclosed reasons,[26] and the bout was cancelled.[27] The bout with Hall was rescheduled for UFC 276 on July 2.[28] He won the bout via unanimous decision.[29]

Muniz faced Brendan Allen on February 25, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 220.[30] He lost the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in round three.[31]

Muniz faced Paul Craig on July 22, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 224.[32] He lost the fight via ground and pound TKO in the second round.[33]

Muniz faced Park Jun-yong on December 9, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 233.[34] He won the fight via split decision.[35] 10 out of 14 media outlets scored the contest for Park.[36]

Muniz was scheduled to face Ikram Aliskerov on June 15, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 242.[37] However, the bout was cancelled because Muniz suffered a foot fracture which caused him to withdraw from the event.[38]

Personal life

Muniz is the father of two daughters. In a December 2021 interview with Sherdog, Muniz said that he used the bonus money that he won for his performance against Bartosz Fabinski at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai to purchase a plot of land where he plans to build a home for his family.[39]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
30 matches 24 wins 6 losses
By knockout 4 5
By submission 15 1
By decision 5 0
More information Res., Record ...

[43]

See also


References

  1. "André Muniz MMA Fighter Page". Tapology. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  2. "Stats | UFC". ufcstats.com. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
  3. Gian Marlon (August 6, 2019). "Sergipano encara mais uma luta no UFC em Las Vegas". onorte.net (in Portuguese).
  4. "Andre Muniz | UFC". www.ufc.com. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  5. "Egresso do curso de Educação Física vence luta e assina contrato com o UFC". funorte.edu.br (in Portuguese). August 12, 2019. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  6. Cruz, Guilherme (2020-09-04). "Andre Muniz finally seen as true professional fighter in hometown after first UFC win". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  7. John Morgan (2018-08-31). "Dana White's Contender Series Brazil 2 results: Three more contracts awarded". mmajunkie.com. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
  8. Martin, Damon (2019-08-06). "Dana White's Contender Series: Season 3, Week 7 Results: 3 fighters awarded UFC contracts". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  9. Josh Evanoff (November 16, 2019). "UFC Sao Paulo Results: Andre Muniz Outgrapples Antonio Arroyo". cagesidepress.com.
  10. Guilherme Cruz (November 19, 2020). "Andre Muniz set to face TUF 23 winner Andrew Sanchez at UFC 257". mmafighting.com.
  11. Guilherme Cruz (March 24, 2021). "'Jacare' Souza vs. Andre Muniz set for UFC 262". mmafighting.com.
  12. Anderson, Jay (2021-05-15). "UFC 262 Results: Andre Muniz Snaps Jacare's Arm in Submission Win". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  13. Ben Duffy (December 27, 2021). "Sherdog's 2021 Submission of the Year". Sherdog.
  14. Jordan Ellis (December 28, 2021). "Submission Of The Year – LowKickMMA 2021 Awards". lowkickmma.com.
  15. Heck, Mike (2021-09-08). "Surging middleweights Andre Muniz, Dricus Du Plessis meet at UFC 269". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  16. Marcel Dorff (2021-11-09). "BREAKING: Eryk Anders vervangt Dricus du Plessis tegen Andre Muniz tijdens UFC 269". MMA DNA (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  17. Behunin, Alex (2021-12-11). "UFC 269: Andre Muniz Taps Eryk Anders, Calls Out Darren Till". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  18. "Hall treft "arm collector" Muniz op 16 april". Eurosport (in Dutch). 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  19. Guilherme Cruz (2022-04-02). "Uriah Hall out of UFC Vegas 51 co-main event, replacement opponent sought for Andre Muniz". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
  20. Farah Hannoun (2022-04-06). "Andre Muniz off UFC on ESPN 34 after Uriah Hall's withdrawal". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  21. Behunin, Alex (23 April 2022). "Uriah Hall vs. Andre Muniz Rebooked For UFC 276 On July 2". Cageside Press. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  22. Doherty, Dan (2022-07-02). "UFC 276: Andre Muniz Smothers Uriah Hall, Enters Top Ten". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
  23. Guilherme Cruz (2022-12-17). "Andre Muniz draws Brendan Allen at Feb. 25 UFC event". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-12-17.
  24. Dewar, Val (2023-02-25). "UFC Vegas 70: Promoted to Main Event, Brendan Allen Submits Andre Muniz". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2023-02-26.
  25. Calhoun, Curtis (2023-05-15). "Paul Craig set for UFC Middleweight debut against ranked contender". MMA News. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  26. Morehouse, Cade (2023-07-22). "UFC London: Paul Craig Finds Smashing Success in Middleweight Debut Against Andre Muniz". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  27. Desk, ITN News (2023-09-28). "Andre Muniz to face Jun Yong Park at UFC China on December 9". www.itnwwe.com. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  28. Dewar, Val (2023-12-10). "UFC Vegas 83: Andre Muniz Edges "Iron Turtle" Jun Yong Park on Scorecards". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  29. Cruz, Guilherme (2024-05-30). "Andre Muniz injured, out of UFC Vegas 93 fight with Ikram Aliskerov". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2024-05-31.
  30. Stein, Christian (2021-12-09). "7 Questions for Andre Muniz". Sherdog. Retrieved 2021-12-12. I'm a father to two daughters. In Brazil, athletes usually go through many difficulties, but I've always had my feet firmly planted on the ground. With that bonus, I bought a plot of land on which to build my home.
  31. Stephie Haynes (2020-09-05). "UFC Vegas 9 post-fight bonuses: OSP stops Menifield for POTN honors". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  32. Sherdog.com. "Andre Muniz". Sherdog. Retrieved 2020-08-07.

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