RIO DE JANEIRO — There was a time when Nova Uniao had three belts in the two biggest MMA promotions in the world, with Jose Aldo and Renan Barao holding UFC titles and Eduardo Dantas ruling the Bellator bantamweight division. The scenario has changed in 2017, but the team is about to enter a new era.
Aldo, Barao and Dantas dominated their divisions training at the top of Andre Pederneiras’ Upper gym in Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro. It wasn’t a space exclusive for professional fighters, so it wasn’t rare to see them training surrounded by white belts who had desire to compete professionally.