“I was born deep in rural Brazil, in a town with just a few thousand inhabitants. It was impossible to become a fighter there. There were no academies. Around 2003 or 2004, we’d all get together to watch fight promotions like Pride Fighting Championships on TV. In 2008, the movie ‘Never Back Down’ came out. It awakened in me the hunger to become a fighter,” he told Sherdog.com in his native Portuguese.
Karate classes were followed by jiu-jitsu and eventually MMA.
“I had my pro debut in 2013. I got ready by myself. I did a lot of learning via the Internet. I took my first few fights in the regional scene just stay active.”
A flyweight title fight headlines PFL Chicago: Tune in on Friday, Oct. 16 at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.
Do Nascimento further sharpened his skills at X-Gym in Rio de Janeiro under coach Josuel Distak. His planned move to Los Angeles in 2018 did not materialize, although a friend, Bellator MMA veteran Weber Almeida, had already relocated. While waiting for a work visa appointment, Do Nascimento focused on working and saving money. He spent years laboring six days a week as a diver for a gold mining operation in Brazil’s interior.
Rafael do Nascimento's journey from Brazilian gold mines to Sarvarjon Khamidov at PFL Chicago
With money saved and a work visa in hand, he arrived in Los Angeles in 2022, contacted promoter and manager Ed Soares and joined Legacy Fighting Alliance. “Mulisha” went 6-2 in LFA, earning three first-round submissions and a second-round knockout.
INSANE CALF SLICER FROM Rafael do Nascimento #LFA199 https://t.co/lNRumZwIiD— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) January 11, 2025
Do Nascimento then won his Professional Fighters League debut by submitting former PFL Europe champion Lewis McGrillen-Evans.
He faces another test next.
Do Nascimento will meet Tajikistan’s Sarvarjon Khamidov (17-1) at PFL Chicago 2 on Oct. 16 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Another training camp at California Mixed Martial Arts in Southern California, with its talented sparring partners, has him feeling confident.
“I did my camp at CMMA. I’m a bantamweight but I train with featherweights and lightweights. My training partners include Rafael"Coxinha" Barbosa who fights in Pancrase, Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters Victor Henry and Chris Padilla, as well as Gabriel Braga and LFA champ Erick Visconde. It’s a strong team, both in grappling and striking. You can be sure I’ll put on a great show and my arm will be raised in the end.”
Do Nascimento acknowledges Khamidov’s skills but takes issue with his opponent’s conduct.
“My opponent is a cheat. He’s not a professional. He didn’t make weight for his last fight [a win against Justin Wetzell]. And he uses steroids to win fights.”
Sports.tj, a Tajik sports news website, reported that Khamidov failed a doping test following his 2023 Bellator bout against Kevin Petshi.
Do Nascimento didn’t hold back.
“I’ll put a beatdown on that son of a bitch. I’ll teach him to respect a miner. He’s never faced someone like me. And it doesn’t bother me if the odds are against me. I’m the underdog in every fight. I know that he has good wrestling. He likes to get takedowns and drop punches from the top. But, whether on the feet or on the ground, I’ll beat his face. He’s standing in my way. I’m on my way to PFL gold.”