Rafael Cavalcante

Rafael Cavalcante's path to Mixed Marital Arts was enabled by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira whose search for a training partner lead to the widely endorsed Cavalcante. When he was 10 years old, Cavalcante started Jiu Jitsu training in his country of origin, Brazil, and throughout his five years as veterinary student. Noguiera convinced Cavalcante's father to let him switch to a career in combat sports from veterinary medicine in Rio De Janiero. With Noguiera's training and financial support, Cavalcante trained regularly in Noguiera's gym with his brother, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira,Anderson Silva, and Andre Galvao. He later adopted the nickname "Feijao"-which means beans in his native Portuguese language. Feijao won his first bout in 2006, initially as a heavyweight, dispatching Eduardo Maiorino within five minutes by TKO at Pantanal Combat. Feijao next fought Miodrag Petkovic in Russia at World Free Fighting Challenge's "Europe vs. Brazil," winning by technical knockout in the second round.