Original Article


Shine Fights has now signed rising brazilian middleweight prospect Raphael "Sapo" Natal (11-2). Natal unveiled signing with the young mixed martial arts organization in an interview for Tatame.

Raphael "Sapo" Natal is a native of Minas Gerais, Brazil and currently trains in New York City as a part of team Gracie fusion. Natal started his martial arts career as primarily in capoeira and later met Vinny Magalhaes in Brazil and began his brazilian jiu jitus training. Under the tutelage of Magalhaes, Sapo has earned himself a black belt in brazilian jiu jitsu.

Natal last saw action when he submitted Allan Weickert by way of rear naked choke for the Denver based Ring of Fire promotion in September of last year. The most notable victory of Natal's career, is when he scored a first round technical knock out victory over UFC and WEC veteran Danillo Villefort.

In an interview for Tatame, Natal stated, " I passed sometime in the end of last year in New Mexico, training on Greg Jackson, and now we are training hard here in NY. The MMA train is excellent, there's 30 guys training in all the weights on the gym of Ricardo Almeida, names as Frankie Edgar, Andre Gusmao, Renzo Gracie, Igor Gracie, Rolles Gracie, Ali, Dante, Chris and many others, almost everyone with scheduled fights."