As far as MMA introductions go, it’s hard to top the masterclass a group happy-looking children and teenagers from social projects in Rio de Janeiro got this past Saturday.
As part of the celebrations of the one-year anniversary the 2016 Olympic Games held in Rio, former PRIDE heavyweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira was joined by six active UFC fighters in teaching the free class, held at the venue that hosted basketball competitions at the Olympics.
Former strawweight title challenger Jessica Andrade, flyweight Alexandre Pantoja, lightweight Alan Patrick, strawweight Poliana Botelho and middleweights Vitor Miranda and Thiago Santos all shared some knowledge.
“Social actions like these bring the children closer to martial arts and work as motivation for them to follow this path, as many have little access to sports,” Nogueira stated. “I believe that, by allowing direct access with idols such as UFC fighters, we help both the self-esteem and the development of these children.
“I’ve been working with this for a while and I understand how much the engagement between sports and social projects benefits the future of or country.”
Did the kids enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience? Check out the photos in the gallery above and decide for yourself.
For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
The Blue Corner is MMAjunkie‘s official blog and is edited by Mike Bohn.
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