Retired UFC Fighter Rafael Natal Crosses Over into MMA Management
Retired UFC middleweight Rafael Natal hung up his gloves last year but he’ll still be very involved in the world of mixed martial arts after signing onto lead the Brazil branch of Dominance MMA management.
Natal is the latest fighter to crossover into MMA management, joining former UFC champion Miesha Tate, who also started handling several athletes’ careers after she retired in 2016.
I want to make a special announcement. Welcome former UFC middleweight @rafaelsaponatal he's the president of dominance MMA brazil. He will run the brazil division of management to help many Brazilian fighters and give them opportunity to fight in the @ufc pic.twitter.com/4NHSfj4PdD
— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) January 10, 2018
Natal will head up the Brazil arm of the management team led by Ali Abdel-Aziz, who actually represented the UFC middleweight throughout his career.
According to Abdel-Aziz, Natal has returned to live in Brazil full time after residing in New York for many years where he trained under coach Renzo Gracie at his academy in Manhattan. Abdel-Aziz added that he hopes to help many of his fighters cross over into new careers after fighting is finished with Natal being the latest example as he begins working in MMA management.
“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Natal said. “A lot of the young Brazilian fighters need good representation and this is my chance to help them get to the next level just like I did during my career.”
Dominance MMA represents a huge list of fighters currently competing in the UFC including Frankie Edgar, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Marlon Moraes, Fabricio Werdum and Derek Brunson.
Natal will now head up the new Brazil branch of the management team as he looks to add new talent to the roster while helping to guide the fighters’ careers from the earliest stages all the way to where they will be competing in organizations like the UFC.
