Andre Pederneiras plans to retire as head coach, cornerman this year

Andre Pederneiras, one of the best coaches in MMA today, will no longer be seen in fighters’ corners in 2016.

Co-founder of jiu-jitsu and MMA team Nova Uniao and president of Shooto Brazil, Pederneiras has a busy schedule with dozens of fighters competing around the world, including UFC and Bellator stars Jose Aldo, Renan Barao, Junior dos Santos and Eduardo Dantas, and decided to step away from being the head coach at Nova Uniao.

“I will continue to teach them in the gym, to follow them in the gym, but I want to stop being the head coach,” Pederneiras told PVT. “Other kids in the gym will do this. Each one will take care of a group.

“I’m not saying I will ever go (to a fight) again, but this will reduce my travels to almost zero. There are so many fighters and I can’t just go to one’s fights and deny to others, which is happening today and makes me upset.”

Nova Uniao currently has 12 athletes signed with the UFC and two title fights booked for the next months, Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor and T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao.

Fighters like Marlon Sandro and Leonardo Santos often play the role of cornerman for teammates when Pederneiras isn’t available to travel for fights, but “Dede” will continue to manage fighters.

“I will complete 1000 fights as a coach this year, so I thought that this is a good number to go and say ‘it’s good, I’ve done my job as a cornerman and I want to stay at backstage now’,” he said. “I will become a consultant for Nova Uniao, that’s my goal today, and continue to manage the fighters.”

Andre Pederneiras, one of the best coaches in MMA today, will no longer be seen in fighters’ corners in 2016.

Co-founder of jiu-jitsu and MMA team Nova Uniao and president of Shooto Brazil, Pederneiras has a busy schedule with dozens of fighters competing around the world, including UFC and Bellator stars Jose Aldo, Renan Barao, Junior dos Santos and Eduardo Dantas, and decided to step away from being the head coach at Nova Uniao.

“I will continue to teach them in the gym, to follow them in the gym, but I want to stop being the head coach,” Pederneiras told PVT. “Other kids in the gym will do this. Each one will take care of a group.

“I’m not saying I will ever go (to a fight) again, but this will reduce my travels to almost zero. There are so many fighters and I can’t just go to one’s fights and deny to others, which is happening today and makes me upset.”

Nova Uniao currently has 12 athletes signed with the UFC and two title fights booked for the next months, Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor and T.J. Dillashaw vs. Renan Barao.

Fighters like Marlon Sandro and Leonardo Santos often play the role of cornerman for teammates when Pederneiras isn’t available to travel for fights, but “Dede” will continue to manage fighters.

“I will complete 1000 fights as a coach this year, so I thought that this is a good number to go and say ‘it’s good, I’ve done my job as a cornerman and I want to stay at backstage now’,” he said. “I will become a consultant for Nova Uniao, that’s my goal today, and continue to manage the fighters.”