The Rise of Toquinho
Rousimar Palhares is a rising star in the UFC middleweight division. Appropriately nicknamed Toquinho, Portuguese for "little tree stump", Palhares has earned a reputation as one of the most feared grapplers in the UFC. In his most recent outing at UFC 142 Brazil he quickly disposed of Mike Massenzio via heel hook submission. Everyone, including Massenzio, expected Palhares to go for the leg lock early and often, and so it went. He has now finished 4 of his last 6 UFC fights with his notoriously lethal leg lock submissions. The future of Toquinho now looks bright, but it wasn't always so. Born to a poor family in the Brazilian countryside, Palhares began working at the age of 7 in order to help his family survive. At times he went without food or a roof over his head. Yet, like so many great Brazilian champions, he found his way out of poverty and into a better life through martial arts. The story of Rousimar Palhares' is yet another inspirational testament to the remarkable power of mixed martial arts to transform lives. Check out the video below for an inside look at Toquinho's journey.
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