Rising from the Slums

Shady Promoters

Anyone who saw Hollywood’s super-produced film “The Incredible Hulk” could get an idea of the dimensions of the Rocinha favela, the largest in Latin America with some 120,000 inhabitants. In the movie, Bruce Banner lived there while he was hiding out in Rio de Janeiro.

Only aerial images showed the real Rocinha, because the scenes of persecution in the film had to take place in another favela -- one of the few in Rio where the power of drug dealers is not so great. In Rocinha, as well as many of the 730 other favelas in Rio dominated by drug dealers, it has become increasingly difficult to hold an event that does not first have to meet the approval of the criminals. Still, MMA thrives.

Fascinated by vale tudo -- which attracts more practitioners in Rocinha every day -- the drug dealers decided to promote the Rocinha Fight event on Aug. 2. Before the event, media professionals were asked by one of the organizers not to take pictures of the VIP area under any circumstances. There, near the ring, sat the favela “owners.”

The show went off without incident. No gun-toting drug dealers were seen, but the event produced some questionable moments. After being knocked out, a local fighter received a “second chance” and eventually submitted his opponent with a guillotine choke.

The favela in Rio das Pedras may be one of the few not dominated by drug dealers, but the “militias” -- ex-policemen who charge residents a fee for blocking the entry of drug dealers -- promote their own MMA events. Eduardo Pachú was the great name behind two shows held there. Thanks to his impressive victories, he was catapulted into the Fury Fighting Championship lightweight tournament, which, in turn, could lead to international opportunities.

“I believe more events will emerge in Brazil, in the favelas and other places,” Pachu says. “We have many talented people but only a few events for them.”

With so many athletes living in communities, it seems only fair that more opportunities would come their way. However, events organized by militia and drug dealers carry a lot of baggage with them. Ultimately, the sport can only lose with such shady promotion.