PH alongside coach Renato Dominguez (Photo: Future MMA)
Paulo Henrique, or just “PH Laia” as he is known, has been gaining more and more prominence within the Brazilian MMA scene. An athlete at RD Champions, where he trains with master Renato Dominguez, the fighter arrived on the team through a social project carried out by professor Paulo Josino in Rio de Janeiro. Paulo soon impressed in training, and despite the difficulties he faces due to his hearing impairment, the fighter has emerged as one of the big names in his category in Brazil.
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“Without a doubt, Paulo is a great example of overcoming, he is a great warrior, head of the family, father of twins, he trains every day, and he really believes in his dream. Today he is emerging as one of the best lightweights in the country”, declared Renato, Paulo Laia’s trainer
At 29 years old, Paulo has 10 wins and just 4 losses in his promising career. A specialist in the ground game, the fighter won 4 of the last 5 matches he played in his career. In the best phase since he started in mixed martial arts, Paulo currently occupies third place in the ranking that classifies the best fighters in the country in the lightweight division, and still appears in the top 15 in the weight-for-weight list.
“My son has always been a fighter, since he was born, for me it was no surprise because he was always a warrior, it couldn't be any different to become a professional fighter and make it his life. It's all very difficult for everyone, because we went through a lot of things when he was younger, so we always have that worry, we get nervous, but we are always sure that he is already a winner”, declared Paulo's mother when talking about the pride of the family.
Raised in Madureira, Paulo as a teenager ended up getting into fights because of his hearing loss and difficulty in communicating, but he soon gained maturity and through sport in Paulo Josino's social project he knew how to direct his energy to MMA. With an eye on great challenges in his career, the athlete's big dream is to sign with the UFC, an event in which Matt Hamill, a deaf fighter who shone in the organization between 2006 and 2023, has already had.
“My biggest dream as a fighter is to reach the biggest fighting event in the world and my biggest personal/professional dream is to have more people like me in the world of fighting and sports, being recognized for their talents and not for their disabilities. I'm deaf and I want to be recognized as the great fighter that I am and not just because I'm deaf and with the recognition of all the effort and work, I can make all my family's dreams come true, be able to have my own home and give everything I couldn't have to my loved ones. my children”, declared Paulo when communicating through sign language.
In his last appearance in the cage, Paulo defeated Felipe Cruz by submission (rear naked choke) in one of the main fights of Road to Future 3, which took place in August. With his eye on his eleventh win and the position of best lightweight playing in Brazil, the fighter will face Marcus Rodrigues “Tizim Gladiador” at Arena Global 14, an event that takes place on October 09th in Rio de Janeiro, the duel will be valid by the organization's lightweight title.
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