Rodrigo Nascimento ‘Bears’ His Teeth

Rodrigo Nascimento never wanted the moniker he now carries.

“They call me ‘Ze Colmeia’ in Brazil,” he told Sherdog.com. “Here in the United States, it’s ‘Yogi Bear.’ The nickname came from my gym partners making fun of me when I started training at the Leao Dourado Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Belo Horizonte. Their first suggestion was ‘Rodrigo Komodo,’ like a Komodo dragon. I thought it was awesome. Then someone mentioned that I actually looked like Yogi Bear. I tried to say that was not a good nickname, but I was too late. I was stuck with it.”

All humor aside, Nascimento has done quite well for himself in the oftentimes ruthless sport of mixed martial arts. The 29-year-old Brazilian will ride an 8-1 record into his UFC Fight Night 210 heavyweight showcase opposite Tanner Boser on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. However, Nascimento has yet to revisit the winner’s circle since he made a successful Ultimate Fighting Championship debut with a second-round submission of Don'Tale Mayes in May 2020. After a knockout loss to Chris Daukaus, he saw his UFC on ESPN 26 victory over Alan Baudot thrown out and overturned to a no contest due to a failed drug test. As a result, Nascimento finds himself back at the drawing board.

“It’s in the past now,” the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate said. “Today, I’m more mature, I’m tougher and I have a greater awareness of what I need to be doing.”

Boser will not be an easy hurdle to clear. The rugged Canadian has compiled a 4-3 record across seven appearances in the UFC, with wins over Daniel Spitz, Philipe Lins, Raphael Pessoa and Ovince St. Preux. His losses to Ciryl Gane, Andrei Arlovski and Ilir Latifi all came by decision. In fact, Boser has been finished only once in his 29-fight career.

“He’s a quick striker, a bit lighter than I am,” Nascimento said. “We know his usual gameplan, although he could always try to take it to the mat. I like his fighting style. Ours is a great matchup. He likes to move forward, and so do I. It’s going to be a great fight, no doubt about it.”

Continued training at the powerhouse American Top Team camp in Coconut Creek, Florida, has allowed Nascimento to compartmentalize his thoughts and focus only on the task at hand. Opportunities abound at heavyweight—historically one of the UFC’s most volatile divisions and one ripe for upward movement.

“My plan right now is to win well and get into the Top 15,” said Nascimento, who once worked as a dogsitter to help make ends meet. “Then we can see what’s next.”