Ex-UFC champion, MMA veterans come up short at 2024 Brazilian elections

Renan Barao | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao and 10 other MMA personalities tried their luck running for seats as city councillors but failed to earn enough votes during the elections on Oct. 6.

Barao, who once reigned as the best 135-pounder, only gathered 253 votes in Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte.

Felipe Arantes, who went 5-6-1 under the UFC banner with his best win being a submission over Yves Jabouin, earned 14.607 votes in São Paulo. Godofredo Pepey, who lost to Arantes by knockout in the octagon back in June of 2013, received 77 votes in Fortaleza.

The second-most voted MMA personality was Chute Boxe leader Rudimar Fedrigo with 3.758 in Curitiba which was also not enough. Former Chute Boxe fighter Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons also ran for a seat in Curitiba, but received only 143 votes. Evangelista Santos, another Chute Boxe veteran, gathered 341 votes in his hometown Rondonopolis.

The least voted MMA figure was 56-fight veteran Paulo Bananada with only 12 votes in Sapé. TUF veteran Delson Heleno received 111 votes in Teresopolis, while Ronys Torres had 472 votes in Manacapuru. Ralph Gracie, with 1.422 votes in Rio de Janeiro, and Tiago Trator, voted for 257 times in Laranjal do Jari, complete the list.