Renato Canuto booked for ONE Championship debut

Elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor Renato Canuto is set to make his ONE Championship submission grappling debut. On Friday, August 26, Canuto will take on Valdir Rodrigues in a submission-only match at ONE 160.

Canuto confirmed the booking on Instagram.

Known for his acrobatic guard passes and flying armbars, Canuto is one of the most entertaining grapplers in the world. More than just an entertainer, Canuto is also an accomplished competitor. He was a 2017 IBJJF no-gi world champion, a 2021 IBJJF world champion, as well as a Kasai Pro and Third Coast Grappling grand prix champion. Canuto holds recent notable wins over the likes of Jake Shields (via flying armbar), no-gi world champion Jeferson Guaresi, and European Open champion Levi Jones-Leary.

Rodrigues is the lesser-known competitor compared to Canuto. He is an accomplished IBJJF competitor and currently an instructor at Evolve MMA in Singapore.

ONE 160 takes place on Friday, August 26. Canuto vs. Rodrigues will be held on the preliminary card.

Ben Coate

Ben has been involved with grappling, whether through wrestling or Brazilian jiu-jitsu, essentially his entire life. After wrestling throughout his childhood, Ben found Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a young adult and quickly fell in love. He has been training for over ten years and holds the rank of black belt, and remains involved in both the MMA and BJJ scene. Ben has been writing about combat sports since 2017. He has interviewed and profiled some of MMA's biggest stars, including multiple UFC champions.

Ben Coate has 1215 posts and counting. See all posts by Ben Coate