Rafael Cordeiro


Rafael Cordeiro is a Brazilian mixed martial arts coach and founder of MMA Gym, Kings MMA. He is best known for training multiple MMA world champions.

History

Cordeiro was a fighter affiliated with the Chute Boxe Academy where he participated in mixed martial arts and Muay Thai. He was three-time Brazilian Muay Thai champion and lightweight champion at the International Vale Tudo Championship.
In 1999, Cordeiro stopped competing professionally and started his career as a full-time coach at Chute Boxe where would remain until 2009. In 2008 he moved to the United States and in 2010 opened his own gym, Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California.
Cordeiro has won the 2012 and 2016 coach of the year awards for MMA.
In 2019, during the weigh-ins for UFC 244, the NYSAC "determined that Kelvin Gastelum made contact with another person while on the scale, a violation of the weigh in policy". This was because he was in contact with Cordeiro, who was his coach for the bout. As a result, Gastelum and Rafael Cordeiro were fined $1,000 and $200 respectively by New York State Athletic Commission.
In 2020, Cordeiro was trainer and cornerman to the former boxing world heavyweight champion, Mike Tyson for his exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr.

Notable students

Mixed martial arts