‘I will honor his name’: Chute Boxe pays tribute to late UFC fighter Allan Nascimento

The Chute Boxe team in São Paulo is honoring the legacy of UFC flyweight Allan Nascimento, who died unexpectedly on August 3 at age 34, seemingly from a heart attack in his sleep. A month after his passing, his coach, teammates, and fellow fighters are vowing to carry his name and values forward both inside and outside the octagon.

Diego Lima, who has coached Nascimento since he was 14 years old, announced that his MMA institute will be renamed the Allan Nascimento Institute in perpetuity. Lima described Nascimento as far more than a student—he was a business partner and co-manager of fighters, handling crucial management affairs and emails. The two had planned for Nascimento to eventually take over Lima's coaching responsibilities when Lima retired, allowing them to work together for decades to come.

"There hasn't been a single day when I haven't cried," Lima told MMA Fighting. "As long as I live, I will honor his name."

Nascimento's impact extended throughout the gym. Norma Dumont, a UFC bantamweight who trained alongside him, described him as an exemplar of discipline, honor, and integrity both on and off the mats. Apollo Gomes, an MMA prospect competing for a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series on September 8, pledged to dedicate his fight victory to Nascimento, saying, "You can be sure that I'm going to carry his story with me in there."

Other UFC fighters from Chute Boxe—Marco Tulio and Elves Brener among them—echoed similar sentiments, praising Nascimento as a principled man who led by example and generously supported his teammates. Nascimento compiled a 6-fight UFC record, most recently losing a split decision to Mitch Raposo in June. His teammates are determined to represent his legacy with every victory they earn.