Raush Manfio | |
Other Names: | Cavalo de Guerra |
Birth Name: | Raush Manfio Lourenco |
Birth Date: | 3 November 1991 |
Birth Place: | Porto Alegre, Brazil |
Height: | 172 cm |
Weight: | 70 kg |
Weight Class: | Lightweight Featherweight |
Reach: | 185 cm |
Fighting Out Of: | Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
Team: | American Top Team Team Nogueira |
Years Active: | 2011–present |
Mma Kowin: | 8 |
Mma Decwin: | 9 |
Mma Subloss: | 1 |
Mma Decloss: | 5 |
Sherdog: | 109031 |
Raush Manfio Lourenço[1] [2] (born November 3, 1991) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional since 2011, Manfio is most notable for winning the 2021 Professional Fighters League Lightweight tournament. Fight Matrix had him ranked a top 10 lightweight in the world in May 2022.[3]
Manfio was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil on November 3, 1991. Raush, a professional MMA fighter since 2011, initially lived a carefree lifestyle as a "playboy" in Brazil. After a setback in the TUF Brasil qualifiers, he sought improvement, joining American Top Team in Florida. Struggling with finances and unable to bring his wife initially, the church community stepped in to help, allowing her to join him. Despite early success in Titan FC, visa issues and financial struggles followed. Raush took odd jobs, learning construction skills, and faced setbacks, including a title loss. Frustratingly, he went without fights for three years, facing financial difficulties with a growing family.[4] [5] Despite contemplating a career change, Raush's wife, Michele, urged him to persist. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened their situation in 2020. Considering a shift away from fighting, Raush gave himself an ultimatum, planning to quit with his manager's encouragement. However, his manager insisted on one more month, supporting him financially and expressing belief in his potential championship. He was eventually signed as a late replacement for the PFL season.[6] [7] [8]
Manfio is best friends with two-time PFL Lightweight champion Natan Schulte. Schulte is the godfather of Manfio’s daughter.[9]
Manfio began competing in professional MMA in 2011 in his native Brazil, with a win against Demetro Borges in Brazil's Valiant FC 8 promotion.
In March 2015, it was announced that Manfio was one of the fighters selected to be on the UFC reality show .[10] Manfio was eliminated by eventual lightweight season winner Glaico França.[11]
After losing on the Ultimate Fighter, He found his way to American Top Team with the support of MMA veteran Carlos Barreto, and it was during this time that he received a glimmer of hope from a friend's promise of sponsorship. It seemed like a lifeline to continue his journey in the U.S.
However, the promise of sponsorship turned out to be a mirage. With no money and no options, Manfio made a bold choice to leave the U.S. behind. But fate had other plans. As he lived in one of the apartments provided by ATT and befriended Adriano Moraes, a ONE Championship fighter, an unexpected opportunity presented itself. Moraes needed a cornerman for his fight in Myanmar, and Manfio stepped up.
That experience reignited Manfio's passion for fighting, and it was through Moraes' manager, Alex Davis, that he received an offer that changed his trajectory. A fight at Titan FC was on the table, and Manfio seized it.
He debuted in the United States at Titan FC in 2016.[12] From November 2017 to June 2018, he held the role of Titan FC lightweight champion, after defeating Chazz Walton via knockout in the first round.[13] He lost the title to Sidney Outlaw at Titan FC 50.[14] However, a disappointing loss and inadequate compensation for his efforts forced him to take a job in construction to fund his work visa. Before signing with PFL, Manfio hadn't fought in three years and was working teaching MMA and as a janitor.[15]
Manfio made his PFL debut as a short notice replacement for Olivier Aubin-Mercier against Joilton Lutterbach on April 23, 2021 at PFL 1.[16] He won the bout via split decision.
After being initially booked as a short notice replacement for Mikhail Odintsov against his teammate Natan Schulte at PFL 4 on June 10, 2021, Manfio was later rebooked against Anthony Pettis at PFL 6 on June 25, 2021 after Pettis pulled out of his previous bout due to illness.[17] Manfio won the close bout via split decision.[18]
In the semi-finals of the Lightweight tournament, Manfio faced Clay Collard on August 13, 2021 at PFL 7.[19] Manfio won the bout via unanimous decision.[20]
Manfio faced Loik Radzhabov in the Finals of the Lightweight tournament on 27 October 2021 at PFL 10.[21] He won the bout via unanimous decision, winning the 2021 PFL Lightweight Tournament and $1 million dollar prize.[22]
In February 2021, YouTuber Jake Paul hired Manfio to spar with him in preparation for Paul's fight against former Bellator and ONE Welterweight Champion Ben Askren.[23] As of 2022, Manfio trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida.[24] [25]
Manfio faced Don Madge on April 23, 2022 at PFL 1.[26] In a comeback fashion, Manfio won the bout after dropping Madge in the third round and finishing with ground and pound.[27] [28]
Manfio faced Olivier Aubin-Mercier on June 17, 2022 at PFL 4.[29] He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[30]
Manfio started off the 2023 season against Alex Martinez on April 14, 2023, at PFL 3.[31] He won the bout via unanimous decision.[32]
Manfio faced Natan Schulte on June 23, 2023 at PFL 6.[33] Manfio lost via a unanimous decision in a fight that saw both men, who openly state to be best friends, refuse to engage.[34] Following the fight, PFL suspended both fighters, saying in a statement that "All fighters in their PFL Fight Agreements agree to use their best efforts ... skills and abilities as a professional athlete to compete ... and defeat any opponent. It was very clear that Natan and Raush did not meet that contractual standard in yesterday’s bout."[35]
On October 6, 2023, Manfio announced on his social media that he was no longer with PFL.[36]
|-|Loss|align=center|17–6|Dan Moret|Submission (rear-naked choke)|XFC: Detroit Grand Prix 2||align=center|1|align=center|0:59|Detroit, Michigan, United States||-|Loss|align=center| 17–5|Natan Schulte|Decision (unanimous)|PFL 6 (2023)||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Atlanta, Georgia, United States||-|Win|align=center| 17–4|Alexander Martinez|Decision (unanimous)|PFL 3 (2023)||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center| 16–4|Olivier Aubin-Mercier|Decision (unanimous)|PFL 4 (2022)||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Atlanta, Georgia, United States||-|Win|align=center| 16–3|Don Madge|TKO (punches)|PFL 1 (2022)||align=center| 3|align=center| 2:42|Arlington, Texas, United States| |-|Win|align=center| 15–3|Loik Radzhabov|Decision (unanimous)|PFL 10 (2021) ||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Hollywood, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 14–3|Clay Collard|Decision (unanimous)|PFL 7 (2021) ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Hollywood, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 13–3|Anthony Pettis|Decision (split)|PFL 6 (2021) ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States||-|Win|align=center| 12–3|Joilton Lutterbach|Decision (split)|PFL 1 (2021) ||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States||-|Loss|align=center| 11–3|Sidney Outlaw|Decision (unanimous)|Titan FC 50||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 11–2|Lee Henry Lilly|Decision (unanimous)|Titan FC 48||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Coral Gables, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 10–2|Chazz Walton|KO (punch)|Titan FC 46||align=center| 1|align=center| 3:08|Pembroke Pines, United States||-|Win|align=center| 9–2|Martin Brown|Decision (unanimous)|Titan FC 45||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States||-|Loss|align=center| 8–2|Matt Frevola|Decision (unanimous)|Titan FC 43||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Coral Gables, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 8–1|Demarques Jackson|TKO (punches and elbows)|Titan FC 41||align=center| 3|align=center| 1:42|Coral Gables, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 7–1|Luis Zequeira|KO (knee)|Titan FC 39||align=center| 2|align=center| 4:52|Coral Gables, Florida, United States||-|Win|align=center| 6–1|Douglas Saraiva|TKO (doctor stoppage)|Gringo Super Fight 10||align=center| 1|align=center| 5:00|Nova Iguaçu, Brazil||- |Win|align=center| 5–1|Oton Jasse|Decision (unanimous)|Face to Face 6||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil||- |Loss|align=center| 4–1|Fernando dos Santos|Decision (unanimous)|Watch Out Combat Show 29||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil||-|Win|align=center| 4–0|Patrick Gomes Silva|Decision (unanimous)|Circuito Team Nogueira de MMA 3||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil||-|Win|align=center| 3–0|Tiago Rocha|TKO (punches)|Conquista Kombat Championship||align=center| 2|align=center| 0:53|Vitória da Conquista, Brazil||-|Win|align=center| 2–0|Marcilio Villas Boas|KO (knee)|Black Belt Fight||align=center|1|align=center|N/A|Vitória da Conquista, Brazil||- |Win|align=center| 1–0|Demetro Borges|KO (knee)|Valiant Fighters Championship 8||align=center| 3|align=center| 2:49|Ribeirão Preto, Brazil||-
| Loss| align=center| 0–1| Glaico França| Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)| | February 2, 2015| align=center| 2| align=center| 2:46| Las Vegas, United States| [37]