Alex Andrade : El Toro , The Lion You Probably Never Saw

Im going to go out on a limb here. I think Alex "El Toro" Andrade is the most unknown of the good original Lions Den fighters. I saw Alex and Guy Mezger the most when I boxed and cross trained, Alex was a thick Light Heavyweight who was one of the nicest guys in the gym. Whenever my boxing instructor couldnt make it he would do the pads with me.

Alex Andrade debuted in the MMA world in 1995 with a submission to punches loss on a little card show. He then teamed up with the Lions Den and trained for 2 years. In 1997 Alex returned in Pacrase 7 against Satoshi Hasegawa, a tough Pancrase vet. Alex won a clear cut decision and earned his first MMA win in a 10 minute fight.

Then at World Pancration Championship 2 Alex faced Paul Lazenby (1-7). It wasnt even close and Alex knocked out Lazenby, this fight showed how much progress he had made IMO, from tapping to punches to taking out a can like he was supposed to.

Later in 1998 Alex faces Osami Shibuya at Pancrase 6, Shibuya was one tough mo fo and had over 70 MMA fights. 38-33-16 record. Alex controls the stand up and the ground. He wins a 10 minute decision. It is Alex's biggest win to date and he is know 3-1. Alex is ready for the UFC.

At UFC 26 Alex is facing Amauri Bitetti (5-2). Before the fight Alex is told he can either wear his shoe's and not kick or take the shoes off and throw kicks. Alex and the Lions Den camp decide he should wear the shoe's for traction. The fight starts and Alex is dominating it, only one problem, he is instinctively throwing leg kicks. He is warned several times by Big Johns but cant stop.

The 2nd round starts and Alex is clearly winning and nearly knocked Bitetti out, then it happens, 43 seconds into the 2nd round Alex throws another damn leg kick. he is the first fighter to ever be disqualified in the UFC. Alex is know 3-2.

Alex then goes to King of the Cage for KOTC 7 and he gets back on the winning track going full circle by making Yusuke Imamura submit from strikes in the first round. Alex is 4-2.

It is 2001 and Alex goes to Pride for Pride 18, he is facing the toughest opponent of his career. Murilo Ninja Rua. In a good fight that go's the distance Rua is the clear winner, but I will always be impressed with how game Alex was. This was the fight for me that solidified him as a tough guy, he went 15 minutes with Rua and in 2001 I was sure this meant good things to come from Alex.

I was wrong, Alex didnt get a fight for another 6 years, making his return in 2007,Alex retired citing short notice and not good enough paydays, he became a trainer. but either way Alex came back with Art of War he started by knocking out Klas Akesson (8-3), then submitting Brandon McDowell (31-26) in just over a minute via heel hook. Alex then knocked out Fabiano Capioni (4-4-1). Going 3-0 in his comeback year (2007) and racking his record up to 7-3.

Alex decides to go to Ring of Combat and faces Krzystof Soszynski (19-9-1) honestly, Alex made the Polish Experiment look average and normal, able to relegate Soszynski to being stuck in clinches. Just one problem, Alex's knee's in the clinch kept landing low. After a point deduction, same thing happens, Soszynski gets stuck in a clinch (he couldnt take Alex down) Alex lands the last nut shot knee and he is disqualified for the 2nd time in his career.

Alex then wins a decision over John Troyer (10-3) in a fight that was for the RFL Light heavyweight Championship, Alex controls all 5 rounds but couldnt finish Troyer. Still a good win for Alex and nice to see him back on winning track. Alex is 8-4.

In 2009 Alex signed with Bellator. In his first bout against James Damien Stelly (10-3), Alex didnt look his normal self and lost a unanimous decision. Especially after looking so good against Troyer. When Stelly got knocked out a month later I worried Alex was done. But he rebounded well.

Against Christian Fulgium (6-5) Alex scored a 2nd round knockout to get back on the wining track. He looked better than in to Stelly fight and somewhat out of his funk IMO. Then at Art of War against Eric "Big Head" Davila (10-6) Alex was in maybe the most entertaining fight of his life.

Davila opened a nasty cut instantly on Alex, it only made Alex fight harder and the two traded bombs until Alex got Davila to the ground. Tra Telligman did a good job in the corner after round 1 and they got Alex's cut under control. Then in the 2nd his cut was opened back up but Davila was begining to tire from leg kicks, clinch knee's, and the stand up, Alex takes him down and works him over good. finally in the 3rd round Alex gets a takedown and the leg. Davilla taps.

Alex is 10-5, he hasnt fought since but I am sure he will. Good tough fighter who got screwed in his big chance (UFC 26), should have got another shot IMO and is a tough out for anybody as Rua, Shibuya and Soszynski can attest. One of the original Lions Den vets and if ou have old UFC's you can see him whenever a Lions Denner was fighting. He is the guy in the hispanic guy going crazy in the Pete Williams celebration. Nice guy and good fighter.

and heres what it was all about in the old days folks

Vintage Alex and Mark Coleman in 98

Coleman came to Lions Dento train for better stamina and submission and basically got his ego torn down.

He shared tips and pointers and taught Lions Denners more wrestling

thats what the old days was about cross breeding and camps and fighters working together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-uC3FNuYdI

same with when Maurice Smith came, he learned the ground and taught Muay hai and kick boxing

Oleg learned submission and taught them Sambo

any other fighter been DQ'd twice or more???? just curious

Birdofthad wrote:

any other fighter been DQ'd twice or more???? just curious

Gilbert Yvel has three I think.

nice add thessy, thanks for that
hope you enjoyed the read

nice bird I remember ALex in the old days, Didnt know about the comeback. What are his opponants overall records?

Also seeing TUFF I question Kens game plans. The UFC story reminds me the same way, IF Andrade throws tons of kicks why stop that before the fight?

He could throw the kicks in pride I believe

Alex's opponents had a combined record of 184-137-21