Andre Pederneiras Steps Down From Team Nova Uniao

Andre Pederneiras is no longer the leader and/or head coach at Team Nova Uniao, ending a two decade plus run in that role.

The longtime head honcho of Team Nova Uniao coached many of the best fighters from the country of Brazil, including former UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo and former UFC Bantamweight Champion Renan Barao among others.

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Pederneiras made the announcement himself through Instagram:

 

 

Amigos, Hoje foi divulgado, oficialmente, o meu desligamento da equipe Nova União e eu queria dizer aqui algumas palavras para vocês. A decisão de sair da liderança da Nova União aconteceu após a abertura da Upper Arena, que vem funcionando como centro de treinamento da Nova União há dois anos. Minha ideia é tornar a Upper Arena um ambiente neutro para treinamento de alto nível de atletas de outras equipes também, e não somente da Nova União. Quero montar o maior e melhor centro de treinamento de artes marciais do país, ajudando a evolução do esporte no Brasil, além de trabalhar o lado social, passar meu conhecimento de 30 anos dedicados ao esporte, tanto à luta quanto à parte administrativa, para aqueles que quiserem aprender. Foram 21 anos de muitas realizações e conquistas na Nova União, agora pretendo investir em novos sonhos! Sei que pode parecer loucura para alguns, mas eu acho que tudo que eu fiz no seu início pareceu loucura! Então eu conto com o apoio e com a torcida de todos vocês para que esta seja uma nova fase vitoriosa! Não somente para mim, mas para o esporte e para o nosso país, que eu tanto amo! Um grande abraço, Dedé Pederneiras

A post shared by André Pederneiras (@dede_pederneiras) on Jun 29, 2018 at 3:56pm PDT

Here is a translation of what Pederneiras wrote via Google Translate:

Friends,

Today, I officially announced my resignation from the Nova União team and I wanted to say a few words here for you.

The decision to leave the leadership of Nova União came after the opening of the Upper Arena, which has been serving as a Nova Union training center for two years.

My idea is to make the Upper Arena a neutral environment for high-level training of athletes from other teams as well, not just Nova União.

I want to set up the largest and best martial arts training center in the country, helping the evolution of the sport in Brazil, as well as working on the social side, passing on my knowledge of 30 years dedicated to sports, both for the fight and for the administrative part, for those who want to learn.

It's been 21 years of many accomplishments and achievements in Nova União, now I intend to invest in new dreams! I know it sounds crazy to some, but I think everything I did at the beginning seemed crazy! So I count on the support and cheer of all of you for this to be a new victorious phase! Not only for me, but for the sport and for our country, which I love so much!

Up next for Pederneiras is the new gym he had opened called Upper Arena, which he hopes will bring together fighters from all over the world and from other teams to train together.