Yuri Simoes has made a successful return to MMA, securing his first professional victory at EMC Talents – after several years away from the sport.
A three-time ADCC world champion, Simoes had previously competed twice under ONE Championship, debuting in 2020 before returning for a second bout in 2022.
Both matches ended in defeat, leaving him with an 0-2 record and raising questions about whether he would continue in MMA.
His first fight came against experienced veteran Fan Rong, where he lost a unanimous decision.
In his second appearance, he faced undefeated Daniyal Zainalov in a closely contested bout, ultimately dropping a split decision.
Following those setbacks, Simoes shifted his focus back to grappling, where he found immediate success, including winning the ADCC 2022 absolute division.
Now returning to MMA, Simoes took on professional boxer Bojan Cestic and approached the fight with urgency.
He secured an early takedown, quickly establishing top control and beginning to land strikes.
From there, Simoes transitioned smoothly into an arm triangle choke, forcing a submission and earning his first professional win, improving his record to 1-2.
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