The International Vale Tudo Championship is set to hold its event for the first time in nearly a decade, bringing back the classic ruleset and only 30-minute rounds.
IVC founder and president Sergio Battarelli told MMA Fighting that they are aiming to hold the card around September or October in Sao Paulo, Brazil. IVC has not held an event since 2016. Valle Tudo Set the rule set to Unified Rules.
“I've been wanting to do this for a while,” Battarelli said. “I'm back. [in 2016] However, he gave up because he had to follow modern MMA rules and things didn't go as he expected. [in the United States] “Jorge Masvidal is promoting bare-knuckle mixed martial arts and it gets me excited again.”
Under IVC rules, the list of illegal acts is short and includes fishing, gouging out eyes, punching someone in the groin and pulling hair. Some strikes prohibited under the Uniform Rules are legal under IVC rules, such as headbutting. Battarelli said IVC will likely also allow jumping stomps to the head and soccer kicks.
“The headbutt is amazing, that's what made the Wanderlei Silva vs. Arthur Mariano fight iconic,” Battarelli said. “IVC was considered the most violent and realistic promotion in the world at the time by the American media and the fighters loved it. A lot of fighters contacted me and said they wanted to fight at IVC. Valle Tudo Rules. I was happy and surprised at the same time.”
IVC launched in 1997 and hosted 12 events in just over two years, featuring future MMA stars such as Silva, Chuck Liddell and Dan Severn. Other fighters such as Gary Goodridge, Mike Van Arsdale, Rafael Cordeiro and Renato Sobral also competed under the IVC banner in the 1990s. Battarelli said he sold the IVC library to UFC in the past, but still owns the International Bare Tudo Championship name.
Battarelli said IVC will be regulated by the Brazilian Bari Tudo Fight Federation, which he founded in 1997. The card currently features a bout between veterans Jorge Patino (39-19-2, 2 NCs) and Johir de Oliveira (17-16-1, 1 NC). Battarelli said the winner will face Jose “Randy” Johns (29-16) at a future event.
UFC veteran Anderson dos Santos, who defeated Paulo Pizzo in a boxing match in April, is scheduled to rematch Pizzo on the card under IVC rules, Battarelli said. Edvar Pedroso vs. Alan Popeye has also been agreed upon, and Hiaras Souza is set to box against an unannounced opponent.
