Renato Sobral

In May 2019 Sobral revealed that he was suffering from symptoms consistent with early onset of CTE.

Sobral was awarded his Brazilian jiu-jitsu 3rd Degree Black Belt on August 2017 from Roberto “Gordo” Correa – 6th degree black belt by FJJ in Rio de Janeiro.

Sobral faced Combat Sambo Russia National Champion Mikhail Zayats on 17 January 2013 at Bellator 85. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.

Despite the loss, Sobral competed in Bellator's Light Heavyweight summer series tournament on Spike. He faced Jacob Noe in the opening round of a 4-man tournament at Bellator 96 on 19 June 2013. Sobral lost when the referee stopped the fight for a standing TKO. After the fight, Sobral announced his retirement from MMA.

In late December 2011, After one year of inactivity Sobral signed an exclusive deal with Singaporean MMA promotion ONE Championship also known as ONE FC, ONE FC officials stated that Sobral has "global exclusivity" with the promotion. Sobral was slated to fight Melvin Manhoef on 31 March 2012 at ONE Fighting Championship 3 which was to be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore but the two sides were unable to agree on a weight and he instead became the wrestling coach in Wanderlei Silva's team on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.

After a one-fight stint in the UFC, he fought in RINGS three more times. He defeated Kiyoshi Tamura via majority decision, followed this up with another majority decision win over Tsuyoshi Kohsaka. Sobral then faced Fedor Emilianenko at the 10th Anniversary show and lost via unanimous decision.

Sobral last fought Robbie Lawler in a 195 lbs Catchweight bout on 16 June 2010 at Strikeforce: Los Angeles. Renato Sobral won via unanimous decision.

Sobral's request was later fulfilled and he fought Dan Henderson at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II on 4 December 2010. Sobral was knocked out in the first round.

In 2010, his gym changed to Babalu's Iron Gym, in Cerritos, California.

Sobral next fought his second fight for Affliction, this time against Sokoudjou at Affliction: Day of Reckoning on 24 January 2009 in a light heavyweight fight. The fight ended in the second round when Babalu submitted Sokoudjou with a D'arce choke. After his victory he showed an interest in fighting former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Tito Ortiz.

Sobral was set to fight fellow Brazilian Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante at the past event Strikeforce Presents: Lawler Vs. Shields in St. Louis, Missouri on 6 June 2009, but the bout was scratched. The bout would have been for the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship.

Sobral and his wife Natasha have two daughters named Maria Fernanda and Sophia, who was born in May 2009. He has both their names tattooed on him.

In October 2008 he opened his own gym, Gracie Barra Cerritos, in Cerritos, California.

On 30 August 2007, Sobral was released from his contractual obligations by the UFC due to his actions at UFC 74, with UFC President Dana White calling Sobral's actions "completely unacceptable. This is the fight game and shit happens. But no way can you do what he did." White also supported the fans attitude towards Sobral after the fight. "I think you saw the response from the fans. Babalu was a fan favorite. They turned on him immediately." Additionally, the Nevada State Athletic Commission withheld $25,000 of Sobral's $50,000 fight purse and convened a hearing to deal with both his holding the choke and ignoring Mazzagatti's orders.

Still undefeated, he participated in the King of Kings 1999 Final, winning his first two fights of the day before being handed his first career loss by Dan Henderson. Sobral lost the fight via minority decision, two judges scored the bout a draw while a third judge scored the bout in Henderson's favor.

Sobral is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and began competing in wrestling from a young age of nine. Sobral later went on to be a South American Wrestling Champion in 1998, a three-time Brazilian National Wrestling Champion in 1998, 1999, and 2000, and was a Brazilian National Muay Thai Champion in 1992. Sobral joined the Gracie Barra Combat Team and trained in Ruas Vale Tudo, a martial arts system developed by Marco Ruas.

Sobral made his professional mixed martial arts debut on 27 September 1997 in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro. He won all three of his fights on the same night by strikes and then had a one-fight stint in International Vale Tudo before fighting in Brazilian Vale Tudo on 24 July 1999. Sobral again won all three of his fights that night and then made his debut in the Japanese RINGS organization.

Renato da Cunha Sobral (Portuguese pronunciation:  [ʁeˈnatu soˈbɾaw] ; born 7 September 1975), also known as "Babalu", is a retired Brazilian Catch Wrestler, mixed martial artist, and was the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral previously fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he posted a 6–4 record and has also competed for Bellator, RINGS, Jungle Fight, Cage Rage, Affliction, and ONE FC. He is the Head Instructor of Babalu's Iron Gym Cerritos and has a Luta Livre black belt. He is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr.