Andre Pederneiras

About

André Pederneiras, also known as "Dedé," is a renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts coach and promoter. Born on March 22, 1967, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he began training in jiu-jitsu at the age of 17. Pederneiras holds a Red and Black 7th Degree Coral belt and is a six-time Brazilian National jiu-jitsu champion. He co-founded Nova União, one of the top BJJ/MMA academies, with Wendell Alexander in 1995. Pederneiras is celebrated for training notable fighters like José Aldo, Renan Barão, and B.J. Penn. He was a pioneer in training foreign athletes, which initially faced criticism but eventually became widely accepted. Pederneiras stepped down as Nova União's head coach in 2018 to focus on his Upper Arena gym, aiming to create a neutral training space for fighters from different affiliations. He has been recognized as MMA Coach of the Year and continues to influence martial arts through his innovative approaches and community engagement.