7 Fun Facts About BJJ World Champion Bruno Pucci
Two-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi World Champion Bruno “Puccibull” Pucci is ready to put his grappling prowess on display against one of ONE Championship’s most dangerous strikers.
Pucci will take on “Pretty Boy” Kwon Won Il at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX IV, a previously recorded event from the Singapore Indoor Stadium that airs this Friday, 20 November.
Before “Puccibull” and the South Korean phenom meet in their bantamweight mixed martial arts clash, we have seven things fans might not know about the Brazilian.
#1 Overcame Growth Problems As A Child
Because Pucci was smaller than other kids his age, he needed to undergo hormone replacement therapy. However, the side effects of that treatment made him overweight.
Knowing he had to take control of his health, the Brazilian immersed himself in physical activities. Then at 13 years old, he found BJJ, which he quickly excelled at.
#2 A Two-Time BJJ No-Gi World Champion
After discovering BJJ and training in the art almost every day for three months, Pucci entered the State Championships and came in second place.
Then in 2009, he won the first biggest accolade of his young career – a BJJ No-Gi World Championship. He repeated that success at the same tournament a year later, winning the gold medal once again.
Altogether, Pucci earned five podium finishes in No-Gi and Gi World Championships.
#3 Husband To ‘Unstoppable’ And Soon-To-Be Dad
In 2018, Pucci married his sweetheart and reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee.
And this past October, the couple announced via Instagram that Lee is pregnant and that #puccileebaby is expected to arrive on 21 April.
“It was the best surprise in the world,” an elated Pucci says. “I couldn’t stop smiling as soon as Angela told me and immediately, I wanted to share the news with my family.
“In the first few days, I also got nervous because I want to be able to provide every single thing for our growing family.
“Becoming a father gives you a good sense of responsibility but also the motivation to fight harder every day – it’s not for myself anymore, it’s for them.”
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#4 Became A U.S. Citizen Last Year
Pucci was born and raised in Brazil, and although he’ll never let go of his South American roots, “Puccibull” was ecstatic to become a United States citizen in November 2019.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity. I love Brazil and I’m a proud Brazilian, but I know the many difficulties we have to go through when growing up,” he says.
“Since I moved to the United States, [I started] to understand better the definition of the ‘American Dream’; you get what you work for, and that’s extremely fair.
“I’m happy that now as a father, I will be able to teach our baby about Brazilian culture but also give them the benefits of being raised in a well-developed country.”
#5 Loves To Dress In Costume
On most American holidays, Pucci and his wife find something fun to wear.
While he wasn’t always one to don seasonal outfits, the 30-year-old Brazil native admits that his outgoing wife motivated him to try it out.
“That I’ve learned from Angela. She is not shy to do it and encourages me. That’s when my geek side comes out, and we love doing it together,” Pucci says.
“We always dress up for Halloween parties and Christmas with ugly sweaters. We can’t wait to buy different costumes for our baby.”
Meanwhile, the husband and wife are not the only ones to wear costumes in their household.
“We also dress our dogs,” he adds.
#6 A Dog Lover
Pucci, like his wife, is also a true dog lover.
The couple cares for two – an American Bulldog named Rocky and an American Bully named Athena.
Pucci and the atomweight queen can often be found out for walks and jogs with their furry family members.
#7 A Kid At Heart
Pucci readily admits that his inner geek side comes out while watching movies and visiting popular amusement parks.
The latter is something he was never able to do while growing up underprivileged in Brazil – and it’s an experience he very much appreciates.
“I never had the chance to go to Disneyland or Universal Studios during my childhood. My first time was with my wife at 29 years old,” Pucci says.
“Secondly, because I secretly have a geek side, I love watching movies like ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘The Simpsons,’ or any superhero movie.”
