Andre Amado Record: 6-4-1

The K-1 HERO'S and DREAM years

Amado's breakout came in March 2007, when he beat Hiroyuki Takaya via a first-round stoppage on broken-nose damage at a K-1 HERO'S event in Tokyo. Months later he authored the signature win of his career, outpointing Japanese legend Caol Uno by decision at the HERO'S 2007 Grand Prix – a marquee scalp against a former UFC title challenger. That same Grand Prix stage, however, also delivered a setback, as he was submitted by armbar in the first round by Gesias Cavalcante as the tournament advanced.

The promotional shift to DREAM brought stiffer competition. In March 2008 Amado entered the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix and ran into a young Eddie Alvarez, who stopped him with punches in the opening round at DREAM 1. He continued to mix kickboxing and MMA – including a 2008 K-1 MAX knockout and a 2009 kickboxing loss to the legendary Buakaw Banchamek – before falling to Katsunori Kikuno by first-round strikes at DREAM 10 in July 2009 and dropping a decision to KJ Noons at DREAM 13 in 2010. He resurfaced years later for a 2016 win under custom rules at Ganryujima.

Fighting style

Amado was a striker through and through, a Muay Thai specialist whose four knockouts among his six wins and 67 percent finish rate reflect a fighter who looked to hurt opponents on the feet. His showmanship masked genuine danger in the clinch and at range, but his ground game was the clear vulnerability: of his four losses, one came by armbar and two by strikes, and against the elite grapplers and finishers of DREAM and HERO'S he struggled when fights left the striking realm. At his best, against opponents willing to engage standing, he was a thrilling and credible competitor on the sport's biggest international stages.

Career highlights

• Decision over Caol Uno — outpointed a former UFC title challenger and Japanese MMA icon at the 2007 K-1 HERO'S Grand Prix, the signature win of his career.
• K-1 HERO'S finish of Hiroyuki Takaya — stopped a quality opponent in the first round in Tokyo, announcing himself on the Japanese big stage.
• DREAM and HERO'S mainstay — competed against elite international opposition including Eddie Alvarez and Gesias Cavalcante during the golden era of Japanese MMA.