Chute Boxe renames institute after Allan Nascimento, UFC flyweight who died at 34

UFC flyweight Allan Nascimento, who died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep on August 3 at the age of 34, is being remembered by his Chute Boxe family in São Paulo with a lasting tribute: his longtime coach Diego Lima has announced he is renaming his MMA institute after the fallen fighter.

“There hasn’t been a single day when I haven’t cried,” Lima told MMA Fighting. “Our institute today, the Diego Lima Institute, is not going to be called the Diego Lima Institute anymore. It’s going to be called the Allan Nascimento Institute. As long as I live, I will honor his name. As long as I live, I will say his name because he was my student, he is my student, he is my athlete.”

Lima had coached Nascimento since the fighter was 14 years old, and the relationship extended well beyond the gym. Nascimento was a business partner and co-manager of several fighters under Lima’s guidance, and the two had planned for Nascimento to take over the management operation entirely once Lima retired from coaching.

“He was one of the most loyal friends I’ve ever had in my life,” Lima said. “When it came to all my management affairs, he was my partner. I used to joke with him that when he retired, I would retire too. Those plans ended up changing a little bit.”

UFC bantamweight Norma Dumont, who trained alongside Nascimento in São Paulo, described the impact his death has had on the team while acknowledging the slow process of moving forward.

“It’s hard to talk about because Allan was an example to all of us,” Dumont said. “He was a guy who had impeccable conduct, both inside and outside the mats. The team was hit very hard, but we are getting back on our feet. Everyone became even more determined to represent him up there. What Allan represents to our team is discipline, honor, integrity, and being a great athlete, and that legacy will continue.”

MMA prospect Apollo Gomes, who once flew to Las Vegas to serve as a corner man for Nascimento, is scheduled to compete for a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series on September 8 and has also pledged to honour his friend’s memory through his performance.