Brazilian MMA veteran fighter 'Bomba' dies at 38

Brazil's Guilherme "Bomba" Vasconcelos during a fight. Photo by Bellator

News of his passing was first shared by friends on social media, including his longtime jiu-jitsu coaches Cristiano Lazzarini and Vinicius "Draculino" Magalhaes. Additional sources confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

The cause of his death has not been disclosed.

Vasconcelos began his MMA career in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a second-round rear-naked choke victory over veteran Wendell Oliveira. He gained further recognition in 2014 when he joined The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 after a victory over Elizeu Zaleski, both of whom later competed in the UFC.

On the show, Vasconcelos won one and lost one fight. His only UFC defeat was by decision to Luke Zachrich in July 2014. He later won four of his next five bouts, which earned him a contract with Bellator.

"Of all the students I had, you were the bravest," coach Lazzarini wrote in a tribute on social media. "Fearless, unbeatable. In trivial moments, a sweet boy. We had a machine that had a bit of everything. Your MMA debut, with a win against a man that had won 10 in a row and had 19 fights, was one of the happiest moments of my life in the sport. Unbreakable. So many trips together, so many battles. From blue to black belt, from first to last MMA fights. Man, how much I love you. Unbelievable. Rest in peace, brother."

Outside of the MMA world, Vasconcelos gained attention for his relationship with singer Demi Lovato in 2017. He concluded his MMA career in 2019 with a record of three wins in six Bellator bouts.