Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes Joins XYIENCE’s Team of Brand Ambassadors

March 23, 2011 - PRLog -- LAS VEGAS — XYIENCE, maker of Xenergy, the official energy drink of the UFC, announces that Brazilian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes has joined Team XYIENCE as a brand ambassador.

Notorious for his dominating floor work and powerful grappling skills, 26-year-old Magalhaes is a three-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) world champion and a two-time BJJ national champion in both the United States and Brazil.  Magalhaes, who placed in two divisions in the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Submission Wrestling World Championship, earned a black belt in BJJ under Royler Gracie, the famous coach and former four-time world champion in the sport. In addition to jiu-jitsu, Magalhaes currently trains in wrestling, Muay Thai and boxing.

Magalhaes, who resides in Las Vegas with his wife and newborn son, says that nutrition is a critical part of his regime, and Xenergy is his favorite energy drink. “I just don't think that a professional athlete can perform well without a good nutritional program,” he says. “For me it’s not just about taking any supplement; it’s about taking high-quality supplements. XYIENCE supplements and energy drinks definitely provide that.”

Besides being a fighter, Magalhaes is also a devoted trainer and coach who has worked with such high-caliber MMA athletes as Dan Henderson and Matt Lindland. He was recently appointed as BJJ coach for Fedor Emelianeko, the famed Russian MMA heavyweight. Magalhaes now trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.

“Vinny is a well-rounded athlete who is committed to his craft as both a fighter and a trainer,” says Jessica Hughes, XYIENCE’s marketing director. “By balancing training, coaching and family, Vinny is leading the healthy active lifestyle that our brand supports. We see a bright future for Vinny in MMA and welcome him to the XYIENCE family.”    

Born Vinicius De Magalhaes and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Vinny – as he’s now known – got the nickname “Bigfoot” (“Pezao” in Portuguese) from his friends. Even bigger than his feet were his dreams: “I wanted to see the world and make something of myself,” he says. “Once I discovered BJJ and MMA, I realized I wanted to be a world champion. When the opportunity came for me to move to the U.S. to further pursue my fighting career, I didn’t think twice.”
Having grown up a fan of BJJ, Magalhaes gave it a try at the age of 14. In 2005, after seven years of training in BJJ and MMA, he moved to the U.S. to start teaching, training and making a name for himself.

In 2008, following four years of hard work and training, Magalhaes got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be on season 8 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the popular Spike TV reality television program. Although he lost in the finals against Ryan Bader, though making it that far catapulted his career to the next level.

About XYIENCE (pronounced zy-ince)
Headquartered in Las Vegas, XYIENCE products support an active and healthy lifestyle and are held to the most stringent standards of excellence. Visit www.xyience.com for details.

Xenergy (pronounced zen-ergy)
Xenergy is the official energy drink the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is one of the fastest growing brands in its category.  The first energy drink created by a nutrition company, Xenergy is a sugar- and calorie-free drink that’s fortified with vitamins.  All-natural flavors provide a consistent supply of energy, sans the “crash” inherent with most other energy drink brands.  Xenergy Premium flavors include Cherry Lime, Cran Razz, Mango Guava and Blu Pom.  Xenergy Xtreme flavors include Fruit Punch, Orange Fuel, Citrus Slam, and Cherry Rush.  Xenergy is available throughout the United States and Canada.

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XYIENCE is the official energy drink of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Xenergy, is one of the fastest-growing in its category. XYIENCE also produces supplements that provide ultimate nutrition for peak performance.