Brazilian MMA Veteran Geronimo dos Santos Drowns in Rio Negro

Brazilian mixed martial arts veteran Geronimo dos Santos, a 45-year-old heavyweight known as Mondragon, drowned during a swim in the Rio Negro near São Gabriel da Cachoeira in Amazonas state on Friday, local authorities confirmed. His body was recovered Monday morning by divers from the Amazonas Fire Department, trapped beneath rocks on the riverbed approximately three kilometers from the site where he entered the water.

Dos Santos had traveled to a freshwater beach along the river with his partner for what was intended as a final dip before departing the area. According to his brother, Feliciano Borges Neto, the fighter did not know how to swim. When he failed to resurface, his partner alerted nearby individuals. Onlookers spotted him struggling and crying for help, and boats rushed to assist, but the strong currents and challenging conditions prevented a successful rescue. Search efforts continued over the weekend, hampered by the river's powerful flow and rugged terrain, before the grim discovery on Monday.

The municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira officially confirmed the death and declared three days of mourning. In a statement, officials expressed solidarity with the...