Draft:Marcelo Alonso (journalist)

Marcelo Alonso (Rio de Janeiro, August 24, 1970), is a Brazilian photographer, journalist, sports commentator, and documentary filmmaker, known for his coverage of mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu in Brazil. He was a pioneer in MMA journalism in Brazil, dating back to the Vale-Tudo era.

Career
Alonso started working as a photojournalist for KIAI Magazine (1993 to 1996). Later, he became the editor of Tatame Magazine and remained there for 15 years. During this period, Alonso also worked as a correspondent (both writing and photography) for the British Fighters Only, the Japanese Kakutogi Tsushin, the American Full Contact Fighter, the Spanish Cinturon Negro, and the French Budo. Since 2011, he has been working as a correspondent for the American website Sherdog.

In 2009, Alonso left Tatame to join Gleidson Venga at Portal do Vale Tudo (PVT), the largest MMA website in Brazil, which was transformed also into a publishing house.

In 2012, Alonso began working for Combate channel (from Globo TV network). He first hosted an interview show, "Cara a Cara" (from 2009 to 2014), then hosted a weekly news program, "Combate News" (from 2014 to 2018). Since 2017, he has also been a UFC commentator for the channel.

Books, Documentaries, Awards
Author of two books: "From Vale-Tudo to MMA, 100 Years of Fighting" (2013) and "Behind the Octagon" (2017). Alonso is also the author of two documentaries aired on the Combate channel: "The Great Rivalries of MMA" (six episodes — 2020) and "From the Samurai to MMA, 500 Years of Fight" (five episodes — 2023).

In 2020, the journalist was included among the inaugural names on the Walk of Fame at the City of Martial Arts in Barra da Tijuca, being the only journalist among the 80 honorees. In 2023, he was awarded among the best of the year in Martial Arts for his documentary, "From the Samurai to MMA, 500 years of Fighting." He was also honored by the Brazilian Confederation of Luta Livre Esportiva, being inducted into the Brazilian Luta Livre Hall of Fame.