Sandro's entry into mixed martial arts was driven by necessity. He began competing in MMA primarily to generate extra income for himself and his family — a pragmatic decision rooted in the same survival instinct that had carried him through his youth in Morro de Santo Amaro. The early stages of his professional career brought fresh obstacles, including at least one instance in which promoters failed to compensate him for bouts he had already fought — a deeply discouraging setback that threatened to derail his path before it had fully taken shape.
André Pederneiras kept Sandro's career from stalling. With his mentor's continued support, Sandro returned to competition and began fighting for the Shooto organization in Brazil, rising steadily through the featherweight ranks and ultimately claiming the Shooto Championship Belt. Competing in the Pluma division at 64 kg (141 lbs), he combined the grappling foundation built at Nova União with the adaptability that MMA demands.
The peak of his career came when he captured the Pancrase Featherweight King title, placing him among the standout performers Nova União produced at the turn of the millennium. The arc of his story — from working multiple jobs as a teenager in one of Rio de Janeiro's most demanding favelas to holding a Pancrase championship — reflects both the quality of his development under Pederneiras and the extraordinary personal drive forged long before he ever set foot in a gym.