“I'm an aggressive fighter. I don't have much patience to look for submissions.
I like to trade strikes and KO my opponents.”

One of the protagonists of the giants' collision in the challenge for the vacant Cage Rage Heavyweight belt, Antonio 'Pezao' Silva Jr (1,95cm and 145kg), tells us a little on his overpowering game in MMA. Pezao, a new Brazilian Top Team member, is scheduled to battle versus Rafael Carino on July 2nd for the vacant Cage Rage Heavyweight belt.

First off, is your nickname Pezao or King-Kong?

It's Pezao. When I started in Jiu Jitsu in 1997, my master gave me this nickname because I was a tall guy who had a foot size of 46. The UK people called me King-Kong because they didn't know my original nickname and didn't know much about me. They just saw my picture and nicknamed me King-Kong, but the correct nickname is Pezao.

You spent sometime fighting and training in UK at WolfsLair Gym. Why did you decide to live in the UK?

I started my jiu jitsu career and the master of my master saw my size and my will-power, and then he suggested me to start an MMA career. I was little scared about fighting in MMA, but I decided to go to UK and I sold my car, I asked to be fired of my job, and put my all hopes on this new phase of my life for living in the UK. I spent 6 months there and I fought twice, both matches I won by KO in round one.

Why did you come back to Brazil?

I had some problems with my training. The WolfsLair Gym is a new academy and the sparring parteners were nearly all white-belts or lightweight fighters. Just a sparring partener/team-mate named Tom Blackledge, who'll fight Cage Rage too, weighs 90kg. The rest of the guys were light and it made my fights a little harder than they should have been. I trained with lightweight fighters and when I faced super-heavyweight guys, I felt the strength difference. I received an invitation from Jose Mario Sperry to join BTT and I'm here now.

How do you compare the different trainings?

The difference was bigger than I expected it to be. I didn't train well when I arrived at BTT, and the trainings were very hard for the pace that I was used to. The team-mates in UK were very good and dedicated, but they didn't have the experience in the MMA game.

Was the climate a problem for you?

Actually I managed it well, but when I went to the UK for the first time, it was too cold -2?C and I didn't get good training due to the cold.

How did you feel about yourself in your MMA debut at UKMMAC 10-Slugfest?

I felt good; I weighed in at 150kg and I was the strongest then compared to now, but I felt some cramps in my leg. I just feared cramps at show time, but thank God I didn't have any cramps and that I KO'd my opponents in just 1:40 of R1.

What about your last match in Cage Warriors: Strike Force?

I was on the verge of a quick outcome, but I delayed a little more to KO my opponent. I think my opponent studied my game and I put him on the canvas at 3:30.

How would you define yourself as a fighter?

I'm an aggressive fighter. I don't have much patience to look for submissions. I like to trade strikes and KO my opponents.

Now you're going to battle for the vacant Cage Rage heavyweight belt. Do you think you are in this match due to recognition of your two performances in UK?

When I finished my fight in Cage Warriors, the crowd screamed my name and I got recognized for it. I was very happy because the first opponent headlined to face me for the vacant belt would be Ebenezer Fontes Braga, who's much known in the MMA and everyone respects him. I'd step in the cage respecting him, but with a lot of will to beat him. Now I'm going to face Rafael Carino. Some people don't know him, but he has more experience than me at MMA and recently he won Copa do Brasil de Jiu Jitsu 2005. However, I want this belt and I'll bring it to my team.

Would you prefer to face a foreign fighter than a fellow Brazilian?

It doesn't matter. I want challenges - the harder, the better. If you're going to fight an outstanding opponent, automatically your name gets more recognition than when you fight an unknown fighter.

Do you know something about Carino?

No, I didn't know much. My team-mates are closer than me on information about Carino's game. I trust a lot from my coaches and team-mates and we did a good job. But I didn't watch stuff from Carino. I'm very-well trained and I can't predict what he will or will not do. I'm prepared for everything and I'm going to win this fight.

Thank you for your time.

I'd like to thank master Mario Sukatta Netto, who supported me when I lived in the UK. The doors opened for me when Sukatta supported, I adore him, and I'll always recognize his job over my career, I want to also thank the whole BTT academy, especially Murilo Bustamante and Mario Sperry. They are prepared for everything and they prepared to do it too. The UK fans can expect my all-aggressive style and I'll impose it with strikes from all positions. 

Images:

1. Antonio Silva dominating at Cage Warriors Strike Force: UK vs France
2. Pezao vs Rafael Carino at Cage Rage 12: The Real Deal.

Source: FightBack.de

Title and Cage Warriors Image © Bob Swann.
Cage Rage 12 Image © Tom Wolvey