GRACIEMAG.com caught up with Brazil's favorite Peruvian, Tony de Souza, or "Mendigo," as he is known in South America's largest country, while waiting for his plane to board in Lima, Peru, the fighter's birthplace. The only Peruvian-born fighter to have appeared in the UFC is returning to his second home of California, where he plans to catch up with family and friends living in the sunshine state, as well as to share some of his slick submission-grappling skills by holding some seminars.
"I'm going to see my family, will probably stop by to see Chuck (Liddell) and Scott (Adams) in San Luis Obispo, and catch up with my old wrestling coaches Tom Cote and Jeff Annoreno," said the Peruvian when asked of his intentions. But the bearded Jiu-Jitsu stylist doesn't plan on staying too long in the land where he had his beginnings in the world of MMA: "I plan to stay less than a month. I have a student, Luis Piscoya, who should make his MMA debut at the inaugural Shooto event in Buenos Aires (Argentina), on July 26th. He's a tough 155 pounder who should do really good. The event is on my birthday, so I want him to win for my birthday present. Then I'll head back to Cusco to take care of my new gym."
When queried about whether he plans to fight any time soon, the out-of-contract UFC fighter, who has not fought since losing to Roan "Jucao" Carneiro at UFC 79, in December of last year, said his next fight can only be against one person, another Peruvian, Ivan "Pitbull" Iberico: "We've been meaning to fight for a long time. He's always saying he wants to fight me, so I need to get that out of the way before thinking of fighting anyone else. So far the plan is for us to fight in Lima in December," said the wandering warrior in farewell before boarding his flight to the US.
