Zé Mario vs Renzo Gracie in ADCC 2011. Photo: Luca Atalla/Graciemag

At 46, Zé Mario Sperry is still up for new challenges. Next October the Carlson Gracie black belt will take on Fabio Gurgel in one of the superfights at ADCC in Beijing.

While he sharpens his Jiu-Jitsu with the X-Gym crew, the absolute world champion of 1998 and former Pride idol keeps a watchful eye on present-day MMA. At GRACIEMAG’s request he used his technical expertise to evaluate the upcoming  UFC 162 title fight between Anderson Silva and challenger Chris Weidman. And he is worried. Check it out:

GRACIEMAG: How do you view Anderson Silva’s July 6 title bout versus Weidman?

MARIO SPERRY: I’m very apprehensive about this bout. Weidman has a game that, from my viewpoint, may pose a real problem to Anderson. He has excellent wrestling, he moves very well on the ground, and he can punch and kick well.

Can you guess a result?

I’m hoping Anderson will have an inspired evening, for this opponent is his toughest yet.

How is your training going at X-Gym in Rio?

It’s going great. I’ve been fighting under supervision of the whole X-Gym team, which is headed by professors Josuel Distak and Rogério Camões. I’ve also been doing my physical preparation with professor Diogo de Souza. Since I was always away from gi training for a while, I’m now building back my base. I’m training a lot of Jiu-Jitsu. Since leaving Blackzilians, I now believe I have more time to invest in my preparation. Work was very gratifying over there, but also very intense. Besides running the training I was traveling a lot. I still miss the whole gang, the training and the city. It was a pleasant environment.

What’s changed since your win over Renzo at the 2011 ADCC in England?

The only thing that’s really changed is that this time I’m not completely inactive. The 2011 ADCC made me breathe Jiu-Jitsu again after four years away from the sport. I came back to the fighting world and wound up being invited to work at Blackzilians, which has kept me in shape so far. It was also instrumental in making friends and learning new techniques, strategies and training methods. I’m the same fighter, except more mature. I’m very competitive.

What’s most stimulating about the ADCC?

It’s the Olympics of grappling. The best, most determined fighters in the world test themselves. Winning the ADCC takes you to a new level. Also, I like the fact that there’s overtime.

And what’s your preview for the Gurgel fight, next October 19?

It will be neck and neck. We each have our style and he who manages to impose his game is going to win. When they asked whether I would fight Fabio, I said yes immediately. He has a great winning career, both as an athlete and a as coach of several generations of champions. We define ourselves through our opponents.

André Galvão trains and poses alongside Anderson Silva. Photo: Personal Archive

Another renowned athlete joined the ranks of Anderson Silva’s camp this month. André Galvão, a two-time world Jiu-Jitsu champion, arrives with the job of honing the Spider’s ground game for his bout opposite Chris Weidman on July 6 – the main event of UFC 162 in Vegas.

Experienced precisely in defending against Weidman’s main weapon, takedowns, Galvão encountered Weidman in competition back at the 2009 ADCC. As dangerous as Weidman’s takedowns and ground work are, Galvão believes the undefeated Weidman doesn’t possess enough weapons to surprise Anderson.

“Chris is a strong man and a good wrestler, and he likes doing the hand triangle by passing guard to the right side. I don’t think he’s going to surprise Anderson on the ground,” Galvão told Combate.com. “Unless something unexpected happens, like a hand getting through, because a fight’s a fight … But what we’re telling Anderson to do is be calm, for I believe Weidman doesn’t have much up his sleeve to try and take the belt. I think his only resource is the ground, but the rounds are five minutes long, which is not a lot of time to exert one’s technique over Anderson, who is himself a Jiu-Jitsu black-belt.”

Galvão went on to stress Silva’s calmness when he’s on the bottom, something that may turn out to be crucial.

“I think if he falls inside the guard, Anderson has very long legs, as well as a different positioning, a different vision. We learn a lot from Anderson, too – he’s a very studious guy. If the [Weidman] passes and mounts, it’s going to be just like what we’ve already seen in some other fights. Anderson is very calm. He can get his mind ready for every possible fight situation. I believe Anderson’s in great shape and will be bringing the belt home to Brazil once more.”

What about you? Could Anderson Silva be surprised by Weidman’s ground game? Check out the card for UFC 162 below and tell us how you feel.

UFC 162
MGM Arena, Las Vegas, USA
July 6, 2013

Main Card
Anderson Silva vs Chris Weidman
Frankie Edgar vs Charles Do Bronx
Tim Keneddy vs Roger Gracie
Mark Muñoz vs Tim Boetsch
Cub Swanson vs Dennis Siver

Undercard
Chris Leben vs Andrew Craig
Norman Parke vs Kazuki Tokudome
Gabriel Napão vs Dave Herman
Edson Barboza vs Rafaello Trator
Seth Baczynski vs Brian Melancon
Mike Pearce vs David Mitchel

The day is coming for Anderson Silva to put his belt on the line versus Chris Weidman. Confident, the champion says nothing his opponent can do will surprise him. Photo: Screenshot

On Tuesday afternoon, Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman and Dana White took part in a press conference via phone to promote UFC 162, scheduled for July 6 in Las Vegas.

The UFC’s middleweight champion could not dodge the journalists’ curiosity to know how he felt about the fact that Georges St-Pierre said in several interviews that he not only roots for Chris Weidman, but in fact believes the American is going to win easily.

As always, Silva kept his cool and addressed GSP’s words.

“Imagine if I were to listen to all that’s said about me,” he said. “Everyone can do and say as they please. [GSP] had his chance to step up and fight me, but chose not to. A talking parrot is better than a legless turtle.”

The “Spider” also said he does not see Weidman as the biggest challenge of his career, and referred to his own experience and long journey inside the Octagon to explain his viewpoint.

“Every bout is a new challenge,” he said. “Whoever is better prepared is going to win. I’ve been fighting since I was 8 years old, so to me there isn’t a lot of new stuff in there. Nothing he can do will surprise me. Defeat and victory walk side by side. My experience makes me not worry about what my opponent is going to do. I worry about being better than I am, not better than Chris Weidman.”

UFC 162

MGM Arena, Las Vegas, USA

July 6, 2013

Anderson Silva vs Chris Weidman

Frankie Edgar vs Charles Do Bronx

Tim Keneddy vs Roger Gracie

Mark Muñoz vs Tim Boetsch

Cub Swanson vs Dennis Siver

Undercard

Chris Leben vs Andrew Craig

Norman Parke vs Kazuki Tokudome

Gabriel Napão vs Dave Herman

Edson Barboza vs Rafaello Trator

Seth Baczynski vs Brian Melancon

Mike Pearce vs David Mitchel

Official poster of UFC 162

Increasingly confident of winning the fight against Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight belt to be held July 6 in Las Vegas, Chris Weidman doesn’t seem to see the MMA superhero in “Spider” as everyone else does.

In a recent interview with Yahoo! Sports, he had to say this:

“You have to treat him as a regular opponent. I respect what he did in the sport, of course. But you can’t get stuck to it … Guess what, he is a normal person like me, he has two arms, two legs, two eyes, just like me. I’m not fighting a superhero, I’m fighting a person and my job is to win. Simple as that … I feel like I have the right skills, the desire, and the determination to make it happen. The UFC has the eyes on me for having given me this title fight. For those who think I don’t deserve it, stay tuned on July 6 and I’ll prove otherwise.”

Weidman had already stated a few days ago that he wouldn’t enter the psychological game that the champion uses with all his opponents. To avoid this, Weidman ensured that he will use his shelved psychology degree in his favor.

“I have a very strong mindset; I understand how the mind works because of my psychology degree. I understand the patterns of when things are going well, when they are going wrong and what to do in this case. There’s a myth about him because of his fighting style and prestige he got from everyone, but I’m a guy who went after guys who were favorites and couldn’t lose against me, with my wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu. I’m used to being in that situation, so it’s just another work day for me,” said Weidman in an interview over the phone with SPORTV.com.

Check out the full UFC 162 card below.

UFC 162
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
July 6, 2013

Anderson Silva vs Chris Weidman
Frankie Edgar vs Charles Do Bronx
Roger Gracie vs Tim Kennedy
Ricardo Lamas vs Chan Sung Jung
Cub Swanson vs Dennis Siver

Preliminary Card

Mark Muñoz vs Tim Boetsch
Chris Leben vs Andrew Craig
Norman Parke vs Kazuki Tokudome
Edson Barboza vs John Makdessi
Dave Herman vs Shane Del Rosario
Seth Baczynski vs Brian Melancon
David Mitchel vs Mike Pearce

Ten fights in five years, this is the goal of Anderson Silva in his next contract with the UFC. Photo: UFC / Disclosed

Anderson Silva is the middleweight champion of the UFC since 2006. The athlete, who turned 38 years old this week and is seen by many as the greatest fighter of all time, is used to seeing competitors asking for a chance against him in the UFC.

His next challenge will be on July 6 in Las Vegas against Chris Weidman, a young American talent that is unbeaten in nine fights. But what is nine compared to 37 combats in Spider’s career? This was a question never asked by the holder of the belt, despite what his team thinks. Since the duel between the two was set, Weidman has broadcasted to the four winds to be the right person to win against the idol, in a scathing and shocking way.

Until this Monday, April 15, Anderson hadn’t said a word about his next opponent, but in Sao Paulo during an ad shooting for a shavers campaign the fighter broke his silence and showed the attitude of a true champion:

“Weidman is almost ten years younger than me, but should be respected. He is leading the fight in a healthy way and we will have a great fight,” said Anderson.

His contract with the UFC ends in early 2014. When asked about the renewal, “Spider” revealed he plans to keep fighting, and he can perform the ten fights proposed by the organization, as long as they are within a period set by him:

“If I can fit all these fights in five years it will be great, otherwise I will be in debt with UFC fans,” concluded the champion.

UFC 162
MGM Grand Casino Hotel, Las Vegas
July 6, 2013

Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman
Mark Muñoz vs. Tim Boetsch
Roger Gracie vs. Tim Kennedy
Chris Leben vs. Andrew Craig
Charles Do Bronx vs. Frankie Edgar
Shane Del Rosario vs. Dave Herman
Ricardo Lamas vs. Chan Sung Jung
Edson Barboza vs. John Makdessi
Seth Baczynski vs. Brian Melancon
David Mitchell vs. Mike Pierce
Cub Swanson vs. Dennis Siver