Karl Amoussou finaliza Bryan Baker no Bellator. Foto: Bellator/Divulgação

Hoje, na era do MMA moderno e dos treinos com auxílio poderoso do Youtube, as chaves da cintura para baixo se diversificaram. Tidas como grosseria nos áureos tempos do Jiu-Jitsu, atualmente elas passaram a ser aceitas e vistas como uma habilidade preciosa no jogo de qualquer campeão.

Uma das provas disso tudo? O campeão Karl Amoussou, que faturou o GP dos meio-médios do Bellator ao finalizar Bryan Baker com uma  chave de calcanhar ao estilo Rousimar Toquinho.

O novo astro francês só precisou de 56 segundos para dar o bote na perna e encaixar o golpe letal, assim como costuma fazer o brasileiro, quando vence. Com o triunfo, além de abocanhar 100 mil verdinhas, Amoussou vai enfrentar Ben Askren pelo cinturão do evento. Veja a atuação do faixa-preta de judô:

Thales will get another title shot. The last one was in the UFC, against Anderson Silva. Photo: Josh Hedges

As he told GRACIEMAG.com previously, Thales Leites will have a shot at winning the belt at Canadian mixed martial arts event Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC). The Jiu-Jitsu black belt, coming off a win over ground-fighting stalward Dean Lister in the organization, confirmed the title bout.

“I fight for the belt in Canada on April 9. I still have three options for the confrontation. The event will decide between Bryan Baker, Jason MacDonald and Travis Lutter. Now I know the date, I just don’t know the opponent. I hope by the end of the month they’ll let me know so I’ll be able to focus. I’ve already started preparations and will increase the intensity gradually. I’m stepping it up, “says Thales.

For the challenge, the Andre Pederneiras pupil will again count on the support of Josuel Distak to get him ready. Additionally, Paulo Filho, another Distak-trained fighter,  should provide Thales some extra help.

“Beyond with Nova União, I’m also working with Distak, an excellent teacher who’s helping me a lot. Although I have never  trained with Paulão, before my last fight, against Dean Lister, I was outwith an injured rib and he was hitting the pads at the gym. He sat beside me and gave me several pointers. So I’m really thankful for the help. We’ll surely train together and that’s what I want, an exchange. I deeply respect Paulão, who’s a tough guy. When I started training he was already a champion, so I must take my hat off to him. I have a lot to learn, “concludes Leites.

Thales is happy about winning again, like in this photo. Photo: Josh Hedges

How did the fight with Dean Lister go?

It went well. I had already put it in my head that I would be more aggressive and look to fight standing as well. That’s what I did, I worked on kicking his thing and landed several of them. Lister is a really dangerous guy and I knew he would try and take me down and go for the kneebar or heelhook; he has a really refined ground game. He tried to take me down and I used my elbows and threw left-handed punches well. I had to defend his takedowns, but, truth is, I was never in any danger. I did well standing and on the ground.

When do you fight again?

I have one more fight on my contract with the event, which should be in February or early March. I don’t know whether it will be against Bryan Baker, Jason MacDonald or Travis Lutter. Probably against Baker for the belt. I don’t think there is a champion of my division there. I saw other people with belts in the other divisions, so Baker and I would be contenders for this title, which is vacant. That’s what they said at the press conference. Nevertheless, the bout could be against any of the three I mentioned (on the organization’s website the possibility of facing MacDonald is mentioned).

Canada has a lot of MMA fans. What was the MFC like?

The event was good, well organized. The difference is in that it uses a ring. It wasn’t an enormous gymnasium, like when the UFC goes to Canada, but it was packed. It was in a city further north, in Edmonton and it was cold, there was a snow storm and it hit 15 below zero. Even so a good crowd went to watch, there were no empty places. It was broadcast on HDNet and was great.

Did you feel much difference in fighting in a ring again?

It didn’t hinder me at all and I felt no difference. In the gym we train in a ring and it was chill. Everything went smoothly, thank God.