Anderson Silva. Foto: UFC/Divulgação.

O mês do carnaval também promete ser agitado no canal Combate. Os eventos ao vivo prometem em fevereiro, como as três edições do UFC com disputas de cinturão e o Jungle Fight, que coloca no cercado alguns dos grandes lutadores em ação no Brasil. Mas o clima segue quente no restante da programação.

Para garantir a satisfação dos fãs mais aficionados, o canal programou uma semana dedicada a Anderson Silva.

De hoje ao dia 8 de fevereiro, o “UFC Series”, de segunda a sexta-feira, a partir de 1h da manhã, traz todas as lutas do gênio do octagon. São confrontos contra oponentes como Rich Franklin, no UFC 64, quando o Spider garantiu cinturão peso médio do UFC pela primeira vez; ou as dez defesas de cinturão de Anderson, inclusive as duas pelejas contra o desafeto Chael Sonnen.

Anderson detém o recorde absoluto de vitórias seguidas no Ultimate: 16 lutas. Uma grande chance de analisar o estilo e o desenrolar da carreira do mito brasileiro. Confira os dias e confrontos exibidos no “UFC Series”:

* UFC Series 25 (4 de fevereiro)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Chris Leben

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Rich Franklin (I)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Travis Lutter

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Nate Marquardt

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Rich Franklin (II)

UFC Series 26 (5 de fevereiro)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Dan Henderson

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs James Irvin

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Patrick Cote

UFC Series 27 (6 de fevereiro)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Thales Leites

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Forrest Griffin

UFC Series 28 (7 de fevereiro)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Demian Maia

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Chael Sonnen (I)

UFC Series 29 (8 de fevereiro)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Vitor Belfort

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Yushin Okami

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Chael Sonnen (II)

Anderson “Spider” Silva vs Stephan Bonnar

*** Eventos ao vivo no canal Combate:

UFC Brão vs McDonald – 16 de fevereiro

Jungle Fight 49 – 22 de fevereiro

UFC 157 – 23 de fevereiro

Rafael Sapo. Foto: divulgação

Com cinco vitórias nas últimas seis lutas, incluindo um nocaute sobre o ex-UFC Travis Lutter, Rafael “Sapo” Natal estreia na gaiola mais famosa do mundo no próximo dia 15 de setembro, pelo UFC Fight Night 22.

O americano Rich Attonito, que fez parte da 11ª temporada do reality show “The Ultimate Fighter”, é o adversário. O faixa-preta de Jiu-Jitsu diz que está em dívida com a família Gracie e garante que não vai decepcioná-los na estreia. Sapo confirma que sua performance teve uma evolução extraordinária depois que passou a treinar com Renzo Gracie nos Estados Unidos.    

“Estou treinando duro, para ter certeza que a derrota não vai acontecer”, diz ao MMAjunkie.com

“Renzo foi muito importante para mim nos EUA, me recebeu muito bem. Me sinto parte dessa grande família agora.”

Rafael não tem experiência dentro do octagon, mas está confiante que vai fazer o melhor na sua estréia.

“Eu esperei por esta oportunidade por toda a minha vida”, encerrou.

O evento contará ainda com o duelo entre Nate Marquardt e Rousimar Toquinho na luta principal da noite. Já Charles do Bronx, que estreou no evento com uma finalização em 41 segundos, encara Efrain Escudero, e Gleison Tibau volta ao octagon contra Jim Miller, também pelo card principal. 

Confira as lutas

(colaborou Junior Samurai)

The reason for the outburst was the strategy laid out for the fight at the Moosin show against the seasoned Travis Lutter and his menacing takedowns and ground game, having even challenged for Anderson Silva’s UFC title.

“Never before has a strategy worked out down to the millimeter like that,” said a vibrant Rafael “Sapo” Natal, in a chat with GRACIEMAG.com.

“After watching the tape on him, Draculino noticed he always starts by faking a takedown before throwing a punch up high. The tactic was to defend, frustrate his initial takedown attempts and, when he starts to wear out and throw a now slower punch, I would take a step back and throw a right uppercut,” he said, heaping praise on his boxing coach at Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, Mike. “That was exactly how it played out.”

Exactly as planned? No, not quite exactly.

“Despite all our planning, our overall plan, I have a problem,” admits Sapo (12w, 2l). “When someone hits me in the face I go nuts and try and hit him right back. When Travis’ hand landed his first try, I forgot everything and looked to hit him. That was when Rolles and Igor (Gracie) shouted from the corner that getting hit like that was on the program, reminding me to stick to the plan. I held myself back and everything worked out,” said Sapo, who isn’t yet thinking about his next challenge.

“I’ve been training hard since November here (in NY) because several fights were postponed. That’s why the gang asked me to rest my body now. I’m heading to Brazil and we’ll see what offers turn up. I may go to a big event, I don’t know, but Moosin already called me up for another event,” says Sapo, who will return to the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais in time to celebrate with his Jiu-Jitsu team, Sapo Team, which won the adult, child and female divisions of the MG Cup, a state title.

Foi a frase disparada pelo professor de Sapo, Vinícius Draculino, assim que seu faixa-preta correu para abraçar o povo do córner, ao conseguir o nocaute técnico a 4min12s do primeiro round, na sexta-feira, 21.

A razão do desabafo foi a tática de luta montada para enfrentar, no show Moosin, o experiente Travis Lutter, bom de queda e bom de chão, e que chegou a ganhar uma chance pelo título contra Anderson Silva no UFC.

“Nunca uma estratégia montada para uma luta deu milimetricamente tão certo”, vibra Rafael Natal, o Sapo, em papo com o GRACIEMAG.com.

“Após vermos as fitas, Draculino percebeu que ele sempre começa fintando que vai tentar a queda mas solta um soco por cima. A tática era defender, frustrar suas primeiras tentativas de queda e, quando ele começasse a cansar e largasse outro soco, agora mais lento, eu daria um passo para trás para soltar meu upper de direita”, disse ele, elogiando os treinos de boxe do professor Mike, na academia de Renzo Gracie em Nova York. “E foi exatamente o que aconteceu”.

Exatamente? Não, não exatamente.

“Apesar de tudo planejado, o plano todo traçado, eu tenho um problema”, admite Sapo (12v, 2d). “Quando alguém me acerta a cara, eu fico maluco para devolver logo uma nele. Quando Travis me acertou a mão na primeira tentativa, eu esqueci tudo e pensei em partir para socá-lo. Foi quando Rolles e Igor (Gracie) berraram do córner que aquele prejuízo estava no programa, me lembrando para manter o combinado. Me segurei e deu tudo certo”, disse Sapo, que ainda não pensa no próximo desafio.

“Eu estava treinando muito forte desde novembro aqui (em NY), por conta de diversas lutas adiadas. Por isso o pessoal me pediu para descansar o corpo agora, estou indo para o Brasil e depois vamos ver que propostas pintam. Posso ir para um evento grande, não sei, mas o Moosin já me convidou para um próximo evento”, conta Sapo, que volta a Minas Gerais a tempo de comemorar junto com sua equipe de Jiu-Jitsu, a Sapo Team, que conquistou o título mineiro na Taça MG, nas categorias adulto, infanto e feminino.

Team in Dallas. Photo: Personal archives

Part of team Nova União is gathered in the United States, where they prepare for the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. During this first week of their training camp, the team is camped out at Octagon MMA in Dallas, where Bruno Bastos teaches.

“I’m all beat up. Marcelino Freitas, Rodrigo Feijão and Daniel Garcia are all here. We’re also training at Travis Lutter’s gym, where there’s a really tough crew getting ready for the Worlds, and also Gustavo Dantas’s gang, which is prime for the championship,” says Bastos.

Nova União is restructuring its Jiu-Jitsu department and the first results are beginning to show through. At this year’s Brazilian National Championship the team took third place.

“We did really well during the first weekend of the Brazilian Nationals and were in second place, but it was hard to keep up as we didn’t have a lot of black belts. Even so we took third. This Worlds our goal is to manage at least 10 medals in all the belts. We still won’t be able to win, but the idea is that next year we’ll go in with a bigger team. Right now we’re holding camps for the big events and we’ll continue to organize ourselves. We’re going to grow,” remarks Rodrigo Feijão, one of the leaders of this reformulation effort.

Daniel Garcia (in blue) is one of the team's new hopes. Photo: Carlos Ozorio

Among those NU’s hopes ride on are the Broadnax twins, with Christian having won his weight group and the absolute at the Pan as a juvenile blue belt. This time the duo will debut in the adult competition. Nor can we forget about Steven Rosenberg, third place at the last Worlds as a lightweight brown belt, but who will fight as a black belt this time, and the new stalwart at black belt Daniel Garcia, and already established members of the team, Ricardo Demente, Bruno Bastos and Marcelino Freitas.

“Training is going really good. We started last Sunday and we have a lot of tough training partners. Bruno will be in fine form and me too,” warns Marcelino, who will have a rocky road ahead of him in the featherweight division.

Sign up for the Worlds by clicking here.

Bruno Bastos in superheavyweight action, at 2009 Pan. Photo: Alicia Anthony

Bruno has participated in the Pan in the past, but ten years ago. Nevertheless, to him this one, to start April 8 in California, will count like a debut.

“This Pan is like my first. I competed in 1996, but I was only 16. I entered as an adult and even hurt my knee before the competition. Even so I got the submission in one match and lost on points in the second. I remember how I was sponsored to travel by Botafogo fullback Wilson Gottardo. I’d been a mascot for Botafogo, entered with the team at Maracana stadium, and there are some friends of Gottardo in my family. That’s why he sponsored me. But at the time, I went more for the trip than for the competition. I went for shopping and to have fun at the amusement parks. This time it’s different. This is my real debut,” he says.

There are a lot of favorites. Someone’s going to be left without a medal” Bruno Bastos

Living in Dallas, Bruno has been doing his preparations in those parts. According to the Nova Uniao representative, he’s much better prepared than he was at the Houston Open, where he won at weight and absolute.

“I trained around here. As my academy is just getting started, I can’t stay away long. I go twice a week to Travis Lutter’s academy and his students come to mine once a week. But I’m much better now than I was, for instance, at the Houston Open. At that one I was way heavy, I had taken a trip to Rio to marry Thais in court and even got to watch Botafogo win the Guanabara Cup, in Maracana stadium. Everything went smoothly in Houston and now I’m much better. I’m going to throw some weight around at the Pan and see what happens,” he says, analyzing the opponents he may have ahead of him.

“Man, I see a lot of favorites. Someone’s going to be left without a medal. There’s Braga Neto, Rodrigo Cavaca, Rodrigo Pinheiro, Guybson Sa, Marcel Fortuna and Felipe Pacces. It’ll be real tough,” he says.

Bruno in absolute in Houston. Photo: Joao Crus

A fanatic about Botafogo soccer team, Bruno mentions his team once again, promising a good performance in pursuing the unprecedented title.

“Botafogo is the team with one star, but it shines bright. Who knows, maybe mine will shine, too, this Pan,” he says in closing.

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.