The Brazilian Notebook: Final Word on the GP
Gleidson Venga Sep 29, 2006
The repercussions of Wanderlei Silva (Pictures)’s and Antonio Rodrigo
Nogueira (Pictures)’s performances in the PRIDE
Open-Weight Grand Prix are still being felt in Brazil among fans
and mixed martial arts insiders, who continue to discuss everything
that happened in the Japanese ring.
Sherdog.com spoke with three renowned trainers about mistakes the Brazilians committed on September 10.
Also we are waiting on great events like the Super Challenge and
Show Fight. Plus we reveal what happened in the biggest strikers
event of Brazil.
Analyzing “Minotauro” and Wanderlei
“In my trainer’s sight, Wanderlei looked insecure,” said Muay Thai coach Artur Mariano when asked about Silva’s loss to Mirko Filipovic (Pictures). “This caused him not to find his timing, making things easier for Filipovic. If Wanderlei hit one single punch he could knock Mirko out or change the result. Some anxiety muddled him; he is an athlete who has everything to defeat ‘Cro Cop.’”
Roberto Leitao, the wrestling trainer for the Ruas Vale Tudo Team, approved of the fact that Silva kept fighting despite the doctor’s wanting to stop the bout.
“Wanderlei has KO power so he can decide the fight in one single blow,” Leitao said. “This way he justifies his will to keep fighting. If the fighter wants to continue, if he feels good, and the doctor lets him continue, I can’t see a reason for his coach throw in the towel.”
Mariano shares Leitao’s opinion.
“When you have a high level athlete like [Silva], he is ready for everything. This is why he is where he is. Nowadays we have rules that won’t allow the athlete to keep fighting in several conditions. I would let the fight go.”
About Nogueira, who lost to Josh Barnett (Pictures) by judges’ decision, MMA fighter and jiu-jitsu trainer Vinicius Magalhaes said, “That result was unfair. Besides the fight was very balanced. That knockdown wasn’t that hard and Nogueira worked more on the ground, even getting a mount position. For his history in the event, it was unfair they took his right to the title shot.”
Analyzing the fight, Leitao explained the ways “Minotauro” could have won the match. “Nogueira got used to fighting with the others in his guard, letting the opponents take him down,” Leitao said. “But this time wasn’t easy to sweep Josh because he has submission skills and he’s heavier than Nogueira. I always knew when Nogueira faced someone who can keep himself on the top, it would put him in trouble. Even though he had taken Josh down, his wrestling skills are still limited.”
Leitao also offered advice to both champions.
“As a wrestler, I think they have to improve their takedowns,” he said. “Everybody saw that fight in the guard is for a few, and this can be a bad choice. Fighting to takedown and keep themselves on the top can take them both to the victory.”
For Mariano, Filipovic’s performance on September 10 was just a result of his amazing skill. “Mirko is an explosive and strategic athlete. He has a very quick left punch and left high kick. He has good positioning and good sight of the fight. He beat Wanderlei without getting tired and received a gift in the final. Barnett was too tired and too slow for him, the result couldn’t be different.”
With a possible rematch between “Cro Cop” and Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures), would the Croatian have better chances of winning the second fight? “He has a big chance and he is very dangerous to anyone,” explained Magalhaes. “But I think Fedor is more well rounded. Honestly, I think Fedor at this time [has no equal].”
Super Challenge champion will have to fight three times
The Super Challenge organization decided to bring back the concept of the big tournaments in its debut event, pulling together 16 top athletes in two eight-men brackets.
In a card containing PRIDE and UFC veterans, we can expect electrifying matches. With the support of big invests from businessman Paulo Vasconcellos, The Super Challenge will take place October 7. Sherdog.com will be there to cover the action.
73-kg tournament
Luciano Azevedo (Pictures) (RFT) vs. Vinicius Magalhaes (Gracie Barra – BH)
Mauro “Xuxa” (Never Shake) vs. Fabrício “Morango” (Gracie Humaitá/Tijuca)
Jean Silva (Pictures) (Chute Boxe) vs. Leonardo Santos (Nova União)
Milton Vieira (Pictures) (Brazilian Top Team) vs. Johnny Eduardo (Boxe Thai)
83-kg tournament
Alexandre Ferreira (Brazilian Top Team) vs. Felipe Mongo (Pequeno Team)
Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures) (Gracie SP) vs. Fabio “Negao” (Lótus MMA)
Demian Maia (Brasa) vs. Katel Kubis (Nogushi Team)
Leonardo “Chocolate” (RFT) vs. Gustavo Machado (Pictures) (GBCT)
Superfights
Jorge Patino (Pictures) (Chute Boxe) vs. Roberto Godoy (Brazilian Top Team)
Vanessa Porto (Iglesias Team) vs. Juliana Aguiar (Junior Aguiar Team)
Show Fight 5 promises one more night of amazing fights
Show Fight comes with its fifth edition and once again has a card with Brazilian stars. Names like Assuerio Silva (Pictures), Jose Land-Jons and Jorge Patino (Pictures) promise to electrify the crowd in Sao Paulo on November 9.
Michelle Tavares vs. Yasmin Tahira
Thiago Silva vs. “Felipão” Lins
Assuerio Silva (Pictures) vs. Eduardo Maiorino
Fernando Pontes vs. Jorge Patino (Pictures)
Roan Carneiro (Pictures) vs. TBA
Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures) vs. Jose Landi-Jons (Pictures)
This event will also feature jiu-jitsu, boxing, submission and Muay Thai matches.
Marfio Canoletti wins at Demolition Fight 4
Demolition Fight 4, an exclusive event for strikers, took place September 23 and brought together big names in the Brazilian striking scene.
Rising fighters Bruno Carvalho, Cosmo “Hoost” and Anderson “Braddock” excited the crowd in Sao Paulo. In the main event, two veterans of K-1 Max took to the ring. Brazilian Marfio Canoletti faced world Muay Thai champion Akeomi Nitta in what turned out to be an amazing fight. After five exhausting rounds, Canoletti walked away with a decision.
Edval “Tico” Pedroso def. Marcelo Bueno decision
Fabiano da Silva def. Alessandro Geloco decision
Adriano Nascimento def. Rogério Oliveira decision
Julio Borges def. Anderson Coelho KO R2
Flávio "Mr. Sandman" Pardinho def. Alex Oller decision
Anderson Braddock def. Jeronimo Mondragon KO R1
Bruno Carvalho def. Edson Junior decision
Cosmo Alexandre def. Ricardo Soneca decision
Vitor Miranda def. Eduardo Maiorino KO R2
Marfio Canoletti def. Akeomi Nitta decision
News and notes
Marcus Aurelio will fly to Japan next Saturday, as the American Top Team fighter was invited by Dream Stage Entertainment to participate in the official announcement of his rematch with Takanori Gomi (Pictures) on the next PRIDE Bushido.
At Cage Rage 18 on Saturday Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) will face Abdul Mohamed (Pictures), who defeated Jean Silva (Pictures) in the last event. “Shaolin,” the world Cage Rage lightweight champion, said that he would be ready for the fight.
"I'm glad to be back in Cage Rage,” he said. "I'm training since may to fight in HERO'S; that's why I think I'm already ready and I will be better for September's fight. I hope to use everything I'm training, and I will dedicate my victory to my son, who is newly born.”
Jose “Pele” Land-Jons will fight this weekend in Slovenia in the World Freefight Challenge against Russian Alexander Shlemenko, whom Landi-Jons already defeated in Jungle Fight.
“I’m very happy with this new phase of my career,” a confident Landi-Jons stated. “I’m with a fantastic team. I want to say that I will be improved compared to my last fights because now I’m really ready.”
A very talented Brazilian fighter, Gleison Tibau, is the new American Top Team’s acquisition. “I moved to ATT after talking to Master Ricardo Liborio (Pictures). I’m here looking for the opportunity to fight in the big organizations and to have a good structure to my trainings,” told Tibau Sherdog.com.
Multiple time world's jiu-jitsu champion and one of great names in BJJ history, Saulo Ribeiro (Pictures) is a new Chute Boxe representative. The fighter, a Royler Gracie (Pictures) black belt, has been training with his new teammates for two weeks.
Sherdog.com spoke with three renowned trainers about mistakes the Brazilians committed on September 10.
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Analyzing “Minotauro” and Wanderlei
Weeks after the conclusion PRIDE’s Open-Weight Grand Prix,
Sherdog.com sought out specialists to analyze Rodrigo “Minotauro”
Nogueira’s and Wanderlei
Silva (Pictures)’s performances, which saw both
lose in the semifinals.
“In my trainer’s sight, Wanderlei looked insecure,” said Muay Thai coach Artur Mariano when asked about Silva’s loss to Mirko Filipovic (Pictures). “This caused him not to find his timing, making things easier for Filipovic. If Wanderlei hit one single punch he could knock Mirko out or change the result. Some anxiety muddled him; he is an athlete who has everything to defeat ‘Cro Cop.’”
Roberto Leitao, the wrestling trainer for the Ruas Vale Tudo Team, approved of the fact that Silva kept fighting despite the doctor’s wanting to stop the bout.
“Wanderlei has KO power so he can decide the fight in one single blow,” Leitao said. “This way he justifies his will to keep fighting. If the fighter wants to continue, if he feels good, and the doctor lets him continue, I can’t see a reason for his coach throw in the towel.”
Mariano shares Leitao’s opinion.
“When you have a high level athlete like [Silva], he is ready for everything. This is why he is where he is. Nowadays we have rules that won’t allow the athlete to keep fighting in several conditions. I would let the fight go.”
About Nogueira, who lost to Josh Barnett (Pictures) by judges’ decision, MMA fighter and jiu-jitsu trainer Vinicius Magalhaes said, “That result was unfair. Besides the fight was very balanced. That knockdown wasn’t that hard and Nogueira worked more on the ground, even getting a mount position. For his history in the event, it was unfair they took his right to the title shot.”
Analyzing the fight, Leitao explained the ways “Minotauro” could have won the match. “Nogueira got used to fighting with the others in his guard, letting the opponents take him down,” Leitao said. “But this time wasn’t easy to sweep Josh because he has submission skills and he’s heavier than Nogueira. I always knew when Nogueira faced someone who can keep himself on the top, it would put him in trouble. Even though he had taken Josh down, his wrestling skills are still limited.”
Leitao also offered advice to both champions.
“As a wrestler, I think they have to improve their takedowns,” he said. “Everybody saw that fight in the guard is for a few, and this can be a bad choice. Fighting to takedown and keep themselves on the top can take them both to the victory.”
For Mariano, Filipovic’s performance on September 10 was just a result of his amazing skill. “Mirko is an explosive and strategic athlete. He has a very quick left punch and left high kick. He has good positioning and good sight of the fight. He beat Wanderlei without getting tired and received a gift in the final. Barnett was too tired and too slow for him, the result couldn’t be different.”
With a possible rematch between “Cro Cop” and Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures), would the Croatian have better chances of winning the second fight? “He has a big chance and he is very dangerous to anyone,” explained Magalhaes. “But I think Fedor is more well rounded. Honestly, I think Fedor at this time [has no equal].”
Super Challenge champion will have to fight three times
The Super Challenge organization decided to bring back the concept of the big tournaments in its debut event, pulling together 16 top athletes in two eight-men brackets.
In a card containing PRIDE and UFC veterans, we can expect electrifying matches. With the support of big invests from businessman Paulo Vasconcellos, The Super Challenge will take place October 7. Sherdog.com will be there to cover the action.
73-kg tournament
Luciano Azevedo (Pictures) (RFT) vs. Vinicius Magalhaes (Gracie Barra – BH)
Mauro “Xuxa” (Never Shake) vs. Fabrício “Morango” (Gracie Humaitá/Tijuca)
Jean Silva (Pictures) (Chute Boxe) vs. Leonardo Santos (Nova União)
Milton Vieira (Pictures) (Brazilian Top Team) vs. Johnny Eduardo (Boxe Thai)
83-kg tournament
Alexandre Ferreira (Brazilian Top Team) vs. Felipe Mongo (Pequeno Team)
Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures) (Gracie SP) vs. Fabio “Negao” (Lótus MMA)
Demian Maia (Brasa) vs. Katel Kubis (Nogushi Team)
Leonardo “Chocolate” (RFT) vs. Gustavo Machado (Pictures) (GBCT)
Superfights
Jorge Patino (Pictures) (Chute Boxe) vs. Roberto Godoy (Brazilian Top Team)
Vanessa Porto (Iglesias Team) vs. Juliana Aguiar (Junior Aguiar Team)
Show Fight 5 promises one more night of amazing fights
Show Fight comes with its fifth edition and once again has a card with Brazilian stars. Names like Assuerio Silva (Pictures), Jose Land-Jons and Jorge Patino (Pictures) promise to electrify the crowd in Sao Paulo on November 9.
Michelle Tavares vs. Yasmin Tahira
Thiago Silva vs. “Felipão” Lins
Assuerio Silva (Pictures) vs. Eduardo Maiorino
Fernando Pontes vs. Jorge Patino (Pictures)
Roan Carneiro (Pictures) vs. TBA
Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures) vs. Jose Landi-Jons (Pictures)
This event will also feature jiu-jitsu, boxing, submission and Muay Thai matches.
Marfio Canoletti wins at Demolition Fight 4
Demolition Fight 4, an exclusive event for strikers, took place September 23 and brought together big names in the Brazilian striking scene.
Rising fighters Bruno Carvalho, Cosmo “Hoost” and Anderson “Braddock” excited the crowd in Sao Paulo. In the main event, two veterans of K-1 Max took to the ring. Brazilian Marfio Canoletti faced world Muay Thai champion Akeomi Nitta in what turned out to be an amazing fight. After five exhausting rounds, Canoletti walked away with a decision.
Edval “Tico” Pedroso def. Marcelo Bueno decision
Fabiano da Silva def. Alessandro Geloco decision
Adriano Nascimento def. Rogério Oliveira decision
Julio Borges def. Anderson Coelho KO R2
Flávio "Mr. Sandman" Pardinho def. Alex Oller decision
Anderson Braddock def. Jeronimo Mondragon KO R1
Bruno Carvalho def. Edson Junior decision
Cosmo Alexandre def. Ricardo Soneca decision
Vitor Miranda def. Eduardo Maiorino KO R2
Marfio Canoletti def. Akeomi Nitta decision
News and notes
Marcus Aurelio will fly to Japan next Saturday, as the American Top Team fighter was invited by Dream Stage Entertainment to participate in the official announcement of his rematch with Takanori Gomi (Pictures) on the next PRIDE Bushido.
At Cage Rage 18 on Saturday Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) will face Abdul Mohamed (Pictures), who defeated Jean Silva (Pictures) in the last event. “Shaolin,” the world Cage Rage lightweight champion, said that he would be ready for the fight.
"I'm glad to be back in Cage Rage,” he said. "I'm training since may to fight in HERO'S; that's why I think I'm already ready and I will be better for September's fight. I hope to use everything I'm training, and I will dedicate my victory to my son, who is newly born.”
Jose “Pele” Land-Jons will fight this weekend in Slovenia in the World Freefight Challenge against Russian Alexander Shlemenko, whom Landi-Jons already defeated in Jungle Fight.
“I’m very happy with this new phase of my career,” a confident Landi-Jons stated. “I’m with a fantastic team. I want to say that I will be improved compared to my last fights because now I’m really ready.”
A very talented Brazilian fighter, Gleison Tibau, is the new American Top Team’s acquisition. “I moved to ATT after talking to Master Ricardo Liborio (Pictures). I’m here looking for the opportunity to fight in the big organizations and to have a good structure to my trainings,” told Tibau Sherdog.com.
Multiple time world's jiu-jitsu champion and one of great names in BJJ history, Saulo Ribeiro (Pictures) is a new Chute Boxe representative. The fighter, a Royler Gracie (Pictures) black belt, has been training with his new teammates for two weeks.
