Interview with Thales Leites
As he himself puts it, Thales Leites is getting ready for the fight of his life. On April 18th, the Nova Uniao representative will be facing Anderson Silva in Canada, to try and snatch the UFC middleweight belt from the long-standing champion. After a late-stage training session, the fighter spoke with Portal das Lutas, GRACIEMAG.com’s partner site.
Portal das Lutas – What do you expect from this title match against Anderson Silva?
Thales Leites – It’s the greatest opportunity of my life. It’s the fight of my life, there’s no way around it. It’s the most important, it means the most and it’s a historic UFC bout, two Brazilians fighting over the belt. The good part is that, regardless of who wins or loses, it stays in Brazil! But it’s a great perspective. I’ve been training for three months focused on this. The last guy I faced was a south paw too, so not much has changed in training between fights. I’m confident and I believe in myself. If I didn’t believe, I wouldn’t believe in this fight. I’m not here just to fight, I want to be the champion. So I believe in me, I’ll show up 100%, just as he will, and what I can promise you all is that it’s going to be a great fight. Each of us has 50% chance of winning. He’s the favorite, but in my head it’s like this: we each have two arms, two legs and we each has what it takes.
PDL – A lot of people consider Anderson to be the pound-for-pound best in the world. Does that make a difference to you?
TL – To me it makes no difference, because I’m not going into this thinking he’s the pound-for-pound best in the world. I really don’t feel there’s only one pound-for-pound best in the world. I think there are four or five. But that’s no extra weight on my shoulders. That’s something people throw out there. To me it’s a five-round fight against a really dangerous, really good guy. I’ve been training for that.
PDL – One of the possibilities is that you try and take him down. I saw how you guys brought in a Cuban coach. How is the wrestling training going?
TL – I’ve been putting emphasis on wrestling and muay thai. Before that, I went for the third time to Arizona to train wrestling, I learned a lot over there and Pedro (the Cuban coach) and Adrian Jaoude, are giving me a lot of attention. I’m ever-more confident in my takedowns and my transitioning from the takedown to the ground is precision. This wrestling training has been great for me.
PDL – One of Anderson’s greatest strengths is his striking. How has the work on that fundamental been going?
TL – I’ve been working on muay thai for a while with Marcelo Aguiar, in Niteroi. But for this fight I’ve been staying around Rio more, and I’ve been relying on Guto Inocente, who’s a great kid. He has a similar game to Anderson’s, whereby he gets out of the way and hits quick. He’s a heavyweight with the speed of a middleweight. Now Vitor Miranda, who’s been helping me too, I don’t even have words for. He’s a great striker, has been training for ever and always helps me and I help him. There’s also Pedro Rizzo who, if he’s not training, he’s always giving me pointers. With this whole gang I feel comfortable and well. I’m always learning and that makes for good training. I always learn something new.
PDL – Besides Anderson, at middleweight there are Brazilians like Demian Maia and Ricardo Cachorrao, among others. Is there any unity among the Brazilians in the division?
TL – Just as in other categories, the middleweight one has lots of tough guys. Beyond these Brazilians, there’s Bisping, Nathan Marquadt, Okami, Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva, who is dropping down in weight now. The category is stacked and everyone’s hungry for wins. There’s also Wilson Gouveia, another Brazilian, and Patrick Cote. You always end up remembering another one. So I’m stoked to be in the position I’m in, getting my shot at the title. I think that’s where everyone wants to be, because you need to get your title shot before getting the title. So that’s what everyone’s aiming for. I know it’s a tough division and, winning or losing this fight, I’ll keep hard at work. That’s what’s so cool, being able to fight the best, it’s a test. I feel good when I fight the best and at the UFC that’s how it is. I think being able to fight the best is what’s the cool part, no one goes in there unprepared.
PDL – What does a title dispute between two Brazilians mean to you?
TL – It’s like I just said, it’s about maintaining the hegemony. If we step back to look at it, the UFC is the biggest event in the world and the Brazilians are always at the top. Thiago Alves is going to dispute the 77kg title against St. Pierre, Lyoto is going up against Rashad Evans and, in my opinion he’ll win. There’s the heavier category where Minotauro represents, aside from all the lightweight guys. So now is the time to show what Brazilian fighters are worth. It’s an American event but, even during times of crisis, there are a lot of Brazilians in the mix. So that shows what Brazilian fighters are worth and the prestige and respect we have. We train, get out there and do it because we deserve it. That’s what’s so cool, the recognition the United States and the world has for Brazilian fighters.