Entrevista com Wanderlei Silva

[MinotauroNogueira 0]

In late September, Sherdog.com’s Marcelo Alonso sat down with Wanderlei Silva to review “The Axe Murderer’s” MMA career.

Topics included the bare-knuckle days of the IVC, training at Chute Boxe, the baddest man he’s ever known, whether Lyoto Machida is unbeatable and who he thinks will knock off Brock Lesnar.

At the time of the interview, Silva was training but not allowed to get hit due to a recent surgery on his nose. By now he is preparing for his next bout, which is expected to come against Yoshihiro Akiyama early next year.

Sherdog: How was your adaptation to Vegas?

Silva: It’s been two years that I’ve lived here. In the beginning it was really hard, but now I’m fine. Unlike most parts of the USA, we don’t have too many Brazilians here, like in Boston or Florida, so I had to develop my English and try to build a new life for myself. When I arrived here, I first tried to live in West Palm Beach (Florida), but it was a new academy and I didn’t have training there and I had my fight against Liddell already scheduled, then I decided to come to Vegas, where Couture welcomed me and helped me a lot in the beginning. Later I decided to open my own gym and I had a really hard time doing so because here you need to get permission for everything and I didn’t speak English at that time. It was really hard. But building that academy was like making my dream come true, so I did everything I could to reach this goal. Thank God I was able to do what I want in the way I want. The American market is really fabulous, and I’m really happy with the result.

Sherdog: Who are your coaches here?

Silva: Rafael Alejarra, one of the best coaches in the world, helped me a lot in my last fight. I’ve been with him for a long time and he’s my friend, but he’s a great professional and showed me a lot of heart. Rafael Cordeiro and I have started a partnership with his new gym, Kings Muay Thai. He’s a very respectful guy and is becoming even more like a master, not only inside the ring but outside too. He always taught many lessons to me. He was by my side for the most important moments in my life, some hard times, when I was kicked out of the gym and had to look for another team, but he managed my return to the team too. It happened many years ago. I left the team and they helped me, asked to let me go back to the team, so I decided to go back and train there.

Sherdog: What do you have to say about your last loss to Rich Franklin?

Silva: I think I won this fight against Franklin. I did my best, and even the American fans told me I won. I got a little bit upset about that because I did a very nice show and I thought I won.

Sherdog: So when will you return to the ring?

Silva: When God wants. For the first time in 13 years, I stopped a little bit. … I’ll stop a little bit and get focused on my academy, on helping my guys. Develop myself as a manager and trainer. I opened two new classes where I’m teaching. Because anyone who wants to work in martial arts has to learn about all areas, and teaching is one of those. Thank God I’m seeing that outside of the ring can be as profitable as the inside of the ring. Actually, in my case, it doesn’t even come close, but let’s say I can make good money to pay the bills.

Sherdog: People in Brazil were really impressed after you invited Paulo Filho and Arona to train.

Silva: For sure. The times of rivalries are over, and when you come to live outside (Brazil), your patriotism grows. Which leaders wouldn’t like to have Arona and Filho representing his team? My academy is open to anyone who wants to train. I’ve already received here names like Forrest Griffin, “Minotauro,” Gilbert Yvel, Heath Herring, Werdum, Demian. So everybody is welcome here. Every Tuesday and Thursday I have an open sparring training where guys can come from (their academies) with their coaches from other academies. If I open space to people that I don’t really know, for sure the doors of my academy are open to the new talents from Brazil or Japan. Actually I’m using all the promotion around my name here in the USA to promote the new talents who are coming from Brazil or Japan.

Sherdog: On Aug. 22 we had the opportunity to see you for the first time as a coach when your fighter Jorge Lopez defeated a student of Josh Barnett by unanimous decision. After such a successful career as an athlete, how do you feel about winning as a trainer?

Silva: I’m very happy Jorge is our revelation. This is his seventh fight. I told him, ‘When you have 15, I’ll put you in the UFC.’ Today, besides him, we have a lot of new talents on Wand Fight Team, like Mike Whitehead, Vitor Vianna and other newcomers. I’m very happy that I’m able to pass to my students the winning philosophy that I received from my master, Rudimar, during my whole life.

Sherdog: After you left Chute Boxe, did Rudimar ever visit you?

Silva: No. Actually I would like to thank master Rudimar for everything I am. I’ve already told him that I’m waiting for his visit. I always teach my students to respect the master and I really respect my master.

Sherdog: How do you reflect on your IVC fights?

Silva: That event was unbelievable, one of the biggest in the world at that time. At that time, we didn’t have Pride, and UFC wasn’t as big as it is today. That was crazy, one 30-minute round. … I didn’t kick my opponent’s balls because I didn’t want to, but they allowed that. (Sergio) Batarelli was a great manager and did some great fights, like Fabio Gurgel against Mark Kerr. A fantastic fight. Gurgel showed a lot of heart. “Pelé” fought against Chuck Liddell. That fight was awesome. Pelé almost knocked Liddell out. (Pele’s) fights against “Macaco.” IVC was historical.

Sherdog: Do you think it was an important stage to get the sport where it is today, or do you think, “How did I do this?”

Silva: I don’t really care about being injured and all that stuff. I didn’t have any fear or self-protection instinct, and that’s why I think my career is like this. I actually started my career when I was 13, and I became professional at 15. From 15 to 33, where I am today, I never stopped. I was always fighting four, five times a year, and now two or three. I never had free time, so now I gave myself that free time for the first time to take care of myself and return with everything next year. To tell you the truth, I stopped now because I have to, because I’d to like to be back to training. Something I always say is that I love to train, and you have to be inspired to do it. It’s like making love: The man can’t fake it. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not, and we can’t fake it. And I’m like this: If I do something, I do it for real.

nao deu pra traduzir malz : /

[The Axe Murderer 0]

Exelente entrevista, Wand ainda vai dar a volta por cima

[Blito 0]

Basicamente ele diz que resolveu tirar umas férias - a primeira em praticamente os 13 anos! Não tem data fixa para voltar a lutar.

MAs que por outro lado, tambem está mto contente com o trabalho que vem fazendo como treinador e outros negócios... que está descobrindo que se pode fazer dinheiro tambem fora do ringue... kkk.. nao tanto quanto, mas o suficiente para pagar as contas.

Nao aponta vencedor entre Shogun e Lyoto, mas declara que Lyoto nao pode ser considerado invencivel, pois existem tantos lutadores bons por ai que é possivel existir alguem que seja o melhor entre todos!

Fala que o adversário ideal contra o Lesnar é o Minotauro, pois ele nao tem medo de ninguem.

Mas faltou a segunda parte da entrevista... no Sherdog tem mais uma página.

Editado October 15, 2009 por Blito

[renan silva 0]

traduçao por favor =)

[Tequila_ 0]

Basicamente ele diz que resolver tirar umas férias - a primeira em praticamente os 13 anos!

MAs que por outro lado, tambem está mto contente com o trabalho que vem fazendo como treinador e outros negócios... que está descobrindo que se pode fazer dinheiro tambem fora do ringue... kkk.. nao tanto quanto, mas o suficiente para pagar as contas.

Mas faltou a segunda parte da entrevista... no Sherdog tem mais uma página.

Sherdog: Looking back, how important was Chute Boxe to your career?

Silva: Chute Boxe is a champion maker, an exceptional team. Master Rudimar (Fedrigo) is a born leader. He has the power of finding the best of each fighter. Unfortunately for the team, he has a political career now, and I’m sure that he’s doing a great job in Curitiba, helping all the martial arts, not only MMA. Rudimar was always a very busy man and did not always have time to lead the training, so Master Rafael (Cordeiro) used to do it for him. Rafael taught us a lot, formed “Shogun.” If you ask anyone there, everybody will say that Rafael is their master. Rafael is an exceptional guy, and he was formed by Rudimar, and that’s why we had some problems.

Sherdog: How does it happen?

Silva: At that time, we had a rivalry between athletes, but today the sport is more professional and we realized that we have to do partnerships. … This rivalry between martial arts and athletes doesn’t exist anymore. I’m welcomed in any gym I go to, from muay Thai to jiu-jitsu. Some years ago I went to Royler’s gym, and he treated me very well. I trained with the guys there, and they were very good. It was an honor to go there. He was a visionary guy.

Sherdog: When you started fighting, who did you see as an idol?

Silva: Master Rafael. He’s two or three years older than me, and when I started, he was already a black belt. He’s very ugly, but he was famous and had a beautiful girlfriend, so it gave me hope that I could do well one day too. He was very good in fights and muay Thai, then he started in jiu-jitsu and did great too, then in Karate too. He’s very talented. I never saw a guy more talented in training or leading the training. Rafael was unbelievable. On the other hand, Pelé also inspired me. He was the baddest man I every met. I never met a guy as bad as he is. We had no way of training with him. He beat you up in training and didn’t care.

Sherdog: You two got black belts together?

Silva: Yes, we got them with Nilson de Castro. Nilson is a great guy too, and I asked to train with him too because he’s a great teacher. At the time we got the black belts, we didn’t have gloves in the gyms. We slapped each other. He almost knocked me out at the black belt graduation. He kicked very fast, just like Rafael. I reacted and kicked him some times, made him scream, but he was great, just like Pelé.

Sherdog: Talk about this new Wanderlei, in the new stage of your career. What’s the difference?

Silva: I think it’s the new training mode, more focused, having to readapt with everything again. A fighter has to be recycling, being in a constant evolution. There are a lot of new guys, so you have to develop a lot to continue at the top. I will be back, for sure. I’ll show everybody that I can overcome this, that I don’t do it for the money, that I do it because I love it. I have a lot of other business, but what I do is fighting. I love to fight. That adrenaline that you feel when you’re going to fight is unique. Fighting is in my blood. Of course I also do it for the money -- it’s my job -- but thank God (that’s) not the most important thing today. I do it to make MMA bigger around the world. It’s a slow job. I go from gym to gym doing seminars.

Sherdog: Talk about your Web site for those who want to come and train with you.

Silva: My American Web site is wandfc.com, and now I’m going to create an Orkut, which is the biggest network in Brazil. I also have a MySpace here. Some guys created a profile for me, but I want to create my own and talk directly with my fans. If you’re here in the U.S. and need some help, come here and talk with me. I’ll help in anything I can do. I can find you a cheaper house because I know how hard it is to go to a place without knowing anyone. I know guys who own nightclubs and bars, where you can find a job. I’m here to help.

Sherdog: Something you said to me one day is that the place where you sign the least autographs is Curitiba.

Silva: Yeah, almost everybody there has it already (laughs). The people from Curitiba are very shy. Do you know what the guys from Curitiba do when they catch their wives in bed with another man? Nothing. Because they don’t talk to strangers (laughs). But I’m well recognized there because I have a lot of friends and people that I know there because I lived in Curitiba my whole life. There are a lot of places in the world that I can’t even walk on the street.

Sherdog: Where do you think you’re most recognized?

Silva: In the first place, Japan. Now here in Las Vegas too. Canada is impressive. In Toronto and Montreal it’s something crazy. That’s a huge market for MMA, and I’m going to open branches there, but I want to do exactly what I have here. I also think about Brazil because I want to help the guys here.

Sherdog: Talking about the globalization of MMA, Belfort was training with Minotauro and Anderson, and now he wants Anderson’s belt. How do you see that?

Silva: I think that it depends on the way the teacher does. … About fighting each other, that’s something that is happening now, and it’s complicated.

Sherdog: Who do you think can beat Brock Lesnar?

Silva: I think Minotauro. Minotauro is the man to beat Lesnar because he won’t fear him. He doesn’t fear anyone, and he’ll punish him standing.

Sherdog: Lyoto trained with you in the past. At that time, did you realize he had something different?

Silva: He’s lucky to be born is a house of fighters. He has his brothers, and he is, undoubtedly, a great fighter. He’s a cool guy, and I think he’s a great fighter.

Sherdog: What do you think about his next fight, against Shogun?

Silva: I still think Shogun is one of the best fighters in this division. I think this fight is tough. Lyoto has great timing and works well, so I think whoever hits first will win. We’re gonna see if it’s the lottery or not. I think it’s gonna be one of the best fights in the UFC.

Sherdog: A lot of people are saying that he is unbeatable.

Silva: No, no. Nobody is unbeatable. There are a lot of great fighters fighting around the world, and I don’t believe the best fighter in the world exists.

Sherdog: What do you expect for your career now? For how long will the fans watch Wanderlei fight?

Silva: I want to fight the best, and I know I’ll be fighting the best. Even because with how much they pay me, they won’t put me against (just) anyone. I want to fight the best, teach my training method, help the Brazilian fighters who need to come to the U.S. I want to welcome them here. I want to create champions. I want to make my team bigger. Thank God in MMA we still have a lot of areas to explore, but I don’t want this job to mess with my career inside the Octagon. No, I’m gonna get my camp together to start training for my next fight. … I’ll see what UFC wants from me, but I want to keep giving a show to my fans. That’s what motivates me. I’ve seen around the world what the UFC has become. It’s like the World Cup final, and it motivates me even more.

[Boca 0]

ainda com essa historinha de que ganhou do Rich...

[thomaz.andrade 0]

As entrevistas do Wand são show pois ele é sempre muito sincero, ainda que fale alguma m...

Mas ele insiste em colocar o Rafael Alerrara como o seu "coach",. Deve ser pra levantar a moral do cara, já que na última luta o Wand cambaleava pra todo lado e tava meio morto no gás já...

Na torcida pro Wand vencer a próxima luta e futuramente vir a disputar um cinturãoou ao menos vencer caras de nome como Rashad e Tito (na 93) ou Bisping e Marquart (na 84)

[Convidado pat0]

The people from Curitiba are very shy. Do you know what the guys from Curitiba do when they catch their wives in bed with another man? Nothing. Because they don’t talk to strangers (laughs)

heAOhAEuohEAuohEAuhAuohe

coméé'dia

[Gustavowww 0]

Eu quero ver Bisping vs Wand na 84kg. È uma boa luta para ele voltar a vencer, ganhando confiança e fazer o PVT feliz. HEUHEUHEHUEHEUHE

[MinotauroNogueira 0]

no caso nao e rafaela alejarra eh ? pensei q era o coach de thai!

[Metropolitano 0]

Acho que depois da luta contra o Akyama, o Wand terá uma boa visão do que lhe aguarda.

[srvguitar 0]

Agradeceria se alguerm postasse a tradução, valeu galera.

[pancadeiro 0]

Wand dah cada x + sinal de q estah perto de parar.

Grande Guerreiro.

[fzerostrike 0]

achei muito bacana a entrevista

[Convidado marrcos]

concordo , depois desta luta eu acho que o wandeco saberá se ele esta fazendo o trabalho certo ou se se precisa de mudança!!!!!!!!!!! no seu time, antes que seus creditos se esgotam.e ele seja despensado do UFC !!!! porquê um cara não pode ficar vivendo de passado!!!!!!!!!!!! antes ele era o cara hoje ele não e mais e tem que entender , mudar seu treinos despensar alguêm porque , em que nos fazemos na vida nos precisamos de resultado como ele mesmo disse um dia!!!!!!!!!!!todos precisam de dinheiro , pra conseguir se estabelecer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! seja um valor em dinheiro ,enfim alguma coisa que garanta uma vida boa ao competidor!!!!!!!!!!!!