Future is Now: “JZ” Eyes K-1 HERO’s Tourney Fight
Gleidson Venga Aug 1, 2006
Gesias Calvancanti
(Pictures) is another of American Top
Team’s rising stars. Springboarding off quick victories in Cage
Rage and K-1 HERO’s, the lightweight Brazilian says he’s ready for
more.
After spending a few weeks training in the Netherlands to improve his Muay Thai skills, Calvancanti (8-1-1) spoke to Sherdog.com about this weekend’s K-1 HERO’s “middleweight” tournament, which will see “JZ” face Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures).
Sherdog.com: How was your training in the Netherlands?
Gesias Calvancanti (Pictures): This phase of my training at the Alkmaar Gym was awesome, particularly this season with Kaas and Gago Drago (K-1 Max’s semifinalist) scheduled to fight. They both have the same weight I have, so I gave my blood to training.
Calvancanti: HERO’s is growing; they are scheduling great fighters for both tournaments. In my weight division, so far there is one more name to be announced. They are announcing a mini-Grand Prix too, but up to the moment there is nothing officially confirmed. In the [183-pound] tournament the names are in conditions to make classic battles, Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), Melvin Manhoef (Pictures), [and] Carlos Newton (Pictures). Any of these fights can be a classic. I am excited about it, [and] betting on Melvin since he’s a training partner in the Netherlands.
Sherdog.com: Who do you think would be your toughest opponent?
Calvancanti: They are all great opponents. They deserve to be there, so let’s watch and learn.
Sherdog.com: You had two great victories in Cage Rage and K-1 HERO’s. How do you feel?
Calvancanti: I’m glad. I think now is the time to keep working. The training is getting harder and better, and we are very united at ATT. The structure of the team is perfect.
Sherdog.com: What happened in your last fight in Cage Rage? You and your opponent made the weight but there was no fight.
Calvancanti: Jess Liaudin (Pictures), my opponent, didn’t come to the fight. He said he had cut too much weight, so he didn’t come up.
Sherdog.com: So your last fight in Cage Rage was in December. How was that?
Calvancanti: My last fight, which took place on December 3rd, was a quick one against Michihiro Omigawa (Pictures). … I hit a high kick through his face, punched him twice and he as knocked out.
Sherdog.com: And about your fight in the HERO’s Grand Prix. How was that?
Calvancanti: It was a show; everything worked fine. I was a little concerned because a week before I fought in Cage Rage in England, then I had to return to the USA to get my visa again before traveling to Japan right after, arriving there just a day and a half before the fight. I had to dehydrate myself to cut weight for the weigh-in. I had gotten the weight back from the fight in Cage Rage and after that I had to cut weight again to fight in K-1 HERO'S. I thought that my opponent would be willing to stay on the feet. Hidetaka Monma (Pictures) did that against Rodrigo Gracie (Pictures), keeping distance and using his knees. In the beginning of our fight he tried a flying knee, but I was waiting for it so I kicked his chest and he fell on his back. I did my ground-and-pound and when he tried to escape I attached in a heelhook. But he didn’t tapout, so I fell into his guard and again used ground-and-pound. He tried a triangle choke, his best weapon, but we studied his game. So I broke through and hit him in ground-and-pound. My money punch was straight to his chin, and I kept punishing him until the referee stopped the fight.
Sherdog.com: Your personal trainer, André Benkei, told us you gained back like 15 pounds after the weigh-in for this fight. How did you regain so much?
Calvancanti: Yeah, that’s right: almost 15 pounds. As I said, in England, I lost it and got it back. But my fight was in the 73-kg (160-pound) weight division and in Japan it was at 70 kg (154 pounds), which pushed me hard to dehydrate a bit more, despite the fact that I don't like to do this. I was lucky since Brazilian cultural food behavior is pretty disciplined about it, so I thank my parents who influenced me with natural and macrobiotic food. That helps me a lot. And also because I read too much about it and I’m always forward thinking about nutrition and I’m always trying to keep myself healthy. I also wanted to thank André "Benkei,” my personal trainer, who has been doing an amazing job with me, giving us the best training and nutritional support.
Sherdog.com: You were scheduled to fight against Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) in Cage Rage, but he got hurt and the fight didn’t happen. Do you want to face him in near future?
Calvancanti: I hope to fight any Brazilian when it is just unavoidable, like against Shaolin. It would be a title shot, or in this Grand Prix, when I might face Rani Yahira (Pictures).
Sherdog.com: What do you expect about new ATT member, the giant Antonio Pezão?
Calvancanti: It was great news for me. Pezão is a nice guy. We became friends in Japan and he is a monster in the ring. It’s like he said in his interview: he is strong as a gorilla and has a lot of skills. It was a great deal for him and the team. Mr. Frankenstein will shake a lot of the top fighters.
Sherdog.com: When will you go to Brazil? Do you miss your birth country?
Calvancanti: If I could, I would be in Brazil three times a year. But with my contracts to fight I can’t. I could be in Brazil right know, but I’d rather go to the Netherlands to train Muay Thai with the guys at the Alkmaar Gym and Mike's Gym. Gago Drago, Kaas, Melvin Manhoef (Pictures), Charoon, Edwin. I’m exchanging MMA experiences with them and with friends like Fabiano Pega Leve, Thiaguinho Tavares, Thiago Jambo, Marcelo Salazar. I’m in love with Brazil; it’s one of the best countries in the world. I love Rio but unfortunately we don’t have many opportunities there, so that’s why I thank America and I enjoy this opportunity to enforce Menjivar’s appeal to the American politicians to take care better of the Latin community, including Brazilians, who are in America trying to get a green card. Brazil is a young country, and I know it will develop more. When Brazil was discovered, Greece and Egypt already was millions of years old, so I think Brazil has a lot of potential. It’s a growing country.
Sherdog.com: Do you have a message for your fans on Sherdog.com?
Calvancanti: Hey Sherdog, fighting is not just what we train and work, but it is part of our lives. People here at ATT, brothers in training, are friends and family who are giving me all support. They make me stronger to return to the ring as soon as possible. A big hug to everyone!
After spending a few weeks training in the Netherlands to improve his Muay Thai skills, Calvancanti (8-1-1) spoke to Sherdog.com about this weekend’s K-1 HERO’s “middleweight” tournament, which will see “JZ” face Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures).
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Gesias Calvancanti (Pictures): This phase of my training at the Alkmaar Gym was awesome, particularly this season with Kaas and Gago Drago (K-1 Max’s semifinalist) scheduled to fight. They both have the same weight I have, so I gave my blood to training.
Sherdog.com: What do you think about the scheduled names to
fight in HERO’s?
Calvancanti: HERO’s is growing; they are scheduling great fighters for both tournaments. In my weight division, so far there is one more name to be announced. They are announcing a mini-Grand Prix too, but up to the moment there is nothing officially confirmed. In the [183-pound] tournament the names are in conditions to make classic battles, Kazushi Sakuraba (Pictures), Melvin Manhoef (Pictures), [and] Carlos Newton (Pictures). Any of these fights can be a classic. I am excited about it, [and] betting on Melvin since he’s a training partner in the Netherlands.
Sherdog.com: Who do you think would be your toughest opponent?
Calvancanti: They are all great opponents. They deserve to be there, so let’s watch and learn.
Sherdog.com: You had two great victories in Cage Rage and K-1 HERO’s. How do you feel?
Calvancanti: I’m glad. I think now is the time to keep working. The training is getting harder and better, and we are very united at ATT. The structure of the team is perfect.
Sherdog.com: What happened in your last fight in Cage Rage? You and your opponent made the weight but there was no fight.
Calvancanti: Jess Liaudin (Pictures), my opponent, didn’t come to the fight. He said he had cut too much weight, so he didn’t come up.
Sherdog.com: So your last fight in Cage Rage was in December. How was that?
Calvancanti: My last fight, which took place on December 3rd, was a quick one against Michihiro Omigawa (Pictures). … I hit a high kick through his face, punched him twice and he as knocked out.
Sherdog.com: And about your fight in the HERO’s Grand Prix. How was that?
Calvancanti: It was a show; everything worked fine. I was a little concerned because a week before I fought in Cage Rage in England, then I had to return to the USA to get my visa again before traveling to Japan right after, arriving there just a day and a half before the fight. I had to dehydrate myself to cut weight for the weigh-in. I had gotten the weight back from the fight in Cage Rage and after that I had to cut weight again to fight in K-1 HERO'S. I thought that my opponent would be willing to stay on the feet. Hidetaka Monma (Pictures) did that against Rodrigo Gracie (Pictures), keeping distance and using his knees. In the beginning of our fight he tried a flying knee, but I was waiting for it so I kicked his chest and he fell on his back. I did my ground-and-pound and when he tried to escape I attached in a heelhook. But he didn’t tapout, so I fell into his guard and again used ground-and-pound. He tried a triangle choke, his best weapon, but we studied his game. So I broke through and hit him in ground-and-pound. My money punch was straight to his chin, and I kept punishing him until the referee stopped the fight.
Sherdog.com: Your personal trainer, André Benkei, told us you gained back like 15 pounds after the weigh-in for this fight. How did you regain so much?
Calvancanti: Yeah, that’s right: almost 15 pounds. As I said, in England, I lost it and got it back. But my fight was in the 73-kg (160-pound) weight division and in Japan it was at 70 kg (154 pounds), which pushed me hard to dehydrate a bit more, despite the fact that I don't like to do this. I was lucky since Brazilian cultural food behavior is pretty disciplined about it, so I thank my parents who influenced me with natural and macrobiotic food. That helps me a lot. And also because I read too much about it and I’m always forward thinking about nutrition and I’m always trying to keep myself healthy. I also wanted to thank André "Benkei,” my personal trainer, who has been doing an amazing job with me, giving us the best training and nutritional support.
Sherdog.com: You were scheduled to fight against Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) in Cage Rage, but he got hurt and the fight didn’t happen. Do you want to face him in near future?
Calvancanti: I hope to fight any Brazilian when it is just unavoidable, like against Shaolin. It would be a title shot, or in this Grand Prix, when I might face Rani Yahira (Pictures).
Sherdog.com: What do you expect about new ATT member, the giant Antonio Pezão?
Calvancanti: It was great news for me. Pezão is a nice guy. We became friends in Japan and he is a monster in the ring. It’s like he said in his interview: he is strong as a gorilla and has a lot of skills. It was a great deal for him and the team. Mr. Frankenstein will shake a lot of the top fighters.
Sherdog.com: When will you go to Brazil? Do you miss your birth country?
Calvancanti: If I could, I would be in Brazil three times a year. But with my contracts to fight I can’t. I could be in Brazil right know, but I’d rather go to the Netherlands to train Muay Thai with the guys at the Alkmaar Gym and Mike's Gym. Gago Drago, Kaas, Melvin Manhoef (Pictures), Charoon, Edwin. I’m exchanging MMA experiences with them and with friends like Fabiano Pega Leve, Thiaguinho Tavares, Thiago Jambo, Marcelo Salazar. I’m in love with Brazil; it’s one of the best countries in the world. I love Rio but unfortunately we don’t have many opportunities there, so that’s why I thank America and I enjoy this opportunity to enforce Menjivar’s appeal to the American politicians to take care better of the Latin community, including Brazilians, who are in America trying to get a green card. Brazil is a young country, and I know it will develop more. When Brazil was discovered, Greece and Egypt already was millions of years old, so I think Brazil has a lot of potential. It’s a growing country.
Sherdog.com: Do you have a message for your fans on Sherdog.com?
Calvancanti: Hey Sherdog, fighting is not just what we train and work, but it is part of our lives. People here at ATT, brothers in training, are friends and family who are giving me all support. They make me stronger to return to the ring as soon as possible. A big hug to everyone!
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