The Brazilian fans have much to commemorate in early 2005. Marco Ruas announced that he will come back to the ring and his pupil Pedro Rizzo promised to fight soon in PRIDE. But at the moment, attention is focused on Antoine Jaoude and Hermes França, who will fight this weekend at the Euphoria show, and a Brazilian contingent formed by Renato "Babalu," Jean Silva, Evangelista "Cyborg" and Gabriel "Gladiador" that will be in the Cage Rage 10. Details on the Brazilian participation in PRIDE 29 will appear in our next column.
During the last visit of the Dream Stage Entertainment president Nobuyuki Sakakibara to Brazil, it was practically certain that Pedro Rizzo would join PRIDE. Rizzo was almost signed for PRIDE 29, but his debut in the Japanese ring will have to happen in a future edition.
Away from the MMA scene since his victory over Ricco Rodriguez in November of 2003 at UFC 45, Rizzo is not worried about the lack of rhythm of fights. "I trained the entire year of 2004," Rizzo said. "I was practically certain to fight on six different dates, but it ended up not happening. My will to fight is enormous and I wait to go up in ring very soon."
The event change means not only will he leave the Octagon for a ring, there are many things that interest the fighter. "New airs, new challenges, new opponents and a new audience," he explained. "PRIDE has different rules that they favor my style of game. I’ll do my best and I am waiting the chance to debut."
Antoine Jaoude prepares for Travis Wiuff
Antoine Jaoude will be part of one of the main fights of the next stage to the Euphoria on Saturday. He is going to face wrestler Travis Wiuff and informs us that he is ready.
"I am arriving at the end of my preparation that is the intensive part,” he said. "I’m arriving there ready to make a good fight."
A member of Ruas Vale Tudo, he explains what he intends do in the fight. "[I will try] to keep the distance, to do a jab and a straight; and if happens I’ll work the top position. But I go to try to keep my distance. I know that he likes to be in the clinch, we’ll see what happens. When the fight arrives, I will be calm."
Top Brazilian wrestler, Jaoude discloses what he thought of the participation of Rulon Gardner in the PRIDE Shockwave 2: "He made a good fight. I think that if he continues he is going to evolve a lot, and is going to give a lot of trouble in the heavyweight division. Most people don’t realize how hard the Olympic training is. He trained in the maximum two months for this fight, only caught the basic, because he had just arrived from the Olympics. If he dedicates himself to MMA, I believe that he’s going to give a lot of work."
Marco Ruas wants to face Ken Shamrock
In interview with Brazilian magazine "Nocaute,” Marco Ruas reaffirmed his old desire to make a farewell super fight against Ken Shamrock. "I would like to fight against somebody of name," he said. "If I fight a can it will take a lot away form my retirement. A good one from my time is Ken Shamrock. He is very popular in U.S.A., a national icon. It would be a good fight.”
The “Little Phenom”
One day after his defeat to Tito Ortiz in UFC 51, Vítor Belfort already had reasons to smile when his son Davi was born in São Paulo, fruit of the marriage of the "Phenom" with the Brazilian model Joana Prado. The arrival of the "Little Phenom" was a lot of joy for the fighter. "Was the biggest emotion of my life," Belfort commented.
On his fight against Ortiz, the Brazilian says not to have understood the criteria of the judges and thinks that he was the true winner of the combat. "I won the two first rounds," he said. "But it is good knowing that everybody thinks the same.”
Jorge Patino "Macaco" comments on training with Wanderlei
Just about to complete his first year at Chute Boxe, Jorge Patino "Macaco" is adoring his new team. He does not hide his admiration for the Masters Rudimar Fedrigo and Rafael Cordeiro. "Chute Boxe is very cool," he said. "The Master Rafael Cordeiro is a person of a character without equal, like the Rudimar Master also. I am very happy there, I found my space."
"The practices with Wanderlei are very hard,” he said. “The man has a rock hand and is a very aggressive technician. I always try to give to the maximum of me to provide good trainings for Wanderlei. To me only has to add, therefore training with best the one day I go to also arrive there."
SHOOTO Brazil 6 next Saturday
While we wait for the highly-anticipated combat between SHOOTO 143-pound champion Alexander Pequeno and number-one contender João Roque, which will happen in March in Japan, the current talk is about the SHOOTO Brazil 6, next Saturday in Curitiba, land of Wanderlei Silva. Fourteen fights will be involving diverse revelations of the Brazilian MMA.
The complete card, subject to change, of course, is the following:
Fábio Tigrão (Shooto Brazil Dojo) vs. Renato Matos (Giudice)
Josenildo Índio (Giudice/ Equipe 1) vs. Willian Casquilha (Fighteam)
Wanderlei Smala (Zenedin) vs. Cristiano Neguinho (Gracie Curitiba)
Cristopher Lenhador (BIT) vs. Helio Dipp (Power Team)
Ivonildo Cafu (Never Shake) vs. Emerson Graxaim (BIT)
Carlinhos Lima (BIT) vs. Eduardo Pamplona (Never Shake)
Julian Jabá (RFT) vs. Paulo Bueno (Zenedin)
Wagner Gávea (CWB) vs. Fábio Baum (Falcão/Santa Catarina)
André Vicente (Shooto Brazil Dojo) vs. Mateus Andraus (Thai Boxe)
Erinaldo Pitbull (Gracie Barra Combat Team) vs. Ricardo Rodrigues (Fighteam)
Wagner Tibúrcio (CWB) vs. Daniel Galvão (Champions Factory)
Sergio Schiavon (Ponto 1) vs. Mário Fumagalli (Muay Thai Dream Team)
Paulo Boiko (BTT) vs. Rodrigo Ruiz (Never Shake)
Christopher Led (BIT) vs. Hélio Deep (Boxe Garra Team)
News and Notes
The victory over Akebono at K-1 Dynamite 2004 again put the name of Royce Gracie into the rumor mill. Despite a great deal of talk about his participation in PRIDE GP 2005, the Gracie contradicts the subject. "[It] is all rumor," he said. "At the moment I am alone making seminars, and I am busy until June."
Milton Vieira, from Brazilian Top Team, is practically certain to participate in the edition of on April 30. The champion of Meca and of the AFC Brazil, Milton waits to bring a victory for its country. "I am coming back to practice now, therefore it was a little hurt. Then I am in the expectation, I wait to bring plus a victory for Brazil,” he said.
The Gold Boys project is taking place in “Favela da Rocinha” since February 1 in, in Rio de Janeiro. The charity project already has 150 participants, with the majority of them being children. It has lessons of jiu-jitsu, boxing and Muay Thai. The "favela da Rocinha" is the biggest favela, or shantytown, in Latin America.