Paulo Filho

Training hard to prepare yourself to make his Dream debut, Paulo Filho spoke with TATAME.com about his preparation, his new phase, now as a light heavyweight fighter and Wanderlei Silva’s invite to join his team in Las Vegas. Check below the complete interview with Filho.

How are the training?

Great. I’m with a new physical coach, a good friend of mine, very professional, Master Oswaldo Alves, who has a amazing ground game, Amaury Bitetti, a good friend who has a phenomenal training, and Josuel Distak, whom I don’t even have to comment. There are other people who help me too, but these are the main four in the moment, besides my family, my fiancée. People are helping me in the return of the Jedi.

Are you engaged?

Yes… She’s a very special woman, handle my crazy things, which is very hard, and handled the situations… I’m very happy with her.

And the return to the rings? Will you fight at Dream?

It’s signed, but I don’t know if it’ll be at Dream 9 or the June event, because it’s hard to find opponents. But, if it’s not for now, it’ll be at June, for sure. Until June I’ll be there fighting at 205lbs, something better for me.

How are you preparing yourself to fight at 205lbs division?

My physical characteristic is the force, so, at 185, besides the difficulty to lose weight, I lose one of my qualities. It’s like a car, I need fuel, and I felt that, at 185, I was like a car running out of gas (laughs). It was good to move up, people look at me and think I’m a 185 guy, because I’m shorter, but I have 205.

Do you think the high difference can be a problem in the new category?

That’s bullshit. Mike Tyson was the best and was a short guy. At soccer, Maradona, Romário and many other were short... The thing is that you have to be competent and know hwo to handle it. I hate to fight guys with my size, I prefer a bigger guy, who has holes in his game and it’s easier to put on my game.

How much are you weighting now?

I’m with 203, but I’ll go up to 210 and then drop to my normal weight. For someone who used to lose 25lbs, that’s nothing.

At TATAME Magazine’s May issue, Wanderlei Silva invited you to join his team in Las Vegas. What do you think about that?

I’m flattered with this invite and it would be a great pleasure. We’re here fighting, have plans and projects, and this rivalry thing needs to end. It’d be a pleasure, because I’d have a lot of thing to help him and him to me. Wanderlei is spectacular, a pioneer who put our flag on the top of the world for a long time. Whatever he needs me, I’m here to help him.

How would be the training with Wanderlei?

I think it’s the globalization. The Brazilian guys need to unite, exchange information and end with this rivalry stuff. Opponents train with opponents, he’s going down (to middleweight) and I’m coming up (to light heavyweight), but I can fight both, and when you go fight and have someone like Wanderlei to train, a former UFC champion (Forrest Griffin), Heath Herring… It’d be an honor, I’m glad of receiving this invite and tell him to wait, I’m coming. We’re together.