INTERVIEWS Alessio Sakara

If Thales Leites promises action against Alessio Sakara, the Italian doesn’t expect anything different from the fight, scheduled for the UFC 101, on August 8. Inan interview to TATAME, Sakara spoke about the expectations for the challenge, going in search of his fifth victory in the UFC. "I'm practicing more than ever, because he is a top five in the category and I must show my best", said Sakara, who lived in Brazil for five years and has already trained at Thales academy, the Nova União. In the chat, which you check below, Sakara remembered when he arrived in Brazil, the fight between Thales and Anderson and much more.

How are the trainings to face Thales Leites at the UFC 101?

I’m training more than ever, because he is a top five in the category and I must show my best.

You would face Rousimar Palhares, but he was injured. What did you think of the change and what is the biggest difference between the athletes?

When a fighter gets hurt is a big problem. I hope he returns as soon as possible, I wish all the best in Toquinho’s recovery. The change of fighter is more or less the same, both are very good on the ground. They have a different style, but the strategy will be the same as it was for Toquinho.

You already came to Brazil and trained at the Nova União, Thales’s academy. What do you remember from the trainings from here?

First, I would like to say that I didn’t want to fight him because of my respect to the Nova União, which has always opened the doors for me, and I thank the masters, who always respected me and let me train with them, but the UFC is work and they choose, we just have to fight. The training of the Nova União everyone knows that is too good. I think we’ll give a good show for the fans.

Where else did you train here?

I trained a lot with Paulo Caruso, Luiz Alves, the Nogueira brothers, Pedro Rizzo and my master of Jiu-Jitsu at Rio, Ricardo De La Riva.

What else did you like in Brazil?

Everything! The people, the trainings. If today I’m in the UFC is because of the Brazilians. I’ll always thank, for the rest of my life, to the people, the coaches and the Brazilian mentality of the fighters.

You already fought in Brazilians events. How did the opportunity appear?

I sold my bike in Italy and bought a plane ticket to live in Brazil. The luck is that it was in the year that I arrived that Wallid was opening a new team, the Brazil Dojo, and that is why I started to fight in Brazil.

When did you learned to speak Portuguese?

I learned living five years in Rio.

Thales is coming from a dispute belt. How do you think that a victory over him would be good for your career?

I know that this fight can change my life, but I don’t want to think about this. Sometimes we, fighters, suffer a lot of pressure and can’t fight well. Saturday, March 8, I’ll do my job without thinking about the future, but only in the present.

You saw the fight between Thales and Anderson? What did you think?

Yes, I watched. Thales has the opposite game of Anderson. Sometimes, when you have two champions of different tactics, they end up respecting each other a lot not to lose the fight. And many times the fans don’t understand that. Two champions of different styles can make a good fight, but there’s also the possibility to the fight stay slow.

If you want to send a message, go ahead.

Thank you, thank you and again thanks to all the Brazilians that have always respected me. I hope that on day 8 we give a great show for everybody. I thank from my heart my master Cona Silveira, Ricardo Libório, my training partner Wilson (Gouveia), Jorge Santiago, Thiago Silva and all from the American Top Team, for the strength that they’re giving me.