Tatame.com interviewed Thiago Silva who prepares for the upcoming war against Rashad Evans. He tells about moving to American Top Team, his connection with Team Link and his ex-partners from Chute Boxe Mauricio Shogun Rua and Wanderlei Silva
How did you change to ATT?
I’m anxious, I can’t see the time to get there. That’s a good change and I’m really happy. I’m on the biggest Vale-Tudo event of the world and needed a big infrastructure, that doesn’t exists in Brasil yet, that’s why I choose to change. I did a research and saw that ATT is one of the best gyms of the world and has an incredible human material. I’ll move to by the end of the month, but I don’t know where I would live, the people from ATT is taking care of this for me.
So you left Macaco, Chute Boxe and Team Link?
To tell the truth, I was training at Macaco and doing and exchange with Chute Boxe. The only link with Team Link was the owner from the gym, Marcos ALvan, that was my manager on UFC. I never trained on Team Link. I only trained with Napão on Macaco’s gym and it was an excellent training, really hard and determinate.
Who is your manager now?
Now i’m with Alex Davis, the same manager from Thiago Tavares, Roan Jucão, Antonio Pezão, and others.
When is your next fight in UFC?
I’ll fight against Rashad Evans at May 24th. I wanna continue unbeaten, that’s my goal. I know he likes to get down and work on ground n’ pound. He has a heavy hand too, but nothing that scares me. I’ll work on a better way to defeat him, because I wanna fight for the UFC belt this year.
After this fight, who would you like to fight?
There’s a lot of guys that I would like to fight in UFC, but I think I would to a great fight against Lyoto Machida and Chuck Liddell, because they like an exchanging fight.
You used to train with Mauricio Shogun and Wanderlei Silva on Chute Boxe and they’re on your UFC category. Will you fight with them?
No problem with that. I’m a professional. That thing: friends, friends, business is business. Happened that on my last fight Houston Alexander. He is a great friend of mine, was my first American friend and happened to fight with him.
How are your trainings?
I’m coming back from vacations, so I’m restarting my training emphasizing my physical preparation. Taking care on the cardiovascular part.
Speaking on Houston Alexander, have you expected a so fast fight?
Actually, no. I expected leaving a little beaten, because he is a tough fighter, with experience and with a heavy hand, but I did a right strategy and won fast.
What does Jorge Patino Macaco represents in your life?
Macaco was the guy that gave me the opportunity to start on Vale-Tudo, besides giving me the Jiu-Jitsu’s black belt. He represents the beginning of my MMA carrer.
Like Macaco, did you have any rivalry with Ryan Gracie?
I had no rivalry with him. That thing was between them. Like I defended hid flag, stays that thing of rivalry. But I has nothing personal with Ryan, as I don’t have with nobody.
How many fights you still have on UFC?
I renovated for more four fights and I’ll do the first of them against Rashad Evans.
source: tatame.com
