source:
www.tatame.com
Fabrício Werdum
By Marcelo Alonso
Fighting the idol
Fabrício Werdum showed to the world an excellent mental condition to face Rodrigo Minotauro (BTT), after the tragic death of his trainer Maurição Pereira. In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, the fighter from the South of Brazil told how was the battle against Minotauro, about who are the favorites to the GP title and told some details about how was to lose his trainer three weeks before the most important fight of his career. Check it out now.
How was after the fight?
That was excellent. Everybody in Japan said that the fight between Minotauro and I were one of the best fights of the match.
You have already made hard fights with Sergey Kharitonov, John Olav Einemo, Alistair Overeem and now with Minotauro. Which was the hardest one of your career?
I have no doubt that was against Minotauro. I never received so hard punches. I didn't imagine that he was so strong. It seems that he had a stone in his glove. He is even stronger than Mirko. We just train with Boxing gloves and the VT gloves punches are much worst.
Is that true that you went to the hospital before the fight?
I have a hard problem with my throat. In the fight against Zentsov happened the same thing. I was with 38ºC of fever in the fight day and I spent the night in the hospital taking medicine. The fever got better, I was feeling better, but I felt that I wasn't with a perfect reflex during the combat. I don't wanna use it as an excuse, because Minotauro was better and he deserved to win.
Which was your strategy?
I first wanted to exchange punches. I didn't want to enter in his leg, because I know that Minotauro has a good guillotine. So I suffered that knock down that I didn't see where that punch came from. After that I also got right punches and I hurt him in the eyes. During the break my corner, Mário Reis and Paulo Cafuringa decided to change the tactic and I started to attack that single-leg and put him down. I think that it was a great fight. I am sure that some day we will fight again. I already used to admire Minotauro and now much more. Not just for the fight, but for his attitude of stand up with me the Maurição's shirt.
How did it happen?
When I talked to him after the fight I asked if he could stand up the t-shirt and he said: "of course". So he got the shirt and showed it for the press and then called me and asked me to hold the other side and we walked with the t-shirt. I was very happy about that. Minotauro used to live in the same street as Shana (where Maurição was killed).
Did you like Wanderlei Silva's fight?
Wanderlei one more time showed me and for everyone the fighter example that he is. Such a warrior! He just didn't walk back, he attacks all the time. I admire him for that and I will train it with Cafuringa. He promised that will put it on me. This is bad that all of this time training with Mirko I adapted myself to walk back.
What about the others GP fights?
I said last week before the fight that it was what I was expecting. KO under Mirko and submit Barnett.
Which fights would like to watch in the semifinals and what do you expect of the finals?
I would put Mirko against Wanderlei and Minotauro against Barnett. I think that Mirko and Minotauro will win by points and will face each other in the final. Minotauro because he is the best one in the stand up fight and on the ground than Barnet and Mirko, he improved a lo after that first fight with Wanderlei. In the final, Minotauro is really hard but I think that Mirko would win.
How will be your training now after Maurição's death?
I will make a new team, the Hunter Team. Now I am in Spain but last week I will be in Brazil. Mário Reis will be the responsible by the ground part and Paulo Cafuringa by the Boxing and the professor Ricardo Murgel will give me technique assistance. Mirko asked me to help him in this final stage in Croatia and I will probably go with Mário and Cafuringa, even because I will fight there in September.
How was for you to lose Maurição that way?
That was the biggest shock of my life. I have never lost a close person and Maurição is my best friend and he was my trainer. I was just training in Rio because of him and I used to live in his apartment. In the murder day I trained with Paulo Caruso (physical trainer) and I called him but he didn't answer so I went to the academy. When I got home was 11pm and that was weird that all the lights were turned on and the computers turned on as well. I saw a weird number in my cell phone and I called and than Shana's mom (Maurição ex-girlfriend) told me that a tragedy just happen. She said that Shana's dad did shot in Maurição. When I went to the hospital and I was shocked, I couldn't even cry. I spend hours, from 11pm to 7am looking at his body, imagining how something like that could happen. I didn't train for 7 days and I just returned to trainings in Porto Alegre.