Source:
http://www.tatame.com.br/2006/11/29/Paulo-Filho
Translation below.
Paulo Filho
By Marcelo Alonso
Operated knee
BTT’s black belt Paulão Filho undergone a knee operation last week, due to the injure suffered during the finals of the Pride Bushido Welterweight GP. While he was waiting for the doctor to operate him, Paulão Filho conceded TATAME and exclusive interview, where he talked about the operation, how the injure happened, who he would like to face and everything about the polemic interview that Wanderlei Silva conceded to our editor Marcelo Alonso, where the Chute Boxe athlete told that Paulão had run like a chicken. “... next year I want to be in the 205 category and if Wanderlei is really a man, I would really like to strike his face”, he said. Check the complete interview below.
You went through some bat moments, with your operation and the situation with your father. How was dealing with that in a so short time frame?
Well, in fact, what bother’s me the most is my father’s situation. My surgery is something normal, it is part of an athlete’s life, I will only need to rest for one month, what is really hard is my father’s situation. It is the fourth time he has a stroke and he has no condition of doing a safena bridge, because he’s kidney is compromised and he’s facing death risk, so the doctor’s are first taking care of his kidney and only then they will take care of his heart. His luck is that most of his heart’s problems are in the same artery. If he does a cateterism everything will be alright. Life is life and the rest is the rest.
Regarding your knee, do you thing that your meniscus rupture occurred during the fight?
This was related to time. I don’t think it blew during that fight, no, I think that after four strong fights in the year, after a lot of training, I mean, at least eight months of hard training... This started creating small injuries in the meniscus. Unfortunately, it blew when it was least desirable.
Do you regret not having fought the final after knowing that the pain was not caused by the rupture of the crossing, but the rupture of the meniscus?
I was in a critical situation... I was in pain, with my leg locked, but if I knew it was only the meniscus, I would have risked fighting, yes I would. My fear at the time was the crossing, it getting worse and then having to be even more time without fighting. That was the real deal.
According to the exams, what really was your knee’s diagnosis?
My meniscus was ruptured. My meniscus was really getting worse with time and with the amount of training I believe I felt it. I have not felt pain at the time, but when I was returning to the dressing room, I was already limping. People have said that I have run like a chicken because the doctor said OK. The doctors, in fight, have come right after the fight and I was still too hot, I was not yet really felling the pain. I started really felling it after I put the ice, that’s when it started hurting as hell. I have even tried using xilocaine, but it had not worked, the pain was too strong.
And what about those rumors regarding you and Kang, that you and he were going to divide the money...
ATT is a completely different team from ATT, one has nothing to do with the other. One is Flamengo and the other is Vasco. There is no way something like this could happen in a professional event like this. Who can think about this is someone who thinks only about the money, about fame, has a really bad head. It’s an absurd to think something like this.
When are you intending to fight again?
I was thinking that my recovering would take less time, I thought it was more like 15 days but even Minotauro told me that with him was a little bit more than a month. I would like to fight on the 31, but it does not look like possible.
Who would you like to face? Dan Henderson?
This would be a good fight, since I never faced him. It would be nice to see, he is one of the toughest in the category. But I keep saying that next year I will be in the 205 category and if Wanderley is really a man, I would really like to strike his face.
In the last interview you conceded us you said you would like to go up only to have a fight with Shogun. Have you changed your mind after he said you have run like a chicken?
I have not forgotten when Shogun’s brother (Ninja) said that he wanted to face me. And it was already resolved. Shogun said I would be next, this is still pending. But until now we respect each other, every time we face each other we shake hands, with respect. But Wanderlei has already lacked the respect. Saying and thinking that I would give up good money and a belt because I am not a man is a completely different think... If I was not a man I would not be fighting Vale-Tudo, I would be doing anything else.
When you were nervous you said that you would be beating him in the street and this has started a lot of critics... Don’t you think this fight happening over the ring would be more interesting?
He started saying that I would have to get in the line and started throwing that fight far on the schedule... and I really have to respect the guy, don’t I? After that knock out Crocop gave him... It was one of the most beautiful knock outs I have seen, It will be hard to beat. He is hiding himself over an image he had and know he is playing matchmaker... And it is bad for him. I don’t know if it is going to happen, he keeps trying me, but if it happens there is no problem at all. If he wants to try he luck, I am here.
There are some rumors about Arona fighting Shogun. What do you think of this fight?
As I always say: a fight is a fight. Shogun had his moment on the previous fight, but Ricardo was not in condition for that fight. But even then, he knocked his head in the head to hard and this was bad for him. Everyone who knows Shogun knows he is very good, but he would never do what he did to Arone in a normal situation. Shogun has no condition of doing an omoplat on Arona and even less of submitting him. Shogun has no power for this. Only if something strange happens. Arona is stronger, faster and has a much better ground, in my opinion. We have to wait and see, but I think it is Ricardo for sure.
Do you think DSE will schedule this fight on NYE?
I think they will put Arona against Wanderlei. This fight is chokeed, Wanderlei only won due to the public. If you analyze the fight, you can see that Wanderlei couldn’t throw his punches and knees and Arona did what he intended. He put the fight down, controlled, and was not punched. You have to know how to defend in the guard. This is Vale-Tudo, so the result was not too clear for me.
What are your thoughts about Fernando Margarida first Vale-Tudo fight?
Margarida is amuch better fighter than Macaco. Macaco is tough, he has a lot of fights, but Margarida is a young guy abd Macaco is already tired after so many fights. But Margarida was a lot better and did what he should, the Jiu-Jitsu. Margarida’s fight. What could have happened was Margarida getting knocked down, But it’s a three principle fight against one. It’s the knock out possibility against youth, Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling.
Who do you think could that could defeat the #1 heavyweight, Emilianenko Fedor?
Fedor is an athlete that really makes a difference, he is tactical, knows how to fight each fighter and has a lot of healthy and speed. He is a very strong guy in the category, has evolved on boxing, has a very heavy ground and pound. The best way to beat him is with a well-rounded Jiu-Jitsu, get him tired and make him expose himself. I think Minotauro could do this well. Training the right way, with less global training, focusing more on the ground, I don’t think he would have to many difficult to defeat Fedor, if he is willing to Jiu-Jitsu. And Mirko is capable too, he has an incredible left kick, can defend himself very well, in the ground he is very good. Well trained, these two could get a good result with Fedor.
Who do you think that is doing well from Brazil in the 185 category?
Murilo, Jucão... Jucão is very tough, Danilo Índio too... Pamplona, Fabio Negão, Gabriel Gladiador, Demian Maia, Cacareco...
What about Vitor Belfort? O What do you think he needs to be again what he was before?
He has to concentrate more on the fight side. He has to understand that he has to separate things a little. The pressure that a fighter is exposed to is unique, you can’t share that with anything. Not even with the media or with your personal life. He loses his focus, he has too treat himself, get a psychologist and understand what he has to do. He can win anyone if his head is OK, if he is willing to do what he knows. I don’t have the smallest doubt about his potential in the fight. But if the head is not OK, you cannot be 100% in a fight.
What about your Pitbulls, are you keeping them?
Now I only have four English Bulldogs. We handed over a site in Minas for some friends with them and now I have only those four plus four Pitbulls. I am a person that can’t do two things at the same time and I think the Pitbulls were getting in my way.
