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Wanderlei Gets Ready For Jackson As His Fighting Hunger Continues To Increase PRIDE Middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva has been forced to stay on the sidelines since his TKO win over Hiromitsu Kanehara at PRIDE 23. After quietly dealing with numerous knee problems during more than a year, Silva finally felt he couldn't delay his previously so avoided knee surgery anymore, and ended up doing it on December of 2002. From then on it was all recovery to the Chute Boxe star, and Wanderlei has been counting the days to return to the PRIDE ring. Known for his aggressiveness inside the ring, Wanderlei was caught up in a recent post-fight incident with NHB and K-1 stand out Quinton Jackson, hyping their future confront even more and leaving many wondering how much credibility such incident had, considering where it took place. With a renewed hunger for action, Silva takes his time to explain it all to FCF in this honest interview, where he also tells about his recent experiences outside of the ring, his first son coming up and much more! So, step aside and enjoy your read cause Wanderlei Silva is craving for another victim, and Full Contact Fighter won't want to be in the "Axe Murderer's" way! Would you want? 
FCF: You recently stayed in Japan for the longest period of your life there, close to three weeks I believe, and during your stay, you shot a TV Commercial for Japan's most popular razor. How was the experience of acting on such a commercial?VS: It was a very interesting experience, since it was a commercial of that importance. I think it was a smart move by the Japanese brand cause I'm famous there, and I believe it's going to be a success. Everything we fighters do these days creates interest in the media and this brings even more media to the brand for free. I hope some other companies will have this vision and will use fighters in their advertising campaigns, because fighters are now more in evidence than ever. FCF: What else did you do in Japan during your stay? VS: The period I spent there was very useful. I recorded a number of interviews for several magazines and TV stations there. Thank God I worked a lot during my stay there. FCF: Did you miss your home a lot during the trip since it was, I believe, the longest of your life? VS: I missed my home a lot! My wife is pregnant, so I couldn't wait to comeback to my house. FCF: How was the reaction of the TV producers in Japan regarding your participation on the shaver commercial? Do you think we'll see more Wanderlei in future TV ventures? VS: I think so, cause I stayed in touch with the company that did the commercial and they told me they will want to do some other projects with me still this year. FCF: What is easier? Stepping inside the ring to fight against the likes of Cro Cop, Dan Henderson and others or act along with Mark Coleman on a TV commercial, having to "feel his shave"? [Laughs] VS: Man! [Laughs] This was really hard cause I didn't have this sort of contact with another fighter ever before. But from all the other, non-Brazilian, PRIDE fighters he is the one I like the most. A very nice guy and a true professional. But I'm only used to touch girls you know, it was hard! [Laughs] FCF: Getting back to your fighting career, you have been recovering from knee surgery since the end of 2002. Give us a brief rundown on how is your recovery going along. VS: I'm already feeling very well. I'm already training close to everything, like Muay Thai, boxing, Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling. My recovery has been going great and I believe I'll be like 110% in August! Without a doubt. FCF: Are you going to attend the June PRIDE show as a guest then? VS: I'll go there to promote my next fight. FCF: On that PRIDE subject, you were on the last show to support your teammate Anderson Silva in his fight against Carlos Newton. Anderson won the fight in great fashion with a Knockout despite what some people thought would happen. What did you think of the fight? VS: I thought that Carlos Newton entered the fight very well prepared. He was strong, and you could see he had trained a lot. Anderson faced a tough opponent and he really surprised people. In fact, Anderson can even surprise us. He really managed to score a beautiful knockout. FCF: Who do you believe will carry the Chute Boxe flag in the June PRIDE show, with you still being forced to stay on the sidelines? VS: I believe Assuerio Silva is going to be fighting in it. They are cogitating a fight between him and Waterman or Herring, but it is all still in the talks, nothing sure yet. Assuerio is in great shape now and training very hard. FCF: MECA 8 is coming up in Curitiba [May 16th] and some of your teammates are already training for the event. You fought in one of he fist MECA shows, and never returned since you gained a international star status. Do you feel any will to fight again in front of your hometown fans when you see all the guys in the academy training for it? VS: Sure I do! The public here is eager to see me fighting live again and I think that I may be fighting again in Brazil soon, in my hometown city of Curitiba. FCF: Speaking of the "will to fight", you once told me that you are truly eager to fight again and feeling upset because your injury has prevented you from fighting in so many PRIDE shows. How has been for you to stay on the sidelines watching so many events with the fans requesting your presence? VS: It has been very tough to me, since there have already been two events that I couldn't fight in so far. Everybody was asking me to fight and I couldn't, and this is very painful to me because I love fighting! I like the fighting rhythm, that atmosphere of the preparation for a fight or the event you're coming to fight. As of now I realized I can't live without it. On the other hand this has been pushing my recovery to come faster, and driving me to train even more to be able to fight again soon! Now I'm training full time everyday, and doing nothing more than this, I'm 100% focused towards my next fight now. FCF: So you'll be in an even better shape and condition in August? VS: Without a doubt! I'm already doing an entirely different preparation, a special one. Don't get surprised if Silva comes back way stronger and in great shape. FCF: Your wife is expecting a baby for August. Are you afraid the date of the baby's birth may be in conflict with PRIDE's date? VS: No, I think my son is coming to add a lot to my life, and there won't be any problems if he gets to be born near the PRIDE show. My wife here knows how to handle things and if it happens I'm going to offer him my next fight. I'm think this is a destiny thing and it's maybe a sign that my kid is coming to this world to be a fighter. FCF: Have you and your wife already chosen a name for the baby? VS: As of now it's going to be Thor, then I'm going to chose a middle name, and then of course Silva. I think it's a very strong name. FCF: By the way you always stated in your interviews that you wanted to have a son badly, since you already have a daughter. I know you were in Japan when your wife got the result of the babys gender, but she waited till you came back so you two would find it out at the same time. What did you feel when you finally got to know it is a boy? VS: On the day that I went for Japan was the first day that the doctor could check the baby's gender. Then I went to Japan but I never thought I was going to stay there for that long, so I called my wife and she told me she was going to check it, but I asked her to wait my comeback so we could do it together. She accepted and waited for three more weeks, very anxious, to find it out! When we checked it and the doctor told us it's going to be a boy, man! It was a feeling I can't describe! I felt a huge sense of happiness, my hand was sweating and I was shaking, I couldn't believe it. It was something very strong and unexplainable. FCF: Will your son help you to protect little Rafaela [Wanderlei's 6-year-old daughter] from the boys in the future? [Laughs] VS: For sure! [Laughs] Without a doubt, he will have to take care of his sister. Her future boyfriends will have now two reasons to worry. FCF: There's no way not to talk about what happened after Quinton Jackson's win over Kevin Randleman. A lot was talked about it, and I want you to be very honest as always and tell us what really happened there. Was it staged to some extent? or did you really get mad at Quinton? VS: The only thing that was set and could be called somewhat "staged" was that I knew that I was going to be challenged by the winner of that fight. I already knew I was going to be challenged, and then they put me there at ringside. Besides that not even I could imagine what would happen, since I had never been challenged in person before in my life. To be honest when I heard him talking to me like that my blood got hot and I wanted to fight right there! I was already eager to fight again and that made me want to go after him immediately. I wanted to solve things right there. FCF: Did you think he was disrespectful in challenging you? VS: No, I didn't like the way he was sounding, the tone of his voice. I don't understand English, but I really didn't like the way he was talking to me and in those cases I really go after the guy. FCF: So you're not suited for one of those post fight "tough-guy" antics that we see after some fights... VS: No at all! Not with me, I'm a real fighter. FCF: Was there any translator by your side during Jackson's speech? And what would've happen if the PRIDE people didn't break you two apart? VS: No, there wasn't any translators there. If they wouldn't have break it I would go all after him! I would throw bombs at him! FCF: Well, then we can expect this same intensity in August when you two finally fight each other! VS: A lot more! I'll go right after him, and don't be surprised. I'll knock him out. FCF: What do you think about Quinton Jackson's skills as a fighter? VS: I think he is a great fighter, and his fighting style will make for a great fight between us! FCF: Do you believe he will accept to trade strikes standing up? VS: If he is a man he will accept it. FCF: We'll have to wait till August to see it! But do you believe this fighting is surely going to happen? VS: It will, it will! I'm sure he is going to be my next opponent. FCF: Speaking of stand up trading, we just had the STORM GP in Curitiba with some of the best Muay Thai Brazil has to offer. You even refereed some of the fights, so what did you think of the event? VS: It was truly the best Muay Thai event ever held in Brazil, with all the production the sport deserves. I believe Muay Thai in Brazil is growing a lot and soon we will be exporting Muay Thai fighters for the biggest competitions all over the world. We also expect to bring some Muay Thai fighters from other countries to compete here in Curitiba in the near future. FCF: Speaking of exporting, how are the plans for your clothing brand going along? VS: My brand is going to be available in the USA soon. I'm already selling in Japan. People in Japan loved it and the first batch I sent there sold out in like three days in the Japanese stores! They really loved the products there. Everyone that likes fighting wants to have at least something from the fighters. My public knows exactly what's my intention and this is why WAND is growing more and more. I expect that the people on the USA will also enjoy my products, and those of you who are fans won't be disappointed. FCF: Speaking of projects, I know you have been wanting do seminars for a long time. Despite your tight schedule, are you planning to do seminars abroad in the future? VS: I already have my seminar ready and planned, and the first country I'm going to visit with it will be the USA. I want to show people in my seminars, not only fighting techniques, but a bit about my fighting spirit. I'm still young and I know how tough it is for a guy to do all the things the society expects from us, and to earn his living and the likes, so I know all the fears and expectations that go on inside our heads, and in my seminar I will not only approach fighting but also tell some backstage stories, and talk about motivation and how someone like me, that came out of nowhere managed to be a champion! FCF: In past interviews you always mentioned that your wife suffered during your "sparring sessions" with her. Now that the pregnancy is getting to the later stages, are you having to spend your energy only in training for Jackson? [Laughs] VS: I don't know how it goes abroad, but here in Brazil we use to keep all activities running as usuall [Laughs] Here we never stop! I'll only stop when it's time to for the baby to be born [Laughs] FCF: So he'll be born learning already? [Laughs] VS: For sure! [Extending the words as he says them] [Laughs] FCF: Your next opponent is really going to be Quinton Jackson, or will it be Mark Coleman or the Japanese shaver? [Laughs] VS: [Laughs] There you go, I knew you would make fun of it [Laughs] Anyway I'm doing a lot Boxing and I'm hitting very hard, so everybody better watch out! FCF: But the shaver is sold separately right? [Laughs] VS: Man! [Laughs] For sure, And it's a good one too [Laughs] FCF: Any final messages for your fans that were already missing our interviews? VS: I want to say that I'm anxious to go to the USA since I only have been in the country once, when I fought at the UFC in Birmingham [Alabama]. I know I have a lot of fans there, and the guys that will have the opportunity to meet me in person will see that Silva has something to tell you, and that I'm a friendly guy. I expect to be able to meet and talk to as many fans as possible, so when you guys get to know that I'm in a nearby city, take your time to go and talk to me 'cause I'll be very happy to talk to everybody. I also want to tell those of you who want to send me messages to access my site at www.wanderleisilva.com.br cause I'm starting to answer some messages in English as well. I hope that you guys are going to continue to follow my fights, 'cause soon you'll have the chance to see me fighting live! FCF: Thanks a lot for the interview! VS: It was a pleasure as always! |
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