The most famous Peruvian fighter of the Globe, the Nova Uniao’s Tony DeSouza just added more one victory to his resume at inaugural Brazilian MMA show titled Gold Fighters Championship in last May 20th in Rio de Janeiro.The most famous Peruvian fighter of the Globe, the Nova Uniao’s Tony DeSouza just added more one victory to his resume at inaugural Brazilian MMA show titled Gold Fighters Championship in last May 20th in Rio de Janeiro. Tony won by majority decision the local idol “PitBull” Fabricio Monteiro after three rounds. And below Tony gives us an update of his plans and his last fights.
DENIS MARTINS: Hi Tony, have you had nice performances in Brazil. The last one against Fabricio Monteiro was the toughest one?
Tony DeSouza: Yes, it was a very hard fight for me. The thing was that I did not get to train as well as I would have liked because my fight 3 weeks before left me with stitches and is not the same thing running then actually wrestling or fighting for a fight
DENIS MARTINS: Did you have any idea who Fabricio was?
Tony DeSouza: I had an idea of who Fabricio was. I knew he was going to be a strong opponent and also hungry to win – mainly – because we were at his house.
DENIS MARTINS: Did you have troubles to work you game-plan against Fabricio? I asked you about it because sometimes you shot & didn’t take him down, and he got to avoid your ground and pound…
Tony DeSouza: He did a good job studying my strong points and followed a good plan to win. I think it would be a different fight if I were not worried about my gas and would have had the proper training, but that is the way things go on a fight. Not everything is going to be perfect and you have to deal with the problems and make the best of what you have at that moment.
DENIS MARTINS: He suplexed you at the end of R1, did you feel okay, or were you saved by the bell after that suplex?
Tony DeSouza: I knew I had 20 seconds left when I tried to storm his head, I would not have risked it if there was more time left. I also know how to fall because of wrestling. So I was not fazed by it, just held the position so no punches would hit me and maintained the position till the end of the round.
DENIS MARTINS: What did you think about Fabricio?
Tony DeSouza: He is a very strong athlete who was very hungry to win. But he did not have the tools to execute a plan to beat me.
DENIS MARTINS: This was your fourth fight in Brazil, did you have chances of watching stuff of the others three fighters you faced here?
Tony DeSouza: I always study my opponents, so yes I have had the chances to pick up a few things before fighting them. Either on the internet or with a friend of mine who has all tapes of everything here in Brazil, something always pops up when the fighter has had more than one fight.
DENIS MARTINS: In all of these 4 fights you did, you were really tested on the ring. You faced a kickboxer and a muay thai fighter (in Jungle FC editions), a bjj artist of ChuteBoxe in Meca and now this mix of wrestler, kickboxer and bjjer in Fabricio. What’s your opinion about it?
Tony DeSouza: I love the test. I like getting a different taste of styles; you grow as a fighter and as a person while being in different situations.
DENIS MARTINS: Will you keep yourself fighting in Brazil from now on?
Tony DeSouza: I just got my US residency, so that will open doors for me to fight outside. I definitively will fight again in Brazil- but I also want to fight in other countries.
DENIS MARTINS: How do you compare the atmospheres of fighting in USA, Brazil and in your own country, Peru?
Tony DeSouza: I feel that one of the toughest places to fight is definitively Brazil, because you are not getting paid very much and you know you will have a tough opponent every-time. In the US you get paid a lot better and things are brought to a different level professionally. In Peru is just chaos, even the fighters are not that skilled they have a lot of courage and at the same time you never know who is going to jump in the ring while you are fighting.
DENIS MARTINS: Recently we heard a lot of good things form the fighters from Peru. Do you think they will appear outside Peru from now on?
Tony DeSouza: I have been working on that since I got there. Things are looking very good for Peru in the MMA scene and people are starting to pay attention. So yes, there is a big possibility to see more Peruvians in shows.
DENIS MARTINS: You fought UFC three times and WFA once. Isn’t there any chance of your return to these shows?
Tony DeSouza: I am on my way there right now. The only thing that has been stopping me were papers, because the promoters really like my fighting style, they know I will give my all and always ready to mix it up.
DENIS MARTINS: After that your fight in Meca you were rumored to fight Bushido. What happened that you not fought?Tony DeSouza: I had the paper work and almost got the visa to Japan until they cancelled two days before I was going to go. I have never really talked to anyone from Japan so I do not know what the deal with that is. I know I will fight there some day and not in a big hurry.
DENIS MARTINS: Is it true that you shaved your facial-hair because people changed your name from Tony DeSouza to beggar (Mendigo in Portuguese) in Gold FC?
Tony DeSouza: I would not have mind if they put Tony ‘Mendigo’ DeSouza, but they forgot my name all together and I did not like that. I shaved my beard when it is starting to bother me.
DENIS MARTINS: And your team, are you a Lewis/Pederneiras ValeTudo representative or a Nova Uniao one? Can you explain us this situation?
Tony DeSouza: I started with Lewis & Pederneiras that is part of Nova Uniao, I have not left anyone or changed at any point.
DENIS MARTINS: You have trained with the stars of Nova Uniao. What do you think about them and who most impressed you during the trainings?
Tony DeSouza: They keep getting better at the fighting game. That is the part that I love the most about training with Nova Uniao is that they are very conscious with technique, and they focus on it the most. That fits well with the way I look at fighting.
DENIS MARTINS: Do you already have any event line-up for the next months?
Tony DeSouza: I have no events lined up yet
DENIS MARTINS: Last Words?
Tony DeSouza: I would like to thank No GI for sponsoring me, my mom and my sister.