G. Silva weighing in for the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @gabrielsilvamma
One of Brazil's biggest bets for the bantamweight division (up to 61,2kg), Gabriel Silva is ready for his second commitment since debuting in Ultimate. This Saturday (29), at UFC Norfolk, in the United States, the athlete will exchange forces against Kyler Phillips in the fight that closes the preliminary card of the show. In an exclusive interview with SUPER FIGHTS, Gabriel spoke about the expectations of the confrontation and the plans to perform without the weight of his debut.
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“Now, I’m much more relaxed about the UFC. My head is lighter and there is no longer the pressure of the debut. I will feel more comfortable and, God willing, I will achieve a positive result”, said Gabriel.
In his first UFC commitment, Silva was chosen to face a much more experienced athlete. The Brazilian faced former division title challenger Ray Borg and ended up defeated by the North American in a unanimous decision by the judges. He is mistaken, however, in thinking that the setback shook Silva's mental health. For the athlete, the chance to be tested against a great rival shows that he has value to the company and keeps him focused to move forward and evolve.
“I was very happy (when they said I would face Borg). We have to fight against the best. I got this chance to be in the UFC and I've always faced tough guys on my journey. Even though we have to go step by step in our trajectory, I was never a fighter who chose an opponent. Whoever they send to me, I will face. Regardless of anything, it's our job and we're here to do our best. If the guys gave me this opponent, it was to test me. Unfortunately, I ended up not winning, but it was a very good fight,” he commented.
For this Saturday, contrary to the script written for his last match, the Brazilian will face a less experienced opponent. At the UFC Norfolk, Gabriel will face Kyler, who has seven professional appearances in MMA and will make his debut for the company.
Silva, however, rules out any possibility of belittling his rival. For the Brazilian, all fights are important and require attention so that there are no surprises during the confrontation.
“This fight ends up being totally different. We leave with a more experienced guy and come with a guy who is making his debut. From what I've seen, he's a very resourceful fighter who goes for it. I'm expecting a tough fight. I know he will want to show his service, just like me, who wants to put my last defeat out of sight. It's going to be a cool fight to watch and I've been preparing a lot. I brought people to my team who studied his best moves. I'm doing my best to get this victory. When the 'cage' closes, we're going to fight,” said the man from Espírito Santo.
The Brazilian also commented on the current moment that Ultimate is experiencing in the bantamweight division, in which there are great athletes with the potential to hold the title but, however, some ended up surprised by the recent confirmation that José Aldo, coming off a defeat, will be the challenger for the belt, in UFC 250, in May. Silva, however, showed respect to Manauara and stated that he agreed with the company's decision due to the legacy of the 'People's Champion' in his career in MMA.
“Firstly, I think it’s great. Aldo is a guy who deserves it, despite coming off a defeat, but he lost to a guy who was recently defeated in a title fight (Marlon moraes). In my opinion, José deserved an immediate rematch (when he was defeated by Conor McGregor in a fight valid for the featherweight belt, in 2015) and he didn't have it. He must have felt sad about this and it's only fair to put the guy to fight for this belt. I’m rooting for him,” he declared.
Although his admiration for José is clear, Gabriel states that, in the future, he aims to fight against his compatriot, as his biggest dream is to fight for the belt as his career progresses in Ultimate.
“It’s every fighter’s goal. You can't fight if you don't have a horizon to reach. I work hard for this and one day I want to be at the top too, on the side of José Aldo and, why not, a fight against him? An exceptional fight against him,” she said.
Finally, Silva revealed his expectations for commitments after the UFC Norfolk. The fighter stated that he is following a strategy outlined by his trainer and intends to have a busy 2020.
“My physical preparation coach, Rogério Camões, is a guy I trust a lot and everything he says, I follow. I changed the training style. We are getting stronger and prepared always. For this year, based on the periodization we have done, we are planning to fight at least three times this year”, he concluded.
This Saturday, Gabriel will reach the mark of 10 appearances since turning professional in MMA. The athlete achieves triumph number nine in his career and gets closer to the elite of the category that is currently dominated by Henry Cejudo.
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