Fans of aggressive fighters have plenty of reasons to celebrate. Thominhas Almeida is back in the octagon after more than two years away and shows enthusiasm for his confrontation against Alejandro Perez, on October 10, on 'Fight Island', in Abu Dhabi. In an exclusive interview with the YouTube channel do SUPER FIGHTS, the Brazilian explained the period of inactivity and spoke about his expectations for his return to the UFC.
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Thominhas has not performed since January 2018, when he was defeated by Rob font in one of the fights at UFC 220. Since the setback, the Brazilian has not been seen in action, which raised many questions among fans.
What really happened?
Known for his aggressiveness and the incisive way in which he conducts his fights, it didn't take long for Almeida to find favor with the Brazilian public. The athlete, however, ended up having his career with the company interrupted and explained the reasons.
“I last fought in January 2018, then I moved to the United States and there was an adaptation period. That's why it took a while to schedule the fight. Afterwards, I scheduled a fight against the Marlon Vera and at the end of my preparation, I had an eye problem. I had to have an eye operation, I returned to Brazil, I spent this time away, recovering. The recovery was quick, but returning to a 100% athlete's life, to do camp (training), that was what took time”, explained the bantamweight.
Influence of the pandemic
Although he will only be returning in 2020, Thominha said he was already preparing to return to the Octagon in 2019. The coronavirus pandemic, however, ended up delaying his re-debut even further.
“I had already been released since the end of last year, annoying the UFC, Sean Shelby, responsible for booking the fights at my weight, and then the pandemic came. I was looking to fight in UFC Sao Paulo, in May, but the pandemic came and plans were delayed”, he said.
Fight against Alejandro Perez
In October, in addition to his official return, Thominhas will face a dangerous opponent, who is also known for his strong fists. The athlete then analyzed the fight against Perez and guaranteed a show for both of them for the fans.
“I think it will be a very good fight. He's a tough guy, he's already been in the top 15 and that makes me want to train more. He accepts the striking, the beating, but he likes to take him down too. I believe he doesn't have the technical level I have in jiu-jitsu or wrestling, but a fight is a fight and I've never belittled anyone. (…) All the fans are going to win. The beating will definitely happen”, said Almeida, before venturing a guess for the result. “I can’t run away, it’s the knockout, for sure”, he concluded.
At 29 years old, Almeida now has 24 appearances as a professional in MMA. The Brazilian has 21 victories and three setbacks.
Perez, 31, has 30 commitments, with 21 positive results, eight setbacks and one draw.
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