G. Tibau (left) has not been able to enjoy Christmas dinner in recent years. Photo: UFC
The last week of 2014 is one of parties and celebrations for the vast majority of people, but not for Brazilian Gleison Tibau. After participating in UFC 168, on December 28, 2013, for the second year in a row, while the whole world is preparing to celebrate Christmas and New Year, the native of Rio Grande do Norte is already on a regular diet and in the final stretch of preparation for the fight against Norman Parke. The fight takes place on January 18th, at UFC Fight Night 59, in Boston, United States.
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There's no shortage of reasons to miss another Christmas and New Year's dinner. Called to replace the North American Jorge masvidal, who was injured, Tibau will be fighting his 24th fight in the organization, getting closer and closer to equaling great MMA icons like Matt Hugges, who fought 25 times in the UFC, and the record holder Tito Ortiz (27). But the goal, of course, requires some sacrifices.
“This part is a little complicated. Seeing everyone eating well during Christmas, lots of people posting photos of dinner, will make my mouth water. Last year I fought at the end of December, so it was even more complicated, I even avoided going on social media because of that (laughs). But it was for a good reason, just as it will be now and I’m sure it will be worth it,” she notes.
The call to fight did not take Tibau by surprise. After winning his two fights in 2014, over Pat Healy and Piotr Hallmann, the native of Rio Grande do Norte maintained a strong training pace, as he had asked his UFC bosses to fight between December and January. With the announcement of the fight with Norman Parke, the initial planning that had been drawn up by the athlete and his staff was maintained. Tibau shows that he knows his opponent well and says he is ready to take away his unbeaten record in the UFC. For the franchise, Parke has four wins and one draw, with the Brazilian Leo Santos, in March this year, precisely on the Christmas card, from which Tibau was left out due to injury.
“Parke is tough, dangerous, it’s a good challenge for me. I have already studied his game, I was able to watch his fight against Leo Santos from the gym, very closely, so I know him well. He won a season of TUF and never lost in the UFC. I'm going to do my best to be the first to beat him in the octagon”, analyzes the native of Rio Grande do Norte, who prepared for this fight by helping his American Top Team teammate Robbie Lawler in camp for the fight at UFC 181, which won him the welterweight title (under 77,5 kg).
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