Middleweight champion of the UFC, Anderson Silva reigns absolute in the category and is constantly pointed like the best pound-for-pound fighter of MMA. Back to Brazil, Anderson prepares himself to step on Ultimate’s octagon again and defend his belt, this time against a compatriot. Still without the official confirmation, Anderson trains strongly to face Thales Leites, and spoke with TATAME.com about the preparation, “Minotauro” Nogueira and Wanderlei Silva’s loss in UFC 92 and much more.

Is already right the fight against Thales Leites, in UFC 97? How do you think it will be?

I don’t know yet, but I think that it’ll be against him. I don’t know, it’s hard to say. Fight is fight, there’s no how to say how it’ll be, I just have to train. He’ll have the opportunity of fight for the belt, I hope that he’s training well, because we’re too… To fight against a Brazilian is always complicated, even because is a title fight, but it’s cool, we’re professionals and we’ll do our jobs.

How is the preparation for the fight?

The trains are very cool. We already started the trainings, I came back now from United States, where I was training with Randy, Manny Pacquiao’s coach, and we came back now to Brazil to start the trains firmer here. I’m at Curitiba, sharpening my Muay Thai and, next week, I’m going to Rio de Janeiro to start the physical preparation, the trains with the guys, André Galvão, (Ronaldo) “Jacaré” (Souza), all the people there.

Did you go to Las Vegas to watch the UFC 92? What did you think?

I wasn’t there, I was solving my things at Los Angeles and I didn’t go to watch the fights, but unfortunately it wasn’t a good night for the Brazilians. Let’s come back, see where we did wrong and made right and find to improve. It’s a new year, everything new, let’s forget the pass. This already makes part of the pass. The fight is over and it is already pass, now is to think in the future, the next fights and challenges that will come.

Where do you think that they mistook in the fights?

I wasn’t very much with Minotauro in the last times, because I was busy doing my things… He must has given a train with the guys there (Wanderlei Silva’s team, in Las Vegas), but by what I know, it’s not excuse, Rodrigo had just left out of the hospital, stayed intern some time and wasn’t very well, so… It’s not an excuse, but we don’t know what really happened, only him can tell what really have happened. This is past now, we have to think in the next fights and to run after, see another time what we mistook in the year that passed and start to improve.

Do you think about to train in the Wanderlei`s academy when you go to fight in Las Vegas?

We already trained many years together, each one took different lives and has your way to run, each one chose the way that wanted to run through, but, if I had an opportunity, was near there, happen the opportunity, certainly. It’s normal, because I don’t have anything against him, each one knows what make, so it’s ok.

How do you see the situation of Lyoto Machida into UFC, who already made five fights, continues undefeated, but doesn’t gets a titleshot?

This is not due to us. Lyoto already proved to everybody that has conditions of represent this category and fight for the belt, but isn’t due to me, but to the promoters of the events give this chance. He already proved that, now is to wait the next fight, to hope that make a good fight, a fight that defines once for all his condition like one of the pretenders to fight for the belt. As him as Thiago are big fighters, it’ll be hard for the both, but we’re supporting him (Lyoto). I’m his friend, I train with him and I’m cheering for him. For the belt, he’ll have to wait, and it is due to the owners of the event to give this chance for him. He already proved that can, now it is to wait.