Former WEC champion, Paulo Filho will be back to the American’s stages on May 13, against the Cuban Hector Lombard, Bellator FC’s champ. On an exclusive chat with TATAME, the black-belt talked about his preparation for the combat, his expectations for the fight and commented the polemic combat between Anderson Silva and Demian Maia, besides talking about the Lyoto Machida revenge against Maurício Shogun. Check below the full interview.

How are the trainings for the fight against Hector Lombard?

I’m doing the usual. I’ve been training a lot of Jiu-Jitsu with my kimono with the Master Oswaldo, Boxing with Distak, physical preparation with Júlio, a friend of mine… It’s the usual, weight lifting, run, standing part, Jiu-Jitsu… The most important is to be calm, satisfied.

What are your expectations for this fight?

 I don’t remember Hector much, I remember him fighting on GP… He’s a tough athlete, came from Judo, a really experienced guy, Cuban, and has traveled around the world. He’s training on ATT, a very strong team, with Libório, a very good guy… There is a lot of strong sparring there. I’m keeping my fitness, my strength and will try to use my experience in the weight category, because I lose weight easily, and will use my strength and my pressure to block his speed.

What’s your current weight?

I’m with 93kg, but the fight will be in the under 84kg’s category. I intend to get there with 90kg and dehydrate about 6kg.

The weight will be an issue?

 I’ll dehydrate before the weight, sleep and on the next day I’ll check to see how I’m doing. Getting there with 90kg I guarantee a good dehydration… This time it won’t be a problem.

Beating Lombard, who has been unbeaten for a while, what do you expect for the end of the year?

I don’t think a lot about these kind of things, I think more about the fight itself and the time I still have. I’m 31 and don’t intend to fight for much longer. I just want to recover the lost time. I won’t make the same mistakes again then that one I committed when I was going through a rough phase, we can’t learn from everything. I’m just focused on Hector Lombard, I’m not worried about the event I’m fighting in and these things. We’re high-level athletes, we’re used to have a good life, but the most important is to show people that may think that Paulo Filho is done that he’s not. I have problems, so does everybody. The important thing now is Hector Lombard. It doesn’t matter that he’s in a good sequence of fights or if he has our not a belt, even because I’ve got an 18-1 cartel. I consider myself a complete athlete, never had easy time. Some easier, but none of them were a piece of cake. I have a expansive background, so does he.

Would you like to join UFC?

Everyone wants it, but it’s not my main goal, even because there’re a lot of other managers who would have plenty conditions to put me on UFC. Joinha, for ethical reasons, thinks it’s not the right time and I agree with him. I think everyone would like to join UFC, but more because of the advertisement. I’m not worried about it, I’m worried about fighting and doing my part, give happiness for whoever still cheers for me. That’s what I’m worried about. I want to fight until my body says to me it’s done.

What did you think about Anderson and Demian’s fight?

I’ve watched this fight a few times… I think Anderson played the right game, scared Demian so he could get closer. Demian had just a couple of opportunities to show the only thing he could do in order to win. Anderson is a born striker, who can avoid the ground and get him confused and put him in an uncomfortable position. He’s got a heavy hand, it’s difficult to feel comfortable around him. Demian showed a lot of braveness, respected too much on the beginning. If he has started the fight that way…

Did you think it was wrong from Anderson to provoke Demian during the fight?

I think it was a strategy Anderson has settled on the moments he felt he was on a dangerous zone. Well, it’s to captivate the audience, but he knew he couldn’t risk a lot because Demian is indeed dangerous on the ground, and once you’re there… I think Anderson did the right thing, provoked Demian, shook him psychologically and, with it done, he won time and rounds. He poked him with jabs and kicks that destabilized Demian.

During Pride, BBT and Chute Boxe had a big rivalry, but the discussions and provocations were left outside the ring…

The concentrate level was a lot higher. The provocations were natural outside, even because it was a confrontation between two different schools. On the ring we needed to focus so much that there wasn’t enough time for us to make any kind of joke. That’s the spirit. That’s the show I admire. UFC has turned into an event focused for the public, the show itself, and not for who is the best fighter.  As a good traditionalist (laughs), from the old school, I believe I wouldn’t be successful on UFC even because of my style, tactical positions that the audience won’t get. The UFC’s fans want to see kicks, punches, blood… I’m just like an anaconda, put it down and keep rounding so that any mistake he makes I get it.

How do you think it’ll be the fight between Lyoto and Shogun?

On the first one we could see the two of them were really prepared and surprised me.  I think Lyoto was really brave on Shogun’s attempts, who had a really heavy hand, and Lyoto is very dangerous on the counterattack, on the clap… Shogun is a really frank guy, surprised me on this maturity of not letting to be aggressive and at the same time don’t let Lyoto beats him, the more dangerous guy on MMA, in my opinion. He knows how to deal the timing pretty well.

On this fight, something different is going to happen. I think one of them will go down. They were too cautious on the first fight and Shogun knows that if it happens again, he’ll lose again. The champion only loses on the score card if the owner of the event is really mad at him or if the difference is too big, thing that didn’t happen on that fight. I think Shogun has to go for it, what can be a good thing for Lyoto, but I believe Lyoto is not used to athletes so powerful. It’s a fight, man, which I want to see again. It’s very nice to watch a fight with this level of athletes.