Paulo Filho was shot in the leg at a party in Rio de Janeiro, and the PRIDE veteran finally opened up about everything that happened on Oct. 26.
It was reported on Oct. 29 that Filho had been hospitalized after being shot, but few details were available at that moment. Five days later, Filho spoke to MMAFighting.com about the incident, and revealed that he will have to undergo a second surgery on Thursday.
“They will insert a metal rod, just like they did with Anderson Silva, into my femur,” Filho said. “It was an open fracture, so they kept me on antibiotics for a week before doing another surgery.”
Filho underwent surgery on Oct. 29 at Miguel Couto hospital, and was transferred on Wednesday to Tijutrauma, also in Rio de Janeiro. According to the MMA veteran, doctors said he almost died.
“He shot at the floor first, and then shot at my thigh,” Filho said. “I fell on the floor and lost a lot of blood. The bullet went a couple inches away from my femoral. If it had hit my femoral, and would have died. I had an open fracture on my femur, so you can imagine how bad it was.”
The former WEC middleweight champion plans to sue the attacker, but he doesn’t know yet exactly who shot at him.
“I never saw who shot at me. If he stands right in front of me now, I wouldn’t know,” he said. “I had an argument with a guy, but we never fought. I’m a professional athlete, man.”
“They say I beat up three security guards, but I don’t have a single scratch on my face,” he continued. “Even Fedor (Emelianenko) at his prime can’t beat three men without getting hit in the face at least once. And I’m a peaceful guy.
“When I was shot, I look at the wound, at all that mess, and tried to stay calm. I tried to look at who shot at me, but the security crew took his gun and got him out of there. I just heard ‘are you crazy? Are you crazy?’ and he was gone.”
“I heard he’s a cop, but our lawyers are still checking that,” Filho’s mother, Dena, told MMAFighting.com. “I hope my son can recover and be back to what he was, or I’m coming after that man. He destroyed my son’s life.”
Paulo Filho, who last fought in February against Andre Muniz, losing via unanimous decision at Bitetti Combat 19, doesn’t know if he will ever come back to a MMA cage.
“He put my career on jeopardy. I already had my issues, and it’s even harder now. I was still trying to get back, and it’s over now,” he said. “It’s harder to get back now. I’m getting older.
“I’m a little confused. I have to get out of this situation first. I was depressed for 30 days, getting treatment at home, and this happened on the first day that I left home. I will use this time to continue my treatment.
“I can’t say I’m coming back (to fight) or not. I’ll think about it when this nightmare is over.”
Paulo Filho was shot in the leg at a party in Rio de Janeiro, and the PRIDE veteran finally opened up about everything that happened on Oct. 26.
It was reported on Oct. 29 that Filho had been hospitalized after being shot, but few details were available at that moment. Five days later, Filho spoke to MMAFighting.com about the incident, and revealed that he will have to undergo a second surgery on Thursday.
“They will insert a metal rod, just like they did with Anderson Silva, into my femur,” Filho said. “It was an open fracture, so they kept me on antibiotics for a week before doing another surgery.”
Filho underwent surgery on Oct. 29 at Miguel Couto hospital, and was transferred on Wednesday to Tijutrauma, also in Rio de Janeiro. According to the MMA veteran, doctors said he almost died.
“He shot at the floor first, and then shot at my thigh,” Filho said. “I fell on the floor and lost a lot of blood. The bullet went a couple inches away from my femoral. If it had hit my femoral, and would have died. I had an open fracture on my femur, so you can imagine how bad it was.”
The former WEC middleweight champion plans to sue the attacker, but he doesn’t know yet exactly who shot at him.
“I never saw who shot at me. If he stands right in front of me now, I wouldn’t know,” he said. “I had an argument with a guy, but we never fought. I’m a professional athlete, man.”
“They say I beat up three security guards, but I don’t have a single scratch on my face,” he continued. “Even Fedor (Emelianenko) at his prime can’t beat three men without getting hit in the face at least once. And I’m a peaceful guy.
“When I was shot, I look at the wound, at all that mess, and tried to stay calm. I tried to look at who shot at me, but the security crew took his gun and got him out of there. I just heard ‘are you crazy? Are you crazy?’ and he was gone.”
“I heard he’s a cop, but our lawyers are still checking that,” Filho’s mother, Dena, told MMAFighting.com. “I hope my son can recover and be back to what he was, or I’m coming after that man. He destroyed my son’s life.”
Paulo Filho, who last fought in February against Andre Muniz, losing via unanimous decision at Bitetti Combat 19, doesn’t know if he will ever come back to a MMA cage.
“He put my career on jeopardy. I already had my issues, and it’s even harder now. I was still trying to get back, and it’s over now,” he said. “It’s harder to get back now. I’m getting older.
“I’m a little confused. I have to get out of this situation first. I was depressed for 30 days, getting treatment at home, and this happened on the first day that I left home. I will use this time to continue my treatment.
“I can’t say I’m coming back (to fight) or not. I’ll think about it when this nightmare is over.”
Dhiego Lima has a new opponent for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 card in Uberlandia, Brazil.
Lima, who will make his return to the welterweight division after losing to Eddie Gordon in the TUF 19 middleweight final, announced on his Twitter that UFC newcomer Jorge Oliveira will replace injured Paweł Pawlak on Nov. 8.
My opponent pawlak got injured for our fight next week I will now be fighting Jorge “blade” Oliveira! Different opponent same mission! #ufc
Lima (9-2) came up short in the TUF 19 185-pound final after scoring wins over Adam Stroup, Tim Williams and Roger Zapata in the reality show. Brother of Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima, the Brazilian went 9-1 with seven stoppage victories before joining the UFC.
Oliveira, a member of Rio de Janeiro’s Renovacao Fight Team, enters the UFC after racking up a perfect 7-0 record in the regional circuit, with five knockouts and two submissions.
UFC Fight Night 56 takes place at the Tancredo Neves Gymnasium and is headlined by Mauricio Rua vs. Ovince St. Preux.
Dhiego Lima has a new opponent for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 56 card in Uberlandia, Brazil.
Lima, who will make his return to the welterweight division after losing to Eddie Gordon in the TUF 19 middleweight final, announced on his Twitter that UFC newcomer Jorge Oliveira will replace injured Pawe? Pawlak on Nov. 8.
My opponent pawlak got injured for our fight next week I will now be fighting Jorge “blade” Oliveira! Different opponent same mission! #ufc
Lima (9-2) came up short in the TUF 19 185-pound final after scoring wins over Adam Stroup, Tim Williams and Roger Zapata in the reality show. Brother of Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima, the Brazilian went 9-1 with seven stoppage victories before joining the UFC.
Oliveira, a member of Rio de Janeiro’s Renovacao Fight Team, enters the UFC after racking up a perfect 7-0 record in the regional circuit, with five knockouts and two submissions.
UFC Fight Night 56 takes place at the Tancredo Neves Gymnasium and is headlined by Mauricio Rua vs. Ovince St. Preux.
Remember when Wanderlei Silva said he would never fight again? He may change his plans for one fight in particular.
The former PRIDE middleweight champion was a guest color commentator at Saturday night’s XFC International 7 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and said in an interview to RedeTV, TV channel that aired the event live in Brazil, that he would come back to face his longtime rival Chael Sonnen.
“Are you ready to do this? Let’s do this,” XFC president Myron Molotky asked Silva after the XFCi 7 main event, where Allan Nascimento defeated Ruslan Abiltarov via decision.
“If (Sonnen) accepts the fight, why not?” Silva replied. “I’d do it. Why not? I’m here. Come get it.”
Silva vs. Sonnen was expected to headline a UFC card in Brazil after fighters coached the third season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3, but the bout was moved to UFC 175 due to Silva’s hand injury. The match-up was later cancelled.
Silva announced his retirement on Sept. 19, blaming the UFC for taking away his desire to compete. Days later, the MMA veteran received a lifetime ban by Nevada Athletic Commission for running away from a random drug test in his gym in Las Vegas. He’s expected to appeal the decision.
Sonnen has also retired from MMA after testing positive for five banned substances. The former middleweight and light heavyweight title contender later received a two-year suspension by NAC.
Remember when Wanderlei Silva said he would never fight again? He may change his plans for one fight in particular.
The former PRIDE middleweight champion was a guest color commentator at Saturday night’s XFC International 7 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and said in an interview to RedeTV, TV channel that aired the event live in Brazil, that he would come back to face his longtime rival Chael Sonnen.
“Are you ready to do this? Let’s do this,” XFC president Myron Molotky asked Silva after the XFCi 7 main event, where Allan Nascimento defeated Ruslan Abiltarov via decision.
“If (Sonnen) accepts the fight, why not?” Silva replied. “I’d do it. Why not? I’m here. Come get it.”
Silva vs. Sonnen was expected to headline a UFC card in Brazil after fighters coached the third season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3, but the bout was moved to UFC 175 due to Silva’s hand injury. The match-up was later cancelled.
Silva announced his retirement on Sept. 19, blaming the UFC for taking away his desire to compete. Days later, the MMA veteran received a lifetime ban by Nevada Athletic Commission for running away from a random drug test in his gym in Las Vegas. He’s expected to appeal the decision.
Sonnen has also retired from MMA after testing positive for five banned substances. The former middleweight and light heavyweight title contender later received a two-year suspension by NAC.
Conor McGregor watched Jose Aldo defeat Chad Mendes in a spectacular bout on Oct. 25, but former UFC champion Lyoto Machida doesn’t think McGregor has what it takes to dethrone the reigning champion.
“If you’re going to compare him to Jose Aldo, Aldo is technically better,” Machida told MMAFighitng.com. “(McGregor) is a tough fighter, he’s coming out strong, but you can’t say he beats Aldo. Aldo is too dominant.”
Machida and McGregor are completely different fighters inside and outside the Octagon, but that doesn’t mean the former light heavyweight champion disapproves the way the Irish featherweight promotes himself.
“He can promote himself the way he wants. I don’t see (McGregor) as a bad person,” Machida said. “He’s right, he’s promoting himself this way, and we have to respect him.”
Coming off a unanimous decision loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman in July, Machida will try to start a new run to the title against C.B. Dollaway on Dec. 20, and he won’t take a few pages from McGregor’s book just to get to a title fight faster.
“It’s not my style to talk trash to my opponents,” Machida said. “I have techniques to get (to a title fight) in a way that I think it’s the right way. If you win fights convincingly, it makes it easier.”
Conor McGregor watched Jose Aldo defeat Chad Mendes in a spectacular bout on Oct. 25, but former UFC champion Lyoto Machida doesn’t think McGregor has what it takes to dethrone the reigning champion.
“If you’re going to compare him to Jose Aldo, Aldo is technically better,” Machida told MMAFighitng.com. “(McGregor) is a tough fighter, he’s coming out strong, but you can’t say he beats Aldo. Aldo is too dominant.”
Machida and McGregor are completely different fighters inside and outside the Octagon, but that doesn’t mean the former light heavyweight champion disapproves the way the Irish featherweight promotes himself.
“He can promote himself the way he wants. I don’t see (McGregor) as a bad person,” Machida said. “He’s right, he’s promoting himself this way, and we have to respect him.”
Coming off a unanimous decision loss to middleweight champion Chris Weidman in July, Machida will try to start a new run to the title against C.B. Dollaway on Dec. 20, and he won’t take a few pages from McGregor’s book just to get to a title fight faster.
“It’s not my style to talk trash to my opponents,” Machida said. “I have techniques to get (to a title fight) in a way that I think it’s the right way. If you win fights convincingly, it makes it easier.”
Ranked No. 15 in the UFC bantamweight division, Mitch Gagnon got a lottery ticket from the promotion.
Flying under the radar with his four-fight winning streak, Gagnon got the call from the UFC to face former champion Renan Barao in his return to the Octagon in Barueri, Brazil, in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 58.
“I was very surprised,” Gagnon told MMAFighting.com. “I just thought that I wasn’t in the picture, that he would be revaluating things with his team, but I guess he’s ready, and I jumped on the opportunity to fight him.”
Barao lost the 135-pound title to T.J. Dillashaw via fifth-round TKO in May, and was pulled from a rematch with Dillashaw the day before the weigh-in in August after passing out while cutting weight.
A win over Barao would be huge for Gagnon’s title aspirations, but the Canadian prospect isn’t thinking about it yet.
“I’m not looking at that that much, but yeah, it definitely puts me on the map. It definitely takes me right up there,” he said. “This is the biggest fight of my career, I’m fighting excellent champion, so it’s definitely huge.
“He’s been champion for years, he’s very talented, so I’m really happy to be fighting him.”
Barao, 9-1 under the Zuffa banner, is still ranked No. 1 in the 135-pound rankings, but has a lot to prove now after the UFC 177 fiasco.
“I don’t know which Renan Barao is gonna come out,” Gagnon said. “I’m not really thinking about what keeps him motivated. That doesn’t concern me. What concerns me is what I’m going to do, put my time in the gym and make me sharp ready for Dec. 20.”
Being “sharp ready,” Gagnon believes he can improve to 12-1 in MMA with another finish.
The talented Canadian has won 10 of his bouts via submission, with six guillotine chokes and three rear-naked chokes, and tapping a black belt in Barao would be huge for his future in the UFC.
“Yeah, I definitely think I can (submit Barao),” he said. “I will put the pressure on him and if he makes any mistake, I’ll definitely getting a submission.”
Ranked No. 15 in the UFC bantamweight division, Mitch Gagnon got a lottery ticket from the promotion.
Flying under the radar with his four-fight winning streak, Gagnon got the call from the UFC to face former champion Renan Barao in his return to the Octagon in Barueri, Brazil, in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 58.
“I was very surprised,” Gagnon told MMAFighting.com. “I just thought that I wasn’t in the picture, that he would be revaluating things with his team, but I guess he’s ready, and I jumped on the opportunity to fight him.”
Barao lost the 135-pound title to T.J. Dillashaw via fifth-round TKO in May, and was pulled from a rematch with Dillashaw the day before the weigh-in in August after passing out while cutting weight.
A win over Barao would be huge for Gagnon’s title aspirations, but the Canadian prospect isn’t thinking about it yet.
“I’m not looking at that that much, but yeah, it definitely puts me on the map. It definitely takes me right up there,” he said. “This is the biggest fight of my career, I’m fighting excellent champion, so it’s definitely huge.
“He’s been champion for years, he’s very talented, so I’m really happy to be fighting him.”
Barao, 9-1 under the Zuffa banner, is still ranked No. 1 in the 135-pound rankings, but has a lot to prove now after the UFC 177 fiasco.
“I don’t know which Renan Barao is gonna come out,” Gagnon said. “I’m not really thinking about what keeps him motivated. That doesn’t concern me. What concerns me is what I’m going to do, put my time in the gym and make me sharp ready for Dec. 20.”
Being “sharp ready,” Gagnon believes he can improve to 12-1 in MMA with another finish.
The talented Canadian has won 10 of his bouts via submission, with six guillotine chokes and three rear-naked chokes, and tapping a black belt in Barao would be huge for his future in the UFC.
“Yeah, I definitely think I can (submit Barao),” he said. “I will put the pressure on him and if he makes any mistake, I’ll definitely getting a submission.”
Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor could fill a soccer stadium in Brazil, but that still wouldn’t be the first MMA event in a big soccer stadium in Brazil.
Shooto Brazil 52 is scheduled to take place at the Joaquim Americo Guimaraes stadium, also known as Arena da Baixada, on Dec. 5. The 12-fight card will be headlined by five title bouts.
In the main event, Rodrigo Guelke (17-11) meets Caio Alencar (7-1) for the heavyweight championship. The 205-pound title will be on the line in the co-main event, where Alison Vicente (14-11) battles Marcos Vinicius Lopes (6-3).
UFC veteran Amilcar Alves (14-5), who battles Dong Sik Yoon on Nov. 9 in South Korea, returns to action less than a month later in a middleweight title bout against Julio Cesar Santos (11-3-1, 1 no-contest).
In the welterweight division, Luiz Gustavo Dutra (5-0, 1 no-contest) rematches Carlos Alexandre Pereira (31-10-1, 1 no-contest) for the vacant title. Gilberto Dias (15-3-1) vs. Yago Bryan (2-0), for the strawweight championship, completes the Shooto Brazil 52 main card on Dec. 5.
The complete fight card is the following:
Main card: Rodrigo Guelke vs. Caio Alencar Alison Vicente vs. Marcos Vinicius Lopes Julio Cesar Santos vs. Amilcar Alves Luiz Gustavo Dutra vs. Carlos Alexandre Pereira Gilberto Dias vs. Yago Bryan
Undercard: Ranieri Zeinidim vs. Bruno Azevedo Uilian Fuga vs. Jairo Soares Shyudi Yamauchi vs. Maike Galvão Edinelson Cordeiro vs. Jeferson dos Santos Felipe Estevao vs. Ronaldo Candido Anderson Rombaldo vs. Cleyfeson Pitangui Alan Francis vs. Mario Sartori
Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor could fill a soccer stadium in Brazil, but that still wouldn’t be the first MMA event in a big soccer stadium in Brazil.
Shooto Brazil 52 is scheduled to take place at the Joaquim Americo Guimaraes stadium, also known as Arena da Baixada, on Dec. 5. The 12-fight card will be headlined by five title bouts.
In the main event, Rodrigo Guelke (17-11) meets Caio Alencar (7-1) for the heavyweight championship. The 205-pound title will be on the line in the co-main event, where Alison Vicente (14-11) battles Marcos Vinicius Lopes (6-3).
UFC veteran Amilcar Alves (14-5), who battles Dong Sik Yoon on Nov. 9 in South Korea, returns to action less than a month later in a middleweight title bout against Julio Cesar Santos (11-3-1, 1 no-contest).
In the welterweight division, Luiz Gustavo Dutra (5-0, 1 no-contest) rematches Carlos Alexandre Pereira (31-10-1, 1 no-contest) for the vacant title. Gilberto Dias (15-3-1) vs. Yago Bryan (2-0), for the strawweight championship, completes the Shooto Brazil 52 main card on Dec. 5.
The complete fight card is the following:
Main card: Rodrigo Guelke vs. Caio Alencar Alison Vicente vs. Marcos Vinicius Lopes Julio Cesar Santos vs. Amilcar Alves Luiz Gustavo Dutra vs. Carlos Alexandre Pereira Gilberto Dias vs. Yago Bryan
Undercard: Ranieri Zeinidim vs. Bruno Azevedo Uilian Fuga vs. Jairo Soares Shyudi Yamauchi vs. Maike Galvão Edinelson Cordeiro vs. Jeferson dos Santos Felipe Estevao vs. Ronaldo Candido Anderson Rombaldo vs. Cleyfeson Pitangui Alan Francis vs. Mario Sartori
