Former UFC middleweight title contender Thales Leites (18-4) has been trying to find a new home since being released by the UFC almost a year ago.
Since his release in August of 2009, Leites has gone on to fight for several organizations such as the Maximum Fighting Championship, Bitteti Combat, Powerhouse World Promotions, and Superior Challenge amassing a winning record of 4-1.
He recently bounced back from a loss for the PWP middleweight title last August by defeating Swedish fighter Tor Troeng, a fighter who was undefeated in his last eight bouts, at a Superior Challenge 6: Lions Den event. Leites took the fight at the last moment, replacing Troeng’s original opponent Murilo Bustamante was forced to withdraw.
“Anything could have happened in this fight. Nobody knows the future and nobody could say ‘this fight will end in the first or second round’, but in my mind I didn’t want to leave the fight in the judges’ hands. I was trying to knock him out or submit him. Fortunately, in the second round, when he took me down I could sweep him. Then I took the mount and the back and didn’t let him escape this time. I kept it tight and waited for the opportunity to choke him…Man, I dunno what’s next. I want to fight here again for the belt. I don’t know who has it at 84kgs, but I definitely want to fight for it. I want to fight everywhere. I’m young, I don’t have any injury to make me stop and I want to fight until God says I can’t.”
Leites defeated Troeng on October 29th at the SC 6: Lions Den event in Stockholm, Sweden.
HT: Fight! Magazine