(Video courtesy of YouTube/TeflonMaster)
If you’ve followed MMA for more than a few years, you know who Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons is.
Anderson Silva — a longtime training partner of “Pele,” who lost to the Cuban-born fighter twice in muay thai competition — credits the original Chuteboxe team fighter with helping make him the dangerous fighter he is today.
Well, it appears that Pele is back to form after suffering a career threatening leg break back in 2008 and now the 38-year-old, who is undefeated in his four bouts since returning from the grisly injury, will take on Jorge “Macaco” Patino for the third time at MMA Combat 2 Kumite on January 20 in Brazil.
The pair’s original two fights — which saw Landi-Jons win in back-to-back match-ups — were legendary. Surprisingly, Macaco fought for the UFC and Strikeforce (and lost both bouts), yet Pele never got the call from either promotion.
(Video courtesy of YouTube/HelloJapan)
Another note of interest is that Landi-Jons, who spent the last four years training in British Columbia, Canada at Revolution MMA with the likes of Bill Mahood, Kultar Gill and Bibiano Fernandes, has reportedly returned to Chuteboxe to train with one of his original instructors, Rudimar Fedrigo.
The PRIDE vet whose biggest win came against a prime Matt Hughes, posted the news of his return to the once fabled camp on his Facebook page last night.
(Chuteboxe’s murderers’ row, circa 1999)
Stay tuned for more on the card and whether or not it will be broadcast or streamed.