Thales Leites is ready to bring it.
Written by Samantha L. Johnson
In his six-year MMA career, Thales Leites has faced many fellow Brazilians. None, however, left the impression on him or his career like middleweight title-holder Anderson Silva.
The two met in April of this year and battled the allotted five rounds until Leites lost via unanimous decision.
Leites had gone to decision before, but those fights were fast-paced, entertaining and got fans’ adrenaline pumping. This decision was slow, awkward and — as some would say — boring. Silva’s game plan was to keep it standing, while Leites’ was to work his impressive ground game.
The result was a hodge-podge of Leites dropping to his back and Anderson trying to kick his opponent’s knee out. The fight was criticized by everyone from MMA industry workers to the guy at the water-cooler the next morning.
“Being the only man to go five rounds with Anderson Silva doesn’t make me fell better,” said Leites. “When I go inside the cage for a fight and fight until the end, and I didn’t win it, this is why I felt upset.”
Leites never failed to acknowledge Anderson’s skill or size.
“I’m talking about me, not about Anderson. He did his job and broke my fight plan,” Leites said. “He is a huge fighter, and fighting against him is too hard, any mistake and he will kill you.”
On Aug. 8, Leites will look to polish off the small tarnish Silva left on his record.
Though this time it won’t be a Brazilian, but an Italian that will take on Leites (14-2). Alessio Sakara (13-7-0, 1 NC) trains with one of the best camps in MMA, America Top Team, however, even his elite-level training team hasn’t kept Sakara from defeat.
Known through MMA as an entertaining, yet sometimes disappointing fighter, he’s normally kept to the preliminary card.
Leites feels confident in his abilities, but isn’t taking Sakara lightly.
“I’m ready to fight with him on [the] stand-up game,” Leites said. “He has a rock hands and is a very dangerous striker, but I have my skills too and if I have to fight standing with him I will.”
Leites is known as a submission specialist — nine of his 14 wins are via submission. Even when his opponents know it is coming he can normally sneak in his signature arm bar.
To combat opponents, like Sakara with a boxing background, Leites works tirelessly on his stand up.
“[I’m] training a lot every day, getting better at boxing and my muay thai game to close the distance, take down and use the submission skills,” Leities explained. “He can know my fight plan, but he doesn’t know how or when I will try the take down.”
As for if he can another title shot in the near future, Leities remains focused on the task at hand.
“All I want is to focus on my fight with Sakara,” he said.
Samantha L. Johnson is the News Team Lead for MMAMadness.com. Feel free to contact her via e-mail: samantha@mmamadness.com
