UFC Vegas 73 Exclusive: InsideSport: Hello, everybody. Welcome to another interactive session with InsideSport and today we’re glad to have Andre Fialho with us the UFC fighter was set to face Joaquin Buckley at UFC Vegas 73. So first of all, glad to have you here.
Andre, just take us through your game plan and what are your mindset going into this big fight?
Andre Fialho: Well, I had to rebuild myself a little bit. I’ve been just boxing for a while I got overconfident with my hands. And I’ve been I was knocking everybody out.
So on this Friday, I intend to choose all my weapons I intend to kick I tend to take him down and tend to to do MMA. He is a great fighter. He is dangerous. But I believe I have a better IQ that I haven’t been using in a fight.
Sometimes I tried to attack too much and I.. I get tagged and I get emotional, I want to take them back. And the game plan goes down the water. But this time I’m focused, I’m in great shape. And this is going to be good for.
InsideSport: Like both of you and recommend both of you have lost your last two outings, like which kind of makes this fight a must win scenario for both of you guys.
So do you think like this is going to play an implication in your game plan? Like, obviously, you desperately need a win. But do you think like your last performance of your last two fights is going to influence you against what we’re going to see at UFC Vegas 73?
Andre Fialho: I cannot let that get into my mind. I gotta stay focused, I gotta, I gotta stay. I gotta stay focused on the game plan. I gotta do what I do best. I’m in great shape. I’ve trained very well.
And I just gotta follow the game plan. I gotta, I gotta stay patient and not think about that. I believe when I’m in shape. Everything falls in place. Nice.
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InsideSport: Like, I just wanted to ask you something really out of the box. So we all know that Francis Ngannou who has just signed a deal with PFL and people have been going crazy on it like a few days back people were demeaning him for like getting rejection from UFC, Bellator MMA, ONE Championship, like it seemed like it’s over for Francis Ngannou.
But now he’s back with one of the biggest deal in Combat history. So what do you make of it? Like just your opinion on that scenario? Like, is it fair of Francis Ngannou to bag that deal?
Andre Fialho: Well, I think is good for him. And when you believe in something, you got to you got to put all your energy into it, and you got to gotta work towards it. He believed he believed he believed in something and he work towards that goal; he achieved it. Good for him.
I still believe there’s no comparison between PFL and UFC, I think UFC is on a different level differently. But I’m happy for him, I wish him all the best. Although I think it’s gonna take a while to be a fee to PFL to get to the UFC level.
InsideSport: Also, like just be the UFC has announced that they’re going to bring back the BMF title. And Dustin Poirier Justin Gaethje they’re gonna to fight for it.
So this is really an interesting move from the UFC. And like it’s like the belt has been there and the welterweight division, the belt has been there and like right now, it’s going to be in a lightweight fight. So obviously, it’s quite obvious that the BMF title is not going to have a specific weight class.
So in some way, you can also compete for the title someday. So would it interest you like is it do you think that BMF title is something that can alleviate a fighter? Or would you just consider it as a trademark or something like, just out of the box for the UFC?
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Andre Fialho: Well, UFC knows how to do business. They know they know how to put fights very well. And when they have the very, very best guys and some of the toughest guys they put the belt in so they can sell pay-per-view and they can can do business. But I think I like belt.
I would definitely love to fight for it. That’s not my goal. I want to be world champion. I don’t believe being a BMF champion makes me a world champion. But yeah, I’ll definitely be interested in fighting for it one day.
InsideSport: Also like UFC Vegas 73 is happening this weekend. It’s going to be a big, big card, and it’s going to be dominating the MMA audience.
But apart from UFC Vegas 73,this week, we will also see two of the biggest boxing fights happen between Katie Taylor and Cameron and also there’s going to be Lomachenko vs Devin Haney. So what do you think separates UFC Vegas 73?
And why should fans stick to UFC Vegas 73? Any specific reasons you have in your mind?
Andre Fialho: Well, I think first Lomachenko is after so USA. Like I said they know how to do business. The UFC is going to be before the boxing so the fence can also see the UFC and boxing I want to see boxing after the my fight.
Alright, I’m interested in it. But there’s nothing like UFC there’s nothing like MMA. I believe UFC is the best sport in the world right now is the best fighting sport in the world right now is the biggest and the best at the moment.
InsideSport: So UFC Vegas 73 any fights that you’re excited about like other than your fight, obviously, what do you like? Can you just name a few are the two or three other fighters you’re really excited about in at UFC Vegas 73?
Andre Fialho: Yes, yes, of course. My teammates, Michael Johnson. I’m very, very interested about his fight. Sato. The Japanese fighter that changed me. And we also have another guy, Mahe Mahe.
I don’t know how to pronounce his name very well. He’s also fighting. So yeah, I’m interested in those three fights. Besides that, I gotta focus on my fight and my performance, stay focused, stay patient and perform better than I ever did before.
InsideSport: Any specific changes in regards to your game plan or in regards to your diet changed for particularly for Joaquin Buckley?
Andre Fialho: Yes. I’ve been working a lot of my patients because normally I try to attack right in the beginning I go forward, I just know how to go forward. And sometimes I get tagged because I’m not patients.
I don’t have my guard up. And after that the game plan goes down the pipe and I just want to hit them back and when you get attack sometimes you you don’t give cannot stay that calm. And I haven’t been in that good shape. To be honest. In my last fight. I was in bad shape. Doesn’t matter was something’s going on in my life.
And on Jake Matthews’s fight, I was overconfident I wouldn’t I never imagined he had the courage or if you excuse my language the balls to stand with me. So I never thought he was going to send me and didn’t watch any tape of him. Yeah, I was I was cocky and overconfident. I pay for it. This time I read very well. I mean, great shape.
And I studied him very well. I saw a lot of his videos. I know his first combos, the second combos, his first punch. I know what he does. I know what I’m gonna do. Yeah, I’m very confident. Very happy to be here. Grateful for the opportunity and I can’t wait to perform so.
InsideSport: Glad knowing your game plan so any final message you want to deliver to your fans or your well wishes, we’re going to watch you at UFC Vegas 73.
Andre Fialho: Ahh… Don’t miss it. I just thank you for the support everybody for the hate to motivate me. I want to give a huge shout-out to the fans in India. The support is growing over there very, very much.
Yes, thank you very much everybody in Portugal, and thank you to everybody around the world for making the sport so, so good. So great. Thank you for having me and I can’t wait to perform. I can’t wait to show you what I’ve been working on.
InsideSport: Thank you so much for having for coming here, Andre and like all the best for your upcoming fight. Hope you win. And let’s connect anytime soon.
Andre Fialho: Thank you very much. I’ll see you soon. Thanks.
Watch the LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night – Dern vs Hill on Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 3 (Hindi) & Sony Sports Ten 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels at 4:30 am IST on 21st May 2023
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