Wanderlei Silva is ending his MMA career for good, but his lineage will continue with his 19-year-old son Thor Silva, who’s gearing up for an amateur MMA debut in Brazil.
“The Axe Murderer”, a former PRIDE FC champion and legend of the sport whose career dates back to the vale-tudo days in Brazil, announced on this week’s episode of MMA Fighting’s Portuguese-language podcast Trocacao Franca he has “officially retired” from MMA. Silva stated that he will only ever be able to fight again in boxing.
Besides his political campaigns, Silva stated that he is focusing on his son’s first fight career.
“Only sons can understand what it is like to watch them fight,” Silva explained to MMA Fighting. “This feeling is completely different, but it’s very exciting because we know what it’s like and everything that can happen in a fight. He can take me to where I want, but I have been there all and know hard work is what counts. It doesn’t matter if you are the son or daughter of [someone important] nor have the same amount of money, hard work and training will count. Thank God, he behaved as a professional already .”
The 48-year-old veteran ends his career with a record of 35-14-1 plus one no contest. He has been a victim of many notable people, including Michael Bisping (three times), Quinton Jack (twice), Ricardo Arona and Keith Jardine.
Thor is set to face fellow bantamweight rookie Paulo Rangel at Fight Music Show 2, a martial arts event scheduled for Sept. 25 at a 45,000-seat stadium in their hometown Curitiba. Thor admitted that the pressure of being the son of an MMA legend exists “a little bit,” but there’s plenty of positive aspects with it as well.
“He gets more nervous than I,” Thor said of his father, recalling his past victories in amateur kickboxing and boxing matches in Brazil. We always brought food to the events, but he would get too anxious and end up eating the entire [laughs].. I don’t get that nervous when I’m about to fight, I stay calm and relaxed, thinking about what I’m about to do. I don’t think it adds too much pressure, really.”
Thor joined CM System to prepare for his amateur MMA debut, working with jiu-jitsu specialist Cristiano Marcello, the man who awarded his father a black belt in the gentle art.
Marcello said he sees the 19-year-old “as a nephew” since he was the elder Silva’s coach at the time of Thor’s birth, and feels honoured to accept the “mission” of helping him “write his own story in the sport.”
“He is Wanderlei in DNA and heart, but Marcello stated that this child has modern MMA potential. He has Wanderlei’s aggressiveness, but more complete. Wanderlei had that strong Muay Thai DNA in him, and Thor has the MMA [DNA]. He is more open to wrestling and the ground game. This kid is very smart.
” The fruit is never far away from the tree. Thor will be with the Wanderlei spirit and the modern aspects of the sport. Wanderlei allowed me to be as open-minded about him and his dad, so I was free to approach him like any other athlete. This is important for his development and growth as an athlete. They are all the same. He’s in there with the team and has to survive. That’s how it works. That’s how Wanderlei and I were forged.”
Thor feels he’s gaining more experience in the grappling area working with Marcello after training with Evolucao Thai leader Andre Dida in the past for his kickboxing and boxing contests, but still predicts a knockout victory at FMS 2.
” I will feel him out, but I am going there to fight man,” he stated. He said, “I’m good at what I do, but I don’t know what to do. If he puts me down, and I can see an arm or neck, .”
Silva stated that he believes his son will beat Paulo Rangel, too. However, he doesn’t think it is unlikely that Thor would choke out Rangel with a triangle choke. Silva told his son, “winning is more important .”
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” Although you may be able to put on a great show, the sport of boxing is all about winning,” Silva stated. It’s not worth being great if you don’t win. You must win. You went there, you have to win. The secret of having success in this sport is winning.
“His main characteristic is that he’s brave and fearless. He fought me last time. I said to him: “Son, get there and strike him.” It’s better to hit first than getting hit.’ The fight started and he let his hands go. He’s courageous and believes that his training is sufficient to handle everything .”
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Being the son of a legend is likely to open doors for Thor quicker and easier than any other MMA newcomers. Silva sees his son’s amateur debut at 19 in Curitiba as a sign of “courage”, and believes the future looks bright.
” There are many promotions like Bellator and RIZIN today that allow athletes to showcase their talent and fight the best, said Silva. We’ll watch his career and all the possibilities that may arise, and then we’ll pick the best .”
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Thor names Silva’s second knockout over Jackson in PRIDE, his final UFC win over Stann, and the knockouts over Sakuraba his all-time favorite highlights of his father, all of which took place in Japan.
Thor is still interested in competing in jiu jitsu tournaments as well as more boxing bouts, before he decides to move to professional MMA. And when that time comes, he just might choose his father’s old stomping grounds in Japan as his destination.
” I love the UFC and they pay really well,” Thor stated. But RIZIN, which Thor also mentioned, is very intriguing because it has a rule set that I enjoy. If you go to the ground, there are soccer kicks and I like that idea. But I’ll see. It will be an amateur fight, and I feel it. But if one of them [calls me], I’d do it right away.”
