Erick horses around with Anderson and Feijão at Charlotte airport. Photo: Carlos Ozório.
With 12 wins, one no contest and just one loss, Erick Silva’s credentials got him a fight at the UFC. Better still, he’ll be making his promotional debut at the event marking the organization’s return to Brazil, on August 27. Add to that how two of the Jiu-Jitsu black belt’s teammates will see action on the same evening and it couldn’t get any better.
“I’m motivated not just because it will be in Brazil but because I’m on the card with Anderson Silva and Minotauro, my training partners and heroes. So it couldn’t be a better debut. I’m really motivated and I’ll be going in there with no anxiety or nerves. This came up at a good time for me and now I get to show my stuff and do what I train to do. I’d feel more pressure if the fight were in the US because I’d know the crowd would be against me. Here I have everyone’s support and I feel I’ll do really well,” he told GRACIEMAG.com.
“I’m training really hard in Rio de Janeiro, working full blast with Josuel Distak and Rogério Camões. The whole team is working together: Minotauro, Anderson, Feijão and Jacaré. The cool part is that everyone has a fight scheduled, so there’s plenty of positive energy, with everyone in the same boat and with the same objective,” he added.
His opponent in his maiden incursion into the UFC will be Mike Swick, who has 14 wins and four losses to his name. Erick knows quite well what he has ahead of him.
“He’s most dangerous in the standup department because he comes from a kickboxing background. He also has a really good clinch, but I do feel that’s where I may well be able to get the knockout. I’m going to go after him and I hope to neutralize his striking. God willing I’ll get the knockout, which is what I’m training to do,” he forewarns.
Furthermore, Silva asserts that he is already accustomed to the mood at the UFC:
“I went to the States for Anderson Silva’s fight and stuck around there awhile. Anderson has been helping me a lot, he took me there and that just helps. He gave me lots of advice, said to pay attention to things, and I never imagined I’d end up with a UFC contract. I watched everything and put it in my head that it’s nothing I can’t handle, that I can perform under pressure,” he said in closing.