CR Exclusive Interview with Antonio Carvalho

Photo via MMAJunkie.com

Antonio Carvalho could very well be the most underrated fighter in the UFC’s featherweight division, if not all of the UFC, or even MMA. He came in against the young Felipe Arantes as a small favorite at UFC 142. He ended up losing a decision in a very underwhelming performance. Some people still saw some potential to do damage at 145 and others lost interest and didn’t expect much.

The former was right, and oh how right they were.

Antonio Carvalho went into his fight with Daniel Pineda at UFC 149 as a hefty underdog. Almost everyone thought that Pineda would easily run through Carvalho, including us here at CR. “Pato” quickly turned the tide in only 71 seconds as he knocked him out with a beautiful kick followed by a barrage of ground-and-pound. Carvalho became a very interesting contender at 145, and certainly a dark horse at 145.

His next fight is at UFC 154 in Montreal against TUF: Brazil standout in Rodrigo Damm. He sat down with us for an interview talking about his UFC career, his upcoming fight, and his personal heroes.

Check it out:

Championship Rounds: So your next fight is against Rodrigo Damm at UFC 154 in Montreal. Talk about this fight. How has training camp been going?

Antonio Carvalho: I haven't officially started my camp. At the moment, I am fixing up my techniques and trying to add some new ones that I hope to have ready come November 17th. Also, I’m still having fun training in a Gi and sparring with my students as well. It's important to have some fun prior to starting a camp. It's easy to burn out in this sport. As far as the fight, Rodrigo is a very tough veteran of this sport. Like me, he has travelled all over the globe and fought some of the best out there. Not to mention, he looked really impressive in his last fight as a featherweight. This division seems to be a good fit for him.

CR: Where do you believe your strengths matchup the best with Damm's weaknesses?

AC: I think we match up quite well in general. He is very strong on the mat and has good wrestling. He has also been working on his striking a lot recently and constantly improving. Truth is, though, I don't know where I will be stronger. That's why I like this fight. It intrigues me because I really don't know what he will try and do. I can only prepare for everything and hope for the best result.

CR: How will the home field advantage play into this next fight?

AC: I think for me, it will be the fact that I won't be changing time zones. He will. He will need to get to Montreal early enough to acclimatize himself. That said, like me, he is a veteran and used to fighting abroad. So that may or may not play a factor. One way or another, right off the bat, things will be more difficult for him. I certainly respect anyone who comes into someone else's backyard to fight.

CR: You were a sizable underdog going into your last fight with Daniel Pineda, how does the underdog status affect you?

AC: I'm kind of used to the underdog status. I am pretty inconsistent with my performances so I can see why I am often counted out. If anything, being the underdog motivates me. Then again, I always see myself as an underdog anyways. So that never bugs me.

CR: Was the plan to KO Pineda or try and get it to the ground?

AC: I went in there expecting everything from him. So I prepared everywhere. It just so happened that my striking was sharper then his that night and I caught him. I was very fortunate to get the win that night.

CR: So how come your UFC debut was so much more lackluster than the one that followed, which wasn't anything short of spectacular?

AC: Sometimes, things simply don't fall into place. I did the best I could that night and it wasn't good enough. I took that loss as a learning experience and came back stronger. I hope to keep that momentum going and stay on a winning path.

CR: What inspired you to become a mixed martial artist?

AC: Actually, I just wanted to be a martial artist and do martial arts. I really didn't get into martial arts thinking I was going to fight professionally. It just kind of came up one day and my old coach figured I should try it out. Once I tried it though, I knew I wanted to do it again. So now I have been at it for almost a decade now!

CR: On UFC.com, Darren Uyenoyama has you listed as one of his heroes. I'm curious, is there any story behind that?

AC: Really?! Darren is my hero too! Actually, myself, Darren and Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen come from the Japanese circuits and that is where we all met. We all learned from each other and influenced each other in some way shape or form.

I am quite humbled that he feels that way about me. I feel the same way about him. He is a great friend and I am happy he is both successful in and out of the cage.

CR: Thanks again Antonio! We will be cheering for you!

AC: Thanks! Cheers!

Thanks again to Antonio and we wish him the best of luck in his upcoming fight! Make sure you guys go follow him on Twitter @AntonioPatoMMA and support him at UFC 154.