Alex Silva is a Copa do Mundo World Champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with over 15 years of experience. He has won numerous regional and national titles in Brazil and currently competes in the Asia mixed martial arts promotion, ONE Championship.
The Jiu-Jitsu Times sat down with Alex to talk about his training and upcoming fight against Roy Doliguez at ONE’s Throne of Tigers, scheduled to be held on February 10 in Kuala Lumpur.
Here is what he had to say:
Jiu-Jitsu Times: Alex, can you tell the Jiu-Jitsu Times about your background? Where are you from and where did you train in Brazil?
Alex Silva: I’m from Ubatuba, and I trained at Liga Jiu-Jitsu.
Jiu-jitsu Times: You are based at Evolve MMA in Singapore. How did you come to Singapore to teach and train? What is your role at Evolve? Can you talk a little about the Evolve fight team?
Alex Silva: My good friend Leandro “Brodinho” Issa encouraged me to join Evolve MMA when they had an available position for a BJJ instructor. It took a bit of convincing to leave my family and Brazil, but I decided to move when he invited me a second time. Training with the Evolve Fight Team is a dream come true because my decision to join Evolve was so unexpected. It’s surreal to train alongside the same fighters that I’ve seen on TV.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: You are preparing to face Roy Doliguez. Tell us about your preparations for the fight? What does a typical training week look like for you in terms of conditioning, wrestling, Muay Thai, and diet?
Alex Silva: Most of the Evolve Fight Team is put through the same training regime – two training sessions each day, five days a week. I train on my own on Saturdays – mostly on conditioning and with weights. I also teach around four BJJ classes every day. I eat normally – as healthy as possible without depriving myself of any food.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: You are returning to the cage after a one-year absence. What are some of the obstacles that you faced and had to overcome to make your return?
Alex Silva: The toughest thing is not to allow myself to get distracted by personal problems, which is something everyone encounters. Sometimes, I can use these problems as motivation to train harder. The main thing is to enjoy training and the process of improving myself daily.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: The fans of MMA see the fighters under the bright lights and excitement of the event on fight night. What do the fans not see that goes into the fighter’s preparation to fight?
Alex Silva: The blood, sweat and sacrifice that goes into the preparation. The training camp is the hardest part of the entire thing. The fight is actually fun.
Jiu-Jitsu Times: Would you like to thank any sponsors, coaches, or training partners?
Alex Silva: Evolve MMA, for always believing in me and having such a stellar lineup of World Champions who provide fruitful training sessions that help me reach my goal of becoming a ONE World Champion one day.
You can check out Evolve MMA on Facebook and Twitter.
