Amilcar Alves: A New Gladiator at the Gates

Combat in the UFC represents the pinnacle of the MMA.  The road for any fighter striving toward the apex of the sport leads to the chain-link door of the Octagon.

Even though many wars have already been won, gallons of blood have already been shed, and an eternity of turmoil was endured throughout the years of training preceding the opportunity—all of that is cast aside and forgotten.   Life begins anew.

Successfully overcoming the adversities of the journey is only the beginning, as Saint Joe Silva stands at the wire-meshed, pearly gates of heaven, wearing a pleasant smile that defies the violence awaiting, to orchestrate a new set of trials that will undoubtedly prove more treacherous than any before—and ultimately determine the fate of the traveler.

Saint Silva has a keen eye of wisdom to identify those whom may bear the mark of glory, and has lead them to the crossroads of their career to face the formidable guardian of his choice.  After he’s concocted the magical two-part serum, the mythical divinity retires to the matchmaking laboratory, and the world stands witness to the volatile reaction of the elements he’s mixed together.  What happens next is up to them; their destiny is their own.

Such is the epic scenario that’s unfolded before Brazilian wrecking machine Amilcar Alves, who is ready and willing to let the chips fall where they may.

Alves will be the unfamiliar gladiator of UFC 118, engaging a fearsome opponent in powerhouse wrestler Mike Pierce, who is best known for giving #2 welterweight Jon Fitch a fierce run for his money.  Pierce offers the type of gritty toughness and gorilla-like wrestling that equates to a bad nightmare for any looking to dismantle him, and Alves is now tasked with accumulating everything he’s learned under the tutelage of legend Andre Pederneiras, leader of the Nova Uniao army, to engineer a formula that will fuel him towards victory.

Knowing Pierce will intend to devour the lanky striker in a maw of malicious ground-and-pound, the emphasis for Alves includes the avoidance of finding himself underneath the goliath and implementing the technical savvy to adequately defend if he does.  The Nova Uniao squad is heralded for breeding high-level Jiu Jitsu players, but this aspect of combat is where Alves holds the least amount of experience.

Only a strong blue belt, his submission game evolves daily from being tangled up with World Cup medalist and ADCC trial champion Leonardo Santos and the other grappling prodigies on his team.  Alves has coaxed four of his eleven foes into submission, but the tactic is far from the sharpest weapon in his repertoire.  The 30-year old took up the art of Judo at age 5, which today lends him an impressive 25 years of hip-tossing unfortunate victims into orbit, and also provides a background conducive to speedy adaptation with submission grappling.

It also may be the deciding factor in the battle to remain standing if the burly Pierce corners him in the clinch; a situation that is highly likely if Alves can administer the perils of his frenetically potent striking that he and his teammate Jose Aldo are known for.

Taking up Muay Thai in his teens became the first step towards becoming a complete fighter, and Alves gravitated towards precision striking like a fish to water.  He went on to tackle full-contact fighting with Master Marcio Cromado and the Luta Livre-based Renovacao Fight Team, and eventually set up shop with the killers at Nova Uniao to complete his metamorphosis.

His MMA career kicked off in 2006 with style, tasting victory in three consecutive fights before running into the game Fernando Paulon, who maneuvered his way to Alves’ back in the second round to cinch the mata leao for his first and only defeat.  Finding even more motivation in the disappointment of the loss, Alves proceeded to ignite an explosion of sheer terror, cutting a furious swathe through eight-straight opponents that attracted the attention of the mainstream audience.

The fact that Alves left Fernando Paulon, the only man to defeat him, crumpled in a heap of unconsciousness in his last outing was the landmark achievement that confirmed he was ready for the next level.   Methodically gauging Paulon’s movements, Alves timed a frighteningly brutal knee at the exact moment Paulon shot in for the takedown—ending the match quickly and convincingly in the first round with the only strike he unleashed.

Shine Fights matchmaker Ron Foster recognized his potential and signed Alves, but the young promotion’s growing pains hindered an immediate showing, and Foster admirably released Amilcar from his exclusive North American contract with Shine when he was made aware that the UFC had put an offer on the table.

Just as Alves thought his future in the sport might be coming to an end while subsequently acclimating to the life-changing responsibilities of becoming a proud father to a newborn son, the dream he’d been chasing his whole life fell directly into his lap.  Not only would he resuscitate his chances to perform on North American soil, but do so under the most acclaimed banner that exists in the world of mixed martial arts.

Though having his hand raised in victory would far from disappoint him, Alves is realistic about the steep climb in competition that Pierce embodies.  With no aspirations for fame and glamour, he pledges only to throw caution to the wind and treat fans to the most exciting fight possible.  He told UFC.com:

“I'm not a Hollywood star, one day who knows (laughs), that wants to be perfect in how I talk and how I act. I'm a fighter, I know my style will please the crowd and company and I'm not going to change the things that are working well and that put me in the UFC. Imagine if I’m fighting in a main event where people say, 'oh no! Alves is on the main card, he's boring, I won't buy it.' I'm more likely to be the man that everybody enjoying seeing. “

Amidst a maelstrom of fan complaints about conservative strategies, refusing to take risks, and fighting to impress the judges instead of the crowd, Amilcar will dedicate every ounce of his heart and soul to do the exact opposite.  So for those of you who value a fighter on the courage and fearlessness of his performance over the “W” or “L” on his record, keep your eyes fixated on Amilcar Alves tonight when he lets loose on Mike Pierce on the undercard of UFC 118.

Amilcar's UFC 118 walkout shirt design

Amilcar gets revenge on Fernando Paulon

By request, for those doubting the omnipotent lore of Joe Silva