Carrying on the Chute Boxe legacy: Joanderson Brito plans head-turning debut at UFC on ESPN 32
SOMERVILLE, Mass. – Joanderson Brito entered Brazilian Martial Arts Center as the slush kicked around and the snow crunched beneath his feet, the weather in New England far different than his native Maranhao, Brazil.
A calculated pitstop landed him on the other side of the country from where his UFC on ESPN 32 bout will take place. Simply put: he just wanted to get into the U.S. – and BMAC, a Chute Boxe affiliate gym, gave him that opportunity.
The gym is usually closed on Sundays, but not for Brito, of course. With the magnitude of the fight, it was a no-brainer for gym owner and head instructor Marcelo Siqueira to open up his doors.
As the intensity increased, a wide trail of perspiration followed Brito across the mats. Five-minute intervals of hard striking with muay Thai coach Christopher Led and training partner Jefferson Silva were interspersed with quick, coach-rationed water breaks.
While Brito’s punches and kicks echoed throughout the small gym in the bordering city just north of Boston, one elder looker-on was quiet but focused. Sporting glasses and multiple layers of Chute Boxe gear, Master Joao Emilio looked on.
A member of a legendary Brazilian team that housed the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Anderson Silva, Emilio has been associated with many a successful MMA legacy – something Brito (12-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) hopes to carve out for himself starting with his bout vs. Bill Algeo (12-2-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC) on Saturday in Las Vegas.
“The people who follow me can expect me to be very aggressive,” Brito told MMA Junkie on Sunday, using an interpreter. “I’m going to bring the legacy from Master Joao Emilio and Chute Boxe to the cage. I’m going to move forward and be very aggressive.”
It took him a while to get here. Cancellations and visa issues stalled his momentum at times, but still Brito found a way to make an impact when it mattered to secure a UFC contract. On Dana White’s Contender Series, Brito won via technical decision after an accidental eye poke rendered his opponent Diego Lopes unable to continue.
“I feel happy with the way I fought,” Brito said. “I was more happy with the way I fought – good (enough) to earn a contract. But (I’m not happy) with the incident, of course. … I’m happy to be in the UFC. It’s a dream come true. I’m going to make my legacy in the UFC.
Master Emilio has seen and been a part of a lot. The development of an MMA prospect to superstar is something he’s witnessed. It’s been a little while since he’s been as hands-on with a contender as he is Brito, but he has faith the soon-to-be-debutant will make an instant impact.
“He brings the Chute Boxe spirit,” Emilio told MMA Junkie. “He’s very aggressive and always goes forward. That’s what he’s going to show Saturday. He’s going to show the Chute Boxe style of being aggressive and finishing the fight as quickly as possible.”
Fighter like coach, Brito oozed confidence about the upcoming scrap against Algeo. Despite Algeo’s reputation as a tough, durable outing regardless of outcome, Brito predicted the fight does not see the third round.
“The fight won’t last through the second round,” Brito said. “I’m going to put all of the pressure on him. I’m going to go after him from the beginning to the end. … People are going to think I should’ve been in the UFC a long time ago.”
Carrying on the Chute Boxe legacy: Joanderson Brito plans head-turning debut at UFC on ESPN 32
