By Brad Taschuk
This Saturday marks the return to the cage of one of the top featherweights Canada has ever produced in MMA, Antonio Carvalho. Facing late replacement Daniel Pineda, Oshawa, Ont.’s Carvalho (13-5) is looking to erase the memories of his unsuccessful UFC debut, in which he lost a decision to Felipe Arantes back in January.
I can say unequivocally that I will not be watching this bout as an objective observer, but rather as a fan of a fighter who is partly responsible for my interest in MMA. Eleven years ago — before Carvalho even began his MMA career — I was in a class at my high school gym in Whitby, Ont., called “Combatives.” Being a part of my school’s wrestling team, I thought it was cool that our teacher was bringing in a handful of professional fighters to teach us some grappling techniques. This group included Carvalho, current UFC welterweight Sean Pierson, as well as two men who featured greatly in the early days of Canadian MMA, Justin Bruckmann and Richie Nancoo.
Having previous experience and an interest in grappling made these few weeks the most enjoyable I had ever experienced from an educational perspective. My interest in MMA was piqued, and while it didn’t flourish for a couple of years, I still hold an immense appreciation for the introduction I was given all those years ago. Due to the encounter, I had followed the careers of Pierson, Bruckmann and Nancoo fairly closely. I didn’t think to check on Carvalho, as he had mentioned that he had “no desire to be punched in the face” all those years ago.
As fate would have it, Carvalho has enjoyed the most successful MMA career of the group, despite being the last to start actively fighting. His nearly 10 years in the sport has seen him notch victories over perennial top featherweights Hatsu Hioki and Takeshi Inoue en route to becoming one of the top 10 featherweights in the world from 2005-2007. More important to Pato than either of those wins was the victory he scored over his personal idol in MMA and Japanese legend Rumina Sato, which also earned him a world title shot in Shooto.
Unfortunately, injuries, losses and politics all piled up and forced a burnt-out Carvalho out of Japan — and potentially out of the sport of MMA for good — in 2008. During his time spent recovering and recharging on the sidelines, the balance of power in the featherweight division shifted from Japan to North America. With his inactivity it seemed that Tony was destined to become a forgotten fighter who peaked at the wrong time.
This all began to change when he returned to competition in March 2010. After three wins on the Canadian circuit, including a victory over UFC veteran Doug Evans, Carvalho finally received a call from the UFC to debut for the organization at UFC 134 in Brazil. Once again, injuries would get in the way, and Pato was forced to push back his debut, which finally came this January at UFC 142. Although he started off well, by obtaining mount in the first round, Carvalho faded as the fight went on and dropped a unanimous decision to Arantes.
Six months later, and the oft-injured Carvalho finds himself one of the few fighters who has managed to avoid injury on one of the most battered cards in UFC history. His original opponent, George Roop, was unable to say the same. With less than a month’s notice, Daniel Pineda was forced to step in and face the Canadian on his home soil.
Both fighters possess many of the same strengths, being effective grapplers from the top or bottom, as well as sporting competent striking. Wrestling has given them both the most trouble recently; Pineda fell to Mike Brown’s powerful grappling, and Arantes controlled the style of Carvalho’s most recent fight, aside from the aforementioned first round. Come UFC 149, we could get a tumbleweed-type bout where the fighters swap positions for 15 minutes, with Carvalho’s superior technique going up against Pineda’s aggressive submission style.
Tony is very self-aware about his career and the MMA world. He understands that he must deliver a victory this Saturday, or at the very least to put on an exciting performance. If he is unsuccessful, his position in the UFC could be in jeopardy. As a 33-year-old fighter who has experienced his share of wear and tear, this may be the last chance for Carvalho to gain a foothold in the organization and begin to work his way back up the featherweight ladder.
A fighter who was at the top of the 145-pound division before anyone really knew what it was, Carvalho has seen first-hand the evolution from the Pequeno Nogueiras to the Jose Aldos of the world. While the landscape has changed drastically, Pato understands that if he can consistently fight to his fullest abilities he is more than capable of competing and succeeding against the elite of his division. In interviews he’s pointed to this attribute as something that distinguishes the current crop of champions from fighters like him.
As someone who finds himself personally invested in the career of one of the most genuine fighters I have ever met, I sincerely hope that journey back to the top begins on Saturday night.
