Many fans and pundits alike once debated that the UFC’s fighter insurance could cause more fighters to pull out of contests than previously seen. Someone should have mentioned that to Thiago Tavares, who concealed a surgical operation on his knee from the UFC in order to ensure that he competed last week in Bangor, Maine.
For Tavares, the reason was simple:
“I didn’t want to stay out too long again,” Tavares told MMAFighting.com.
While the idea of keeping a surgery secret from the promotion you work for, particularly when your job is to compete in violent combat sports, is far from a recommended one, Tavares is relieved that the result favoured him in the end.
In fact, the urgency to win quickly and minimize the damage done to his knee certainly factored into his decision to press for the submission early on.
“It was great. Everything went as planned,” he said. “I knew that my jiu-jitsu would prevail if I could take the fight to the ground. Robbie Peralta has heavy hands and knockout power, I couldn’t stand and trade with him. When I go to a fight I just want to win and I’m willing to do anything to make it happen. I don’t care how I win.”
Having set aside his recent victory, Tavares is now focused on running for a seat at the Legislative Assembly of the State of Santa Catarina. Once the elections are complete he will resume preparation for his second featherweight fight with the promotion.
“After the elections, I will focus on my next fight, probably around December,” he continued. “I will keep pursuing my dreams and goals. I never chose easy opponents and I won’t do it now. I will be ready to fight whoever the UFC wants and I will do my best to get another win for Florianopolis.”
Transcription taken from MMAFighitng.com.
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