With fights such as Thiago Alves vs. Diego Sanchez and Sean Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin, October 25th’s UFC
90 undercard is likely to provide its share of fireworks. But perhaps the most explosive matchup may be the grudge match between lightweights Marcus Aurelio and Hermes Franca.
There are many similarities between these two fighters: They are both from Fortaleza, Brazil, they are both masters in jiu-jitsu, they both live in Florida and are both in their mid 30s. But perhaps the biggest link between these two fighters isn't geography or style of fighting. It's the fact that Aurelio was teacher and Franca was his student. It is a relationship that has more than boiled over, and now, as if it were a Hollywood screenplay, the teacher will meet the student inside the Octagon.
The scripts are very different, depending who you ask. Aurelio says he brought Franca to America and Franca says the opposite, but the fact of the matter is that at one point Aurelio was Franca's teacher, and out of respect for the sport, Aurelio didn't want to trash his former pupil before they fight.
"I'm not here to talk about Hermes Franca," Aurelio said. "I'll only talk about my training and preparation for this fight."
All Aurelio would say in regards to the feud is that he and the rest of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, FL, know the type of personality that Franca has. Most of the fighters at American Top Team gave the same grin when the name Hermes Franca was mentioned. It is said that most of the group has a big problem with Franca and don't particularly like him much after the events leading to his leaving the team. Aurelio says he's not focusing on any type of feud, but instead, his mind is on getting into the UFC elite.
The 35 year-old Aurelio (16-6) is coming off a tough unanimous decision loss against Tyson Griffin in July. It was a less than inspiring performance for "Maximus", who hopes to have a resurrection of sorts against Franca.
"I just froze against Griffin," Aurelio recalled. "I couldn't fight. I was there, but I wasn't. My body didn't respond. I was doing things, but I just couldn't do what I could do. I'm training hard for this fight and I'm doing everything right to make sure I don't make any mistakes and come in at 100 percent."
Aurelio feels he let his fans down and the UFC down as well. He wants to make a statement October 25th and get back on the contenders list and possibly secure a title shot in the future.
"I want to prove that wasn't me that night and I could do a lot better," Aurelio said. "I'm working my ass off everyday. I want to prove to UFC and the fans I can be a lot better than that and it all starts on the 25th."
Aurelio gets that chance against his former student Franca. Although he seems less than enthused about fighting a former pupil and friend, he is training and going at it as if it were any fight, trying to pay no mind to the talk coming from Franca and the history that surrounds both fighters.
"Whatever he's talking I don't care," Aurelio said. "I'm not gonna listen. I'm just focused on the fight. For me it's just another fight that I have to win. It doesn't matter who I'm facing."
For Aurelio, or any fighter fighting an opponent that was so close to them at one point, it can't be easy focusing squarely on technique and not on the emotions that become part of the fight. Another one of Aurelio's former students, Thiago Alves, who is one of his closest friends, is confident that his American Top Team teammate is putting feelings aside because he knows if he brings
it into the Octagon on fight night, it would be his Achilles Heel.
"If you don't like the guy, just train harder," Alves said. "You can't let the emotions get to your head because it's harder to work, and you're just adding more pressure. Once you step into the Octagon, it's business. I'm helping Marcus train really hard for this fight. It's gonna be very interesting. I think after the fight there will be no more bad blood."
Aurelio said that although there is no love lost between he and Franca, that as far as he's concerned there's no bad blood from his part.
"I'm okay," Aurelio said. "After the fight it's all professional. I know who Hermes is and I know his personality. It's still the same for me before and after the fight. I'm just there to fight. For me there's no bad feelings."
One good thing that comes out of fighting Franca is that Aurelio is very familiar with the way he fights and carries himself in the Octagon. Heck, he taught him a lot of it.
"When I face a guy who has a similar style, it's good," Aurelio said. "I know that we're going to fight jiu-jitsu. I feel good about it. I have a very good feeling fighting a guy I know so well."
This fight will be watched very closely by MMA fans everywhere. Their feud is being publicized on the internet and it's very well on the minds of his American Top Team teammates. Aurelio is happy to have their support for this fight.
"We have the best team in the world, not because we have the greatest fighters, but we're a family," Aurelio said. "I have all the support from my team for this fight, and they're doing their best to prepare me for victory."
On October 25th, something will be settled. Will the teacher school the student? Will the student prove to the teacher that he may have taught him too well? Whatever the outcome, it will be an interesting fight. Aurelio wants the distraction from the rivalry to go away, but there is still a shock that exists about a teacher fighting a student, and we'll see how comfortable he will be with the situation on fight night.
"I'm just coming to fight and I'm ready to knock him out or submit him," Aurelio said. "There will be no decision."
Whats the deal why do they hate each other...........
Tatame did interviews with both:
http://tatame.com/2008/09/16/Hermes-Franca
http://tatame.com/2008/09/13/Marcus-Aurelio
It'll shed some light if you can wade through the shoddy translation.
Aurelio was Hermes teacher in Brasil before they both moved to the US and joined ATT. Some shit went down at ATT, then some more shit went down at ATT. Hermes left on bad terms and Aurelio stayed and there has been bad blood ever since. Teacher vs. student or not, Hermes wins this fight, imo.
ttt for Hermes
yeah - someone with better translation skills - tell us what's said in tatame links!
p
Man I like to watch both of these guys fight. But with that said, I don't know anyone that doesn't get SMOKED by their own JJ instructor.