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[Cat--Smasher]

After latest injury, UFC on FUEL TV 2's Alessio Sakara considered retirement

After a series of grueling bouts and countless injuries that left his body a broken mess, Alessio Sakara considered calling it quits.

An ACL surgery this past July was nearly the final nail in the Italian fighter's MMA coffin.

But Sakara, who now meets fellow middleweight contender Brian Stann at Saturday's UFC on FUEL TV 2 event, told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) encouragement from friends and family made him realize he couldn't give up on his dream.

"I talked with my wife and my family," he today told MMAjunkie.com. "(I said) maybe I didn't want more fights because every time I go to fight, I'm broken. I think my body is maybe no longer any good.

"But I talked with my friends and family, and they told me this is my life. They said to come back strong. They know this is my dream."

Injuries, of course, had taken a toll over the years. Sakara has averaged just one fight per year since 2009. But despite being a rather youthful 30 years old, his busy schedule and nonstop training gave him little time to truly heal. But after this past summer's surgery, he made it a priority.

"After surgery, I focused only on recovery," he said. "Now I'm 100 percent for this fight. My knee is 100 percent too."

Making his return all the sweeter is his opponent. Sakara, who also owns an 8-1 pro-boxing record, meets Stann.

"I like this fight very much," Sakara said. "It's the same thing when I was (supposed) to fight Jorge Rivera. It's the same style. I like it very much when guys will punch in the center of the cage. Brian Stann is a very good guy – and a tough guy because he likes to punch too. It's a very good fight for fans of the UFC."

While once known for his heavy hands, the Greg Jackson-trained Stann has rounded out his game. Until a setback submission loss to Chael Sonnen back in October, he was on a 5-1 run in the UFC that had him within grasp of a title shot.

Part of Stann's ascent is the result of those new skills, including an improving submission game. Sakara, though, doesn't expect to see it.

"I think he'll stay with me and stand up," Sakara said. "He's a tough guy, and I'm a tough guy too. We'll do the standup."

After latest injury, UFC on FUEL TV 2's Alessio Sakara considered retirement | MMAjunkie.com

[Malevolence]

Hope he can make an injury free run before he retires,he's still got a good 4-5 years left in him if he can stay fit & healthy....I also hope he busts up Brian Stann in Sweden.

[Smitts]

Well Stann will probably trade punches with Sakara, but never take shit for granted...

[KevoOnTheRadio]

Still don't think this fight happens

[Kimbo> Rampage]

I wish our Sakara would retire from this site...

[CtGreat]

If this fight actually happens, I wil be very happy.

[Cat--Smasher]

The Ultimate Fighting Championship today held a traditional pre-event press conference, this time in honor of Saturday's UFC on FUEL TV 2 card.

While MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) previously interviewed five of the day's six participating fighters, there were still a few notable and entertaining moments from the ceremony, which took place at Stockholm's Clarion Hotel.

Italian middleweight Alessio Sakara was the unquestionable star of Thursday's proceedings, using his admittedly still-in-development English skills to bring a few laughs from the gathered media. The first instance came when Sakara discussed the possibility of a standup war with opponent Brian Stann.

"I trained a lot for this fight," Sakara told MMAjunkie.com. "I think I've got a little more power.

"I love to fight when I fight a striker. We stay in the middle and bing, boom, bam."

Sakara was later asked to clarify what exact techniques constituted such a three-piece combination, but "Legionarius" preferred to keep his original reference intact.

"Bing, bang, boom is stay in the middle and bing, bang, boom," Sakara said.

It was apparently clear enough to lightweight newcomer Reza Madadi, who called back the phrase when describing his continued amazement at his good fortunes, as well as his own plans for Saturday night.

"I can't believe I'm sitting here beside these other stars," Madadi said. "What I'll tell you guys to expect on Saturday night, when they close the cage, you're going to see bing, bang, boom."

The clear relationship between Italian food and the UFC

Sakara continued his contributions to today's festivities with not only one, but two references to the famed food of his Italian homeland.

The first came as Sakara discussed the potential of fighting in the country when the UFC finally does make its Italian debut. While the plans are in their infancy, at best, Sakara said there is a real demand for the UFC in Italy. He also said that events like Saturday's, which air at a more favorable time for European audiences, will do nothing but assist in growing the market.

"The UFC is very popular in Italy," Sakara said. "The people are very happy because every time I fight in the UFC, people need to wake up. Italian people are asleep – 4 o'clock (in the morning) is very bad. So I fight at 10 o'clock, and people will have a pizza and see me fighting. I'm very happy because I'm fighting close to my country."

Sakara's second effort at sending media to the local Olive Garden came as he addressed his continued efforts to dial in his body at 185 pounds after previously competing as a light heavyweight. Sakara, who has been working with coaches from rugby Italian club team Lazio, said he's doing just fine with a new approach in his diet.

"Before, I had a big problem because with Italian people, the food is a big problem," Sakara said. "For that, the weight is a big problem. … No more food. On Saturday night, pasta. Not now."

Just break your hand on my face

While UFC middleweight Brian Stann is perhaps best known as a former WEC champ and Marine war hero, his jutting chin is also one of his most memorable features.

Stann's chiseled jawline and massive melon became the butt of his own joke while addressing his reputation for having a granite, well, chin.

"As far as my chin, as you can tell from my head and jaw, you just have to be born with it," Stann said. "When I first started training, and I wasn't very good, I would just tell them, 'Well, I can still beat you.' They'd ask me how, and I'd say, 'Just break your hand on my face.' I've learned a little more foot movement since then."

While the comment drew several laughs, including from the panel, Stann did offer an astute opinion on the risk of brain injury in MMA. Stann contends many fighters ruin their chin well before they're clipped in a fight.

"I think one of the most important things I've noticed over the past few years, in training I think too many fighters leave their chin in the gym," Stann said. "They spar so hard in the gym, and then they wonder why they get knocked out in the fight.

"Your head can only take so many head shots. We're starting to learn about concussions. We are elite-level athletes, and we're paying attention to these things in training."

UFC on FUEL TV 2 notebook: Sakara turns comedian, Stann chats chin, more | MMAjunkie.com

[Sniggles]

Originally Posted by Smitts

Well Stann will probably trade punches with Sakara, but never take shit for granted...

A man with two pussies on him would look like a different picture in my mind.

Originally Posted by rampage9712

I wish our Sakara would retire from this site...

[Cat--Smasher]

Alessio Sakara Looks Back at Tumultous Two-Year Stretch, Ahead to Brian Stann - MMA Fighting

Ariel Helwani: You had to pull out of your UFC 133 fight against Jorge Rivera due to a knee injury. What exactly happened and how are you currently feeling?
Alessio Sakara: When I was sparring at American Top Team, I tore my ACL while attempting a single-leg. It was a very bad situation because I was supposed to fight Rivera three times. I came back to Italy and recovered with the best medical team in Italy and now my knee is 100 percent. I am very happy. Everything is good in my leg.

How frustrating have the last couple years been for you?
Every time I'm preparing for a fight, I have an injury or a bad situation in my home. My father died and every time I have bad luck. But I'm coming back 100 percent and I'll give the best fight for the UFC, my fans, my family.

How did you deal with your father's death?
Now, it's passed, but before it was a very bad situation because he was my trainer and father too. When I was young, I stayed in a home with this coach that was with me my whole career, so it was a very bad situation. But now he passed, it's life. Everything is good now.

How did he die?
He died because he was very old.

Do you feel like you must win this fight in order to remain in the UFC?
I never think about if the UFC lets me go because my job is to fight. I want to think only in the present. My present now is April 14. I don't want to see the future or the past. Sometimes a fighter loses, but if he gives 100 percent and people like his style, maybe the UFC doesn't let you go.

Why do you think your fight against Chris Weidman last year was so one-sided?
The opponent changed two weeks before the fight and I had a different strategy. He is a very good wrestler, an All-American, and I needed to train more in takedown defense. But it's no excuse. He won because he had a great strategy and I lost because my defense wasn't very good.

What did you think Stann's performance in his last fight against Chael Sonnen?
I watched every one of Brian's fights. Chael Sonnen had a very good strategy and Stann had an awful performance. Maybe because he's not very good at jiu-jitsu or wrestling, but every fight is different. I don't want to think on April 14 about the Stann that fought Sonnen. I want to think about my job and I want to strike with Brian Stann. If it goes to the floor, I'm very happy because I know I'm better than him in jiu-jitsu. I train a lot in jiu-jitsu. I never use my jiu-jitsu in the UFC because I like striking. I train jiu-jitsu a lot at American Top Team. I'm a black belt and I have trained for six years in Brazil and two years at American Top Team only with black belts.

Stann said recently that he expects to face a more elusive version of yourself on April 14. What do you make of that?
I want to strike with Brian Stann, but every fight is different. Maybe he wants to go to the floor or maybe I want to use my jiu-jitsu. But my style is striking, and I want to strike with Brian Stann.

Do you have a lot of friends and family attending the fight since your home country of Italy is so close to Sweden?
Only my uncle and my best friend. My wife and mom don't watch me live, only television.

Why not live?
(Laughs) Because I'm my mom's son and she's afraid. It's normal. Italian mothers are very protective. If you have a little injury or sick, she thinks you died. It's crazy.

Do you think you will suffer from cage rust on Saturday considering you haven't fought in over a year?
I haven't been very lucky over the years, so I am used to this. Every time I have a fight, there's always something happening, like the loss of my father or my knee injury, so I'm used to this.

Would you ever consider going back to boxing?
I'm done with boxing. I train boxing a lot because I love to box because it was my first sport, but I only focus on MMA training.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta told us recently that they are hoping to put on an event in Italy in the near future. How popular is the sport there right now?
The UFC is very, very popular now in Italy. Every time I walk on the street, people recognize me and talk about the next fight. I would be very happy if the UFC came to Italy. It would be very exciting.

Do you look at a situation like Alexander Gustafsson headlining this card in Sweden and think that if you go on a winning streak you could maybe headline an event in Italy?
Yes, that's my dream. It's possible; it depends on me. If I do a good job now for the UFC, I could maybe be in the main event.

[Firemass]

Always enjoy a Sakara scrap, was wondering if he could build on the momentum of his fights with Irvin and Leites. Sucks he has to start that bakll rolling all over again, but both fighters have good chins. Hoping for a Sakara win here.