Interview by: Dustin De La Torre
We haven’t heard much from the man we call “Babalu” in the past few months. Since dropping a first round KO to current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson, Sobral has slipped under the radar. The Fight Hub staff took note of this and dispatched Mr. Dustin De La Torre far in wide to catch up with the veteran MMA star. Sobral lets us in on a injury he suffered in December which he notes has been the worst in his career, his desire to fight at middleweight, light heavy weight or heavyweight, and entering his name into the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.
FHTB: So tell us what have you been doing since your last fight?
Babalu: In December I took a little family vacation with Fabricio Werdum, Rafael Cordeiro and some other friends from back home. The second day we were in Big Bear and I had a really bad accident snow boarding. I dislocated my shoulder grade five; I tore all the ligaments in my left shoulder. On February 7th I had one of the most challenging days of my life. I had surgery on my shoulder to replace all the joints in my shoulder. I have been putting all my energy into speeding up my recovery so I can fight soon. In the mean time I have gotten to work more here at my gym.
FHTB: How is your shoulder feeling today one month after?
Babalu: My range in motion is still not that great and that is something I have to work on. I have been running and doing other things to keep me in shape. Usually when people get hurt they become lazy but not me.
FHTB: So would you say this injury has motivated you a little more?
Babalu: After the fight with Henderson I was really motivated but after this injury it has motivated me even more to heal and get back to training!
FHTB: Is this one of the most serious injuries you have ever suffered in or out of the cage?
Babalu: This is the most serious injury that I have ever suffered in my life. In four months I will start lifting and in six months start training. My plan is to have a fight by the end of the year at 185, 205 or heavyweight.
FHTB: You said 185, 205 or HW, if the injury didn’t happen and if StrikeForce had contacted you about fighting in the Heavy Weight Grand Prix would you fight in the tournament?
Babalu: Yeah I submitted my name to fight in the Grand Prix, but when they asked me I had already suffered my injury.
FHTB: If they do another tournament would you submit your name again?
Babalu: Yeah definitely. That would be fun to fight in a tournament. There is a lot of motivation when fighting in a tournament.
FHTB: You fought in a light heavy weight tournament when you fought Trevor Prangley,Mauirco “Shogun” Rua and Jeremy Horn. What was that night like?
Babalu: It was a great night for me. I fought three fights in one night. Everyone usually thinks the best fighter wins the tournament but there are a lot of things that have to work together in order to win the tournament like that. But you can’t tell me that I had an easy way to win the tournament. Sometimes a guy breaks his hand or gets a bad cut and that will stop him from being able to go on in the tournament. I think that night I only finished one guy (Shogun) so I pretty much fought forty five minutes that night and was able to make it through with no injuries.
FHTB: You’ve fought in Japan, Brazil, The United States, Europe, what is it like fighting all over the world?
Babalu: I love it man!!! You know when I was a kid just starting all I wanted to do with traveling and MMA was my way to do it. I love traveling and seeing other cultures. I think one of the things I want more in life more then money, cars, and titles, is to be able to learn and see other cultures, it is priceless and I will be able to keep it with me forever. Few people in the world have the chance to do it, especially coming from Brazil where getting up and getting on a plane to travel is not easy for us. Now I have the chance to do those type of things and do it for free and get paid for something that I love to do all over the world. With all that I have had the chance to open my own gym and travel to Japan and go to Mount Fuji and go to many other places and meet different people.
FHTB: What does it mean to you to be the head instructor and own your own gym?
Babalu: It’s great and means a lot. I’ve been able to make a difference in people’s life and change them and make them a better person.
FHTB: Do you think people take one look at you and judge you without getting to know you?
Babalu: Yeah everybody does it, people always prejudge each other. But when you are surrounding yourself with good people, then people will see who you really are and what you are about. I think the sport of MMA will finally make it to another level when it starts to change the life of someone. When you take someone that may be heading down the wrong path in life but then fighting can help them to fix their life then the sport will grow and move up to the next level.
FHTB: Do you think the general public views fighters as hooligans?
Babalu: Yeah that is a big problem back in Brazil. That’s why the Gracie Barra system is so good because it is a family atmosphere.You don’t have to be a fighter to train here; You can be anyone that just wants to train. We aren’t trying to create tough guys we are trying to create a better person.
FHTB: How did you get into BBJ/MMA?
Babalu: I was 10 years old and saw Enter the Dragon with Bruce. I started to train right then and at the time he was very popular in Brazil.
FHTB: Who is the most famous MMA fighter in Brazil?
Babalu: Definitely Anderson Silva in Brazil, he has taken the sport to another level in Brazil. He is as big as some of the soccer players in Brazil. To be a soccer player in Brazil is more important then being the president in Brazil and he has reached that level. I think the UFC has a lot to do with it. I am very proud of Anderson and what he is doing for the sport. People don’t see the sport as a caveman sport anymore.
FHTB: How is it that Anderson Silva hasn’t really crossed over here in the states like someone like GSP?
Babalu: Maybe because of the Language, I know he is starting to speak more English. Anderson and GSP are the only two guys that can get MMA to get the big sponsors how boxing does. I am talking about Nike, Adidas and the big companies that we need to get into the sport. They need to be able to trust MMA so that the fighters can make more money. I know the “X-Games” guys make more then some fighters.
FHTB: You have Metal Mulish as your main sponsors.
Babalu: Yeah they are great and have taken care of me for a long time. My daughter tells me that kids at her school see the Metal Mulisha logo and say “Babalu”.
FHTB: Name associate UFC?
Babalu: Anderson for sure.
FHTB: Name associate StrikeForce?
Babalu: It use to be Fedor but that has changed. I think people now think of the Heavyweights.
FHTB: What are some of your hobbies away from fighting?
Babalu: Snowboarding, Surfing, riding motorcycles.
FHTB: You had your Snowboarding injury are you ready to back out there? There is a lot of snow up on the mountain right now.
Babalu: Hell yeah man, I am not scared. I am ready to back out there and snowboard but my wife said she would get a divorce if I did.
FHTB: What is your favorite food and where do you get it?
Babalu: Cod Fish. The type I am talking about is a salty cod fish called Bacalhau and I get it back in Brazil. It is a dish that comes from Portugal.
FHTB: Have you ever been to Portugal?
Babalu: No I have never been but I heard it is very similar to Brazil in the way the city is set up. All the streets are short and there are a lot of hills, bars all over the place, people are just having drinks and hanging out in the street.
FHTB: I have been to Portugal and it was amazing, I probably had Bacalhau when I was in Portugal. I was there during the World Cup and you couldn’t walk down the street because the whole country just stops to watch the game and enjoy a few beers. It was crazy.
FHTB: For all the female MMA fans who cuts your hair?
Babalu: My wife cuts it, she is a hair stylist.
FHTB: Nice she does a good job. Would you like to thank any of your sponsors?
Babalu: Yeah I want to Metal Mulisha for all their support and having my back and I want to thank Affliction as well!
FHTB: Thank you Babalu!
