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UFC 183's surging Thales Leites puts kibosh on second title shot: 'Too soon'

Thales Leites

Thales Leites

Thales Leites won five straight UFC fights to get a title shot in 2009, and though he’s just a victory away from putting together another streak, he doesn’t expect a similar opportunity this time around.

Leites (24-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC), who returns Saturday at UFC 183, fell short in that first title fight and suffered a decision loss to then-champ Anderson Silva in 2009. It’s still a sad chapter in MMA history.

Although Leites was the first to take the dominant champion the distance, the fight was showered with boos because of Silva’s antics, which included taunting and refusals to engage as the five-rounder wore on. UFC President Dana White called the performance an “embarrassment” in the post-fight press conference.

After a subsequent loss to Alessio Sakara, Leites received his UFC walking papers and largely fell off the radar.

However, while the division moved on without him, the 33-year-old Leites hit the regional circuit and found success. He picked up a title, avenged a loss to Matt Horwich, and eventually put together a winning streak that earned him a return to the UFC in 2013. He’s now won seven consecutive bouts, including four straight in the UFC, heading into a UFC 183 main-card bout with Tim Boetsch (18-7 MMA, 9-6 UFC).

Leites is No. 11 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, and though Boetsch is just an honorable mention, Leites understands the matchmaking philosophy.

“Tim is undeniably a tough opponent who always puts on great fights,” he told MMAjunkie. “From what I could see, everyone ranked above me was already booked. I imagined I’d be offered a fight against Tim Boetsch, Mark Munoz or Costas Philippou. I turned out to be Tim.”

If victorious, though, Leites doesn’t expect a shot at the belt. He knows he still has work to do in a competitive division. Plus, he said, he doesn’t want to dwell on the possibility.

“I need to simply focus on finishing Tim Boetsch,” he said. “Now is not the time to think about any championship belts. I’m No. 11 in the rankings now. If I win, there are many other fighters ahead of me, deservingly so.

“On my first UFC run, I was more concerned about getting to the belt. This time around, I expect it will happen naturally, as a consequence of my wins. The weight class is very different now. The level is much higher. To ask for a shot after a win would be too soon. I’d like to wait for another opportunity. I may be trailing some of those other guys, but I’ll get there.”

Leites, who primarily trains at Nova Uniao, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and a dangerous ground fighter. But his most recent wins, over Trevor Smith and Francis Carmont, both came via knockout.

Against the heavy-handed Boetsch, he expects an opportunity to earn his third straight victory via punches.

“I think we’ll study each other at first, but it will be an explosive fight, ultimately,” he said. “Tim is highly dangerous, and his only losses were to tough opponents in the top 10. But I’m getting ready.

“Someone will drop, no doubt, and it will be Tim. We’ll be trading lead. I’ll connect, and he’ll feel it. I hardly see this going to the judges. It will end before the final bell. I’ll be there to make that happens.”

However, he knows such a plan has its dangers.

“Tim is like a viking,” he said. “He’s strong and dangerous. He likes to ground and pound. But above all, he has heavy hands. So I have to be keenly aware of that. But when the octagon gate closes, we’ll see what happens. There may be a plan A or plan B, but in the end we’re just going to bang it out. I’ll be there to define the fight. I’m either knocking him out or submitting him.”

For more on UFC 183, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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