'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Brazilian MMA fighter Valmir Da Silva is excited for his upcoming showdown against veteran Hiroyuki Tetsuka of Japan, whom he has high regard for and whose career he has followed before he joined ONE Championship.
The two are set to collide at ONE Fight Night 21: Eersel vs. Nicolas on Prime Video on April 5 in a featured welterweight MMA clash. It is one of the matches happening at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
In an interview with ONE Championship, the 28-year-old Blacks MMA affiliate shared his thoughts, among other things, on the 'Japanese Beast', particularly how he was made aware of him.
'Junior' said:
"[Hiroyuki Tetsuka] is a guy I admire a lot. I already had watched his fights before I even joined the organization. I feel like a boy fighting among my idols."
At ONE Fight Night 21, Valmir Da Silva looks to bounce back after his first-round submission (rear-naked choke) loss to Australian-Tongan fighter Isi Fitikefu in April last year.
In Tetsuka, meanwhile, he is up against an opponent who is on a four-fight winning streak.
ONE Fight Night 21 will air live in U.S. primetime on April 5. It will be free to viewers in the United States and Canada with an active Prime Video subscription.
Valmir Da Silva confident of putting a stop to Hiroyuki Tetsuka's winning streak
Valmir Da Silva is confident of being the one to stop the winning streak of Japanese veteran Hiroyuki Tetsuka, and he sees himself stopping inside the opening two rounds of their scheduled clash at ONE Fight Night 21 on Prime Video on April 5 in Thailand.
He shared this in an interview with ONE Championship, relaying how he has studied the 'Japanese Beast' and has crafted a game plan to counter Tetsuka's push.
The Brazilian MMA fighter said:
"I'll try to defend his takedowns so the fight can progress with striking. I believe this fight won't go past the second round. I'm going to explore knee strikes a lot, too."
The latest of the victories of Tetsuka came just last January when he stopped Brazilian Abraao Amorim in the opening round by submission (armbar).
