A megastar in Japan, inactivity and some tough losses have pushed way down the ladder in the lightweight ranks. He's set to begin the climb back up this weekend at Strikeforce in Dallas against Justin Wilcox.
"JZ" will be part of the televised undercard on HDNet. That's a strange spot for a guy, who a little over four years ago was headlining big cards in Japan with DREAM and K-1.
"The crowd [in Japan] is great. The way they treat fighters is amazing. No matter if you win or lose, if you're a champ or not, people respect you like you're above human beings," Cavalcante told Cagewriter.
Cavalcante recalled a fan encounter at the prefight press conference before DREAM 9.
"I saw a woman freaking out, screaming 'Jz! Jz!' I couldn't� understand her at all because she was speaking Japanese. She grabbed my hand and starts rubbing her belly," Cavalcante said. "I was like 'whoa, what's going on?' A guy translated for me that she was pregnant. 'She likes you so much, she has respect for you, so she wants her son to be like you.' What a compliment!"
The adulation and fame was great, but the inconsistent scheduling stalled his career.
"That's how injuries happen, You're training so hard. I was always pushing. I'm a gym rat, but those are the times bad things happen," said Cavalcante.
He's only fought five times in the last 45 months. Cavalcante (15-4) went just 1-3 with a no contest in those fights against Josh Thomson (Strikeforce), Katusnori Kikuno, Tatusuya Kawajiri, and twice versus Shinya Aoki.
The Brazilian, fighting out of south Florida, saw immediate dividends when Zuffa purchased Strikeforce. Just weeks before that he was in limbo. Within 10 days of the sale, the promotion told him about his fight against Wilcox.
The timing of the Strikeforce ownership switch came at a good time since Cavalcante recently changed training camps and management. Now managed by Authentic Sports Management, Cavalcante and several other prominent fighters (Danillo Villefort, Yuri Villefort, Jorge Santiago, Edson Barboza and Luiz Cane) from American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fl. moved a few miles to the north and joined Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton.
"It's a fresh start for me in every aspect," said Cavalcante, who's working with former UFC fighter Mike Van Arsdale and striking coach Mohamed Ouali. "I feel like I'm the son who grew up and wants to walk on his own."
This Saturday we get our first glimpse of the new Cavalcante. He's excited for the fight because he knows that he'll be able to find Wilcox. There won't be any running or lay and pray from "The Silverback."
"The last two fights, he stayed with the striking. He didn't shoot once. It's a good fight, an exciting fight. He always comes forward. He tries to come and put the pressure on and that's what I love," Cavalcante said. "We'll meet in the center of the ring and bang."
Wilcox (11-3) has improved immensely over the last two years. A former college wrestler at Edinboro, he works out of American Kickboxing Academy on San Jose, Ca. He's won six straight. Wilcox's striking is now a dangerous element in his game and he's a vicious finisher.
Diane Kruger Magdalena Wróbel Connie Nielsen Melissa George Cameron Richardson
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