Issue 052
July 2009
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, there is an elite police unit tasked with fighting the notoriously vicious drug lords. The unit’s name is BOPE (short for Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais), and they are, to put it bluntly, hardcore.
BOPE’s job is to enter the dangerous favelas, considered a no-go area for normal law enforcement. With their experience in urban warfare and high-powered weapons, BOPE is considered the deadliest military force in South America, with an average of 200 criminals killed each year.
Paulo Thiago, the Brazilian welterweight who will face Jon Fitch on the main card of UFC 100, has been a member of BOPE for five years now. A front-line fighter (whose role finds him engaged in high-risk situations such as sieges, battling drug dealers and murderers, bank robbers and more), Thiago entered the UFC with a bang in February of 2009 when he KO’d Fitch’s teammate Josh Koscheck.
Paulo, you’re a serving member of BOPE. Are you on the frontline, and do you go into the favelas to make arrests?
Yes, I’m in the frontline and would be nowhere else. That’s where I belong. BOPE’s job is similar to SWAT in the USA. I work on the streets arresting criminals and often being tested physically and emotionally. Many times my life and my partner’s life depend on each other, so there’s no room for mistakes or misunderstandings.
Have you been in situations where your life is threatened?
Lots of them. In this kind of action, there are no rounds or rest time. If you lose concentration, you die.
Does the stress of working in BOPE help you prepare for the stress of fighting in the cage?
Somehow, it’s kind of alike. In both cases you’ve got to keep all kinds of feelings away and stay focused. As I said, mistakes are unforgivable, and you’d pay a high price for them. The difference is inside the Octagon, the most that you put at risk is your career, but on the streets you have so much more to lose. The price might be your own life.
When we watch a movie like Tropa de Elite [Brazilian film depicting BOPE’s activity] is this near to real life, or do BOPE guys like you think it is just Hollywood-style bullshit?
BOPE’s reality is much worse than that! I can assure it’s not for everyone. Not even a fifth of those who start the preparation course is able to finish.
What came first? Fighting MMA or your job in BOPE?
It’s hard to say when MMA started because I’ve been fighting all my life. Therefore, I think BOPE came afterwards and helped me build the right discipline and self-control to face any kind of situation.
When you’ve been in a situation where bullets are flying, does fighting MMA ever make you nervous?
I’m used to face all kinds of bullets. As I enter the Octagon, I have no feeling. I mean, I have no fear, no hate, no pity, no anger. All I feel is respect for my opponent, and I’m thankful to God to be doing what I most like to do. That gives me a lot of joy and pleasure. You know what? I even get paid to have so much fun! Am I blessed or what?
You’re fighting Jon Fitch on UFC 100. You entered the UFC in February, as an unknown fighter to the UFC audience, and now you are fighting on their biggest ever show. How do you feel about this?
First of all, I thank Dana White and Joe Silva for believing in me and tell you that I won’t disappoint them or the audience. It’s an honor for me and of course I feel excited about it, and anxious to show the audience my skills and prove I’m not a flash in UFC. Fitch is known as a tough fighter and hard to be beaten. I respect that.
What is your goal now you are fighting for the UFC? Is the title something you aspire to?
I’ve been living my life one step at a time and UFC is no different. I could never be thinking of a title or a belt at this time. As time goes by, it’s getting harder to be among the best. There’s no silly or unprepared fighters anymore. The level is getting higher and everyone’s got to give his best – there is no mercy in this environment.
Paulo Thiago spoke with Edu Ramos
