Valmir “Junior” da Silva has used every setback in his life as inspiration to achieve his dreams.
On April 5th, the Brazilian fighter is scheduled to face “Japanese Beast” Hiroyuki Tezuka in welterweight MMA action at ONE Fight Night 21: Aircel vs. Nicolas on Prime Video, but he already has a lot to overcome. Considering all the adversity I've had to go through, I feel like I'm ready for anything. ring.
Ahead of his big assignment at Lumpini Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, take a look at how da Silva has overcome his tumultuous journey to find his place in the world's largest martial arts organization. Sho.
“Nurturing love”
Da Silva was born in Manaus, Brazil, the second of three children, and was raised by his mother and grandmother.
His mother worked many hours to make ends meet as a single parent. And “Junior” knows that's why he was never indispensable.
He told onefc.com:
“We were brought up well. Our mother never allowed us to lack anything.
“My mother is a superhero. When I go through some kind of hardship, I think it's nothing compared to the struggles she went through to raise me and my siblings. It is the source of all motivation and discipline.
“She gave all of her blood and sweat for us, and today we want to give back in the best way possible.”
Da Silva's father left the family when he was young, and while the welterweight challenger doesn't understand the decision, he never had to feel a sense of loss.
In fact, the young “junior” always felt supported and watched, especially with his older siblings and grandmother by his side.
“I grew up surrounded by love. I grew up with my grandmother, who unfortunately has passed away now, but my brother was with me almost every day. He gave me the love I needed. He was always like a father figure to me. I'm so grateful to them.
“As for my biological father, one day he will know who I am. I will always wish him the best, but now I am a father and I cannot bear to live even a second away from my daughter. I don't understand how he could abandon us when he can't.”
A better lifestyle through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Given that da Silva is now an elite professional athlete, it's hard to imagine that he was an unfit child, but he admits that he rarely left the house when he was younger.
This led to extreme weight gain in my early teens until I discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
“I discovered Jiu-Jitsu when I was 14 years old. I didn't really like leaving the house. I stayed quiet in the corner of the room. That just made me gain weight. I weighed 230 pounds, He was 5 feet 1 inch tall.
“But I wanted to learn new things and it was always fun to watch the competition. I asked my brother for advice. He asked if jiu-jitsu was what I wanted to do, and I said yes. I answered, but I needed a gi.”
Eager to help his younger brother become healthier and more confident, the older brother did everything in his power to make sure “Junior” had what he needed to start training.
Remembering this selflessness, da Silva said:
“It was my brother who gave me my first gi. It was very difficult because we didn’t have the financial means at the time, but he did whatever he could to get it. He did everything, even the impossible.
“As soon as my brother gave me a gi and I started doing jiu-jitsu, I quickly excelled. Over time, I dramatically lost weight and gained strength.”
Aiming to diversify games
Da Silva was already a huge mixed martial arts fan when he first started practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but then the legendary Jose Aldo burst onto the pro scene and motivated him to take a new path.
The iconic MMA world champion gained a reputation as a fearsome striker, and this struck a chord with 'Junior', who began adding Muay Thai to his arsenal.
The 28-year-old recalled:
“The first time I saw Jose Aldo fight. It was a match with Urijah Faber and I saw him destroy Faber's leg. I knew what I was seeing. I couldn't believe it.
“I knew in my head that I had the ability to learn it. That's why I quit Jiu-Jitsu for a while. I started Muay Thai and grew. I wanted to be like Aldo. I just focused on that.”
The Manaus native has a clear aptitude for striking techniques and won his first two bouts by knockout in a tournament he entered after just three months of training.
He continued to find success in his matches and now has developed dangerous skills both standing and on the ground and has entered the world of mixed martial arts.
“I turned pro after a few jiu-jitsu matches and 11 Muay Thai matches and decided to switch to MMA. “I’m good on the ground and in striking, so why not try myself in MMA?” Is that so?” I thought.
“I had almost given up on everything.”
Da Silva had an impressive 7-1 record in mixed martial arts in his home country, but it was nearly derailed completely by the COVID-19 pandemic.
After his grandmother's death, “Junior” ends up living with his godfather. They got along very well, and he juggled long hours at the restaurant with a training schedule, studies, and housework.
But all of that came to a screeching halt when the pandemic hit. And when the godfather died, it was unbearable.
Da Silva explained:
“In the midst of the pandemic, my godfather contracted the coronavirus and suffered severe complications. He fought bravely for a long time, but at the end of the treatment he did not respond well and died. have done.
“After that, I felt lost. I became anxious and depressed. I had almost given up on everything. The second wave of coronavirus arrived. MMA events were not held. I didn't have a job and I couldn't compete because the gyms were closed and I didn't have a job.”
“Junior” felt like he was drowning, just checking himself. But then another important person entered his life and dragged him back down to earth.
Da Silva spoke about this important turning point in his life:
“I wasn't eating properly anymore. I didn't think about fighting anymore. I didn't think about anything else. At that time, I met my daughter's mother. And thanks to her, we talked a lot and managed to survive. He rescued me from rock bottom.
“She prepared my meals, motivated me to go to training, and her encouragement inspired me to fight again.
“Today we benefit from her support. She didn't let me give up.”
To the world stage
Da Silva now competes in the world's largest martial arts organization, and his matches are broadcast to millions of people around the world, but it all comes down to supporting him when he needs it most. Thanks to all the people who helped.
He can look back on those days knowing that he overcame them time and time again. And now it's his time to shine.
The Brazilian added:
“Today, I am motivated by everything I went through. Whenever I think something bad happened, I think back to that time.
“Thank God I managed to get where I wanted in a big international tournament. I will do everything in my power to stand out and make all the sacrifices worth it.”
