It's been a long time coming for Marcos Galvao to avenge his loss to former training partner Eduardo Dantas. Three years and two failed rematch attempts have led to this Friday, and both fighters don't expect the results of their first fight to matter much.
"I fought with emotion and I think that had a huge role in my performance," Galvao told ESPN.com via translator Sergio Da Silva. "There's no emotion in this fight. I'm fighting for myself and for my family."
"Me and Marcos are completely different fighters heading into this fight," said Dantas. "We both have grown a lot."
One major difference is that Galvao (17-6-1) will walk into Bellator 156 (Spike TV/ESPN Deportes, 9 p.m. ET) at the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California, as the Bellator bantamweight champion. Dantas (17-4) was the man with the strap the first time around, a fight in which the emotions of former friends and training partners at Team Nova União in Brazil were apparent.
That first fight took place at Bellator 89 in February 2013, with Dantas looking to defend his then-Bellator title for the first time. For the former training partners at Team Nova União in Brazil, Dantas' speed advantage took hold immediately. "DuDu" was able to use his quick feet to jump in and out of the pocket. He was able to land a stiff jab while being able to duck out of the way of the wilder but heavier punches from Galvao. Dantas was also able to escape when Galvao took his back against the cage and avoided taking a lot of punishment in the process.
In the second round, Dantas began to pick apart Galvao with leg kicks and several stiff jabs. Midway through the stanza, Galvao was dropped by a right uppercut, and the fight was finished after a few hammer fists. After briefly celebrating the TKO win and checking on his downed opponent, the moment proved too much for Dantas. After spending years looking up to Galvao in the gym in Brazil, Dantas broke down in tears as he sat against the cage.
The two haven't spoken since the fight, according to Galvao.
"We haven't spoken, and I live here [New York] and he lives in Brazil -- the distance, we don't speak to each other," said Galvao. "There's no bad blood -- he's just another opponent."
"My motivation has never been higher than it is right now heading into this title fight against Marcos," said Dantas. "It's going to be a very painful night for Marcos. I'm coming to take my title back and I'm going to do whatever it takes to accomplish that."
Dantas, 27, went on to defend the belt one more time before falling to Joe Warren in October 2014. He's only fought once since then, a unanimous decision victory over Mike Richman last May. In his most recent fight, Galvao took the title from Warren in March 2015. "Lôro" capped a four-fight win streak by using his Brazilian jiujitsu skills to submit Warren with a knee bar. With a firm hold around his opponent's leg, Galvao looked over to Warren before cranking back one last time, resulting in Warren screaming in agony and ending the bout.
Winning the title fulfilled a lifelong dream and promise Galvao, 33, made to his mother on her deathbed. When asked what was important, keeping the title or avenging the loss, Galvao said, "Without a doubt, maintaining my belt."
Circumstances and bad luck have delayed this rematch. For the third time in less than a year, these two are set to square off. At Bellator 144 in October, Dantas pulled out due to a rib injury. The fight was pushed to the end of February at Bellator 150, but it was Galvao who was taken off the card on weigh-in day.
The night before, Galvao was in the final stages of his weight cut and only 2 pounds over. On track to make weight the following morning, Galvao ate salmon for dinner at his hotel. He believed that gave him food poisoning, making him throw up all night and make him unable to sleep.
"Bellator was very concerned with his health, and they said, obviously, his health is the priority," Sergio Da Silva, Galvao's translator, told ESPN.com. "They were telling him he shouldn't fight, he wanted to, but the doctors said that he would miss his fight."
Galvao took about a month off from training before getting into camp this time. The approach and workflow is the "same exact thing." He works out twice a day, morning and afternoon, with one session focusing on boxing/muay thai and the other for jiujitsu. Galvao calls himself a "more complete fighter with a stronger mental game" entering the cage this Friday, not letting the emotions of the past get in his way
"I never thought this fight would've happened before the first one, and I let that affect me," said Galvao. "I don't want to sound like a sore loser, but that fight is already behind me."
