CageJunkies Exclusive: Alexis Vila out of CFA 07 [Updated with full interview]

Posted by Jorge P. Rivero on Jun 24, 2012 in Bellator, CFA, Editors' Picks, MMA, Video Interviews

CageJunkies has learned earlier today that Bellator veteran Alexis “The Exorcist” Vila has had to pull out of his next fight. Scheduled to face Joshua Sampo at CFA 07 on Saturday, June 30th, Vila exclusively told CageJunkies that he has had to pull out of the bout. Watch the full interview below:

Peter Rivero: Welcome CageJunkies we are here with Alexis ‘The Exorcist’ Vila. Alexis how are you doing? Good to see you again and thanks for having us here at American Top Team Kendall and we just have a few questions for you. Now that you are no longer signed to Bellator, we think your next step would be to go to UFC. We believe you have the talent to be there and win the title. What do you think about that?

Alexis Vila: I think I’m going to fight in August. I was supposed to fight June 30^th with CFA. But I won’t be there. But I do expect to be there for the next CFA in August and to let all my fans know that Alexis Vila is back at 125 pounds and I’m better than ever.

PR: You’re record is great and we want to see you fight the best because obviously those are going to be the best fights. Who have they put in front of you to fight? Are they recognizable name or just local fighters?

AV: I’m a fighter that will fight anyone. Whoever wants to fight me, here I am. I don’t pick my opponents. The promoter calls me and tells me Fulano, and it doesn’t matter to me how many fights he has had or who he is. I know what I have to do and you’ll see it in the fight.

PR: Speaking of your health, how are you doing?

AV: Well, I’m doing real good. I am recuperating from an operation, but I am doing better. I am hoping the doctor give me clearance for next month.

PR: So what have you been doing with yourself during this time since you haven’t been able to train?

AV: Well the doctor has told me not to train but that is something that is in my blood and I can’t stop doing it. So I come to the gym and do everything. I try to protect my arm but I keep doing everything else with one arm and keep training and getting ready. I want to be a world champ.

PR: And world champions can’t stop training.

AV: No. That’s the objective I had in wrestling and that is the objective now in MMA and now that UFC has a 125 (lbs division), I think I’m the best in the world and no-one can stop me based on the way I train.

PR: Talking about your training, we’re here at American Top Team Kendall. It’s well known that American Top Team is one of the best training camps, if not the best mixed martial arts training camp in the United States. Why did you make the change [Editor’s note: Until recently Vila had worked on his striking with ‘El Tigre’ Eric Castanos at Young Tigers Foundation and wrestling/jiu-jitsu at American Top Team Coconut Creek]?

AV: I continue training at American Top Team Coconut Creek. But this is a supplement here at American Top Team in Kendall. They called me and gave me the opportunity to run the gym and this is what I am doing. I came with the entire team, Paulino Hernandez, Manolo… Manuel Lopez, Jorge Masvidal, we have Alex [Bruce Leroy] Caceres, we have [Yoislandy “Cuba”] Izquierdo, we have several veteran fighters here and new generations and we expect to push American Top Team Kendall forward.

PR: So you can’t fight the rest of your life. Do you see yourself in the future training other fighters?

AV: I think my future is that. Training fighters is what I like to do. I think God gave me that virtue and I’m going to keep doing it.

PR: And who would you like to thank?

AV: I want to thank all of my fans, my management team ML Management Group, Tina Vidal and Ray Gonzalez, the owner at ATT Kendall, my trainers, Ricardo Liborio, Mahoupa, Conan [Marcus Silveira] , Richie the manager at ATT, and Dan [Lambert] the owner of ATT.

PR: You heard it here first. Remember to follow him.