"What is he looking at? WHO IS HE LOOKING AT? I feel like I'm watching the movie with Woody Harrelson and he [Paulo Filho] is talking to Jesus or someone in the middle of the ring. Who is in there talking to him?"
-- WEC ringside announcer Frank Mir (along with the rest of the fans who witnessed the fight) was clearly puzzled by the performance and actions of WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho in the cage last night against Chael Sonnen at WEC 36: "Faber vs. Brown." The Brazlian jiu-jitsu phenom -- who had been widely considered a consensus top five 185-pound fighter in the world -- was a shell of his former self at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He flopped around on the floor and barely mustered any sort of attack in the 15 minute bout, which he lost via unanimous decision. Perhaps the most bizarre and alarming aspect was Filho looking off into the crowd while engaged, talking to himself and appearing lost after the fight when he didn't seem to know which corner was his. Filho has had issues with depression and chemical dependency in the last 12 months or so. And it appears that he still has to be dealing with them -- he is clearly not well. Hopefully those around him (physically) can ensure he gets the help he needs sooner rather than later.
Get the latest gear
