HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Gleison Tibau has a good feeling about his latest career chapter.
The seasoned veteran is looking to reinvent himself and have a career resurgence now that he’s undergone some big changes in the sport. Tibau (36-15) now finds himself back in a major promotion having signed with PFL and is fighting in a new division – welterweight.
“My fights before and a long time in the UFC were at 155,” Tibau told MMA Junkie. “I was younger, the weight cut was easier and I had better recovery, you know. Now I’m 38 and with a lot of fights. Man, my last fight at 155 I didn’t feel good with the recovery. I think because I’m older my recovery wasn’t back 100 percent.
“I talked to my trainers my coaches and we decided to change divisions because I didn’t feel good in the fights. I didn’t feel the power, the explosiveness, the energy, nothing. I go 170 and maybe I’ll have a better performance.”
For more than a decade, Tibau fought under the UFC banner and at 155 pounds, competing against the very best in the world. The Brazilian saw that chapter of his life come to an end in mid-2018 when he suffered his fourth consecutive defeat in the organization.
From there, Tibau went on to fight twice – once again in 2018 for Golden Boy MMA and then in 2019 at Battlefield FC 2 in China. And along the way, he found himself again just in time to sign with PFL in 2021.
“My first fight was against Efrain Escudero (Golden Boy MMA) and we said 170 and Efrain said no, so we did catchweight at 160. I felt better, yes. But my first fight at 170 it was against Will Brooks in China and wow, my performance was good. I felt better, just everything was better. I went back to ATT, I talked to my coaches, and decided this was my division. I’m more explosive, my power, my aggressiveness at 155 was lost. I lost my power, my performance.
“I went to PFL, I’m excited, I’m happy. It’s a big show, a good promotion. My first fight in PFL was against Zeferino, Brazilian guy, tough guy, and very good fighter. The fight was very close, but I didn’t feel comfortable and it had been a long time since I competed. My second fight against Rory MacDonald – the legend – he’s a tough guy and a former champion at Bellator and contender for UFC. I was more comfortable and I felt much better. It was a tough fight, but I felt more comfortable and more aggressive. I feel in better shape to compete and (Friday) everyone is going to see a good performance.”
Although the fight against Rory MacDonald ended in a controversial decision, Tibau definitely had his moments and they were enough to win the fight, at least in the judges’ eyes that night. Tibau was a replacement opponent for MacDonald, as David Michaud had to withdraw from the season due to health reasons.
Tibau returns to the cage on Friday night at 2021 PFL Playoffs 1. He fights Micah Terrill in a non-season bout part of the preliminary card on ESPN+.
Tibau feels his new start at welterweight will prolong his career in MMA and will give him a new wind. He’s 3-1 since leaving lightweight and the UFC and doesn’t plan to stop.
“I told PFL that everybody has a good chance to win (the tournament this season) because next season I’m killing everybody. I’m going to be champion. That’s my big focus, become champion for PFL.”
