Coinciding with Anderson Silva’s upcoming UFC Middleweight title match against Yushin Okami at UFC 134, Victory Belt Publishing has released the latest guide to crushing the competition in standard Spider Silva fashion with the “Anderson Silva MMA Instruction Manual”. Focusing in on the Muay Thai Clinch, Takedowns, Takedown Defense and Ground Fighting, Silva’s latest foray in the MMA book publishing world has everything you’ll ever need to pick apart opponents, packed into 304 full-color pages of instructional material, action shots and more.
Rather than running through the book and spoiling all the surprises for those of you who’re interested in flipping through your own copy, we instead caught up with Silva’s co-author and Victory Belt Publishing veteran Glen Cordoza to get the inside scoop on what it takes to train like the “Spider”, along with additional insight on what you can expect to find inside this one of a kind Mixed Martial Arts instructional guide.
First off, tell us a bit about yourself and your background in the fight industry.
I started training in JKD when I was in high school, ironically after reading Bruce Lee’s “Tao of Jeet Kune Do”. When I started college I began training MMA because I was interested in competition and I had my first pro fight in 2003. This is around the same time I met Erich Krauss, the owner and creator of Victory Belt Publishing.
At the time, Erich used to beat me up pretty good in the gym. His Muay Thai was unbelievable! He had traveled to Thailand and competed in the deadly striking art and was untouchable as a result. I knew the only way to get to that level was to go to Thailand and replicate his experience.
The only problem was money. I had none. I was a broke college student and could barely pay the bills. Erich was already an accomplished author at the time and asked if I would help organize a book deal that he had just inked as a means of earning some extra cash. That book was “Jiu-Jitsu Unleashed” by Eddie Bravo. Due to Eddie’s unique style and conquests in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition, the book did pretty well and I managed to save enough money to travel to Thailand.
While I was living in Thailand, I fought eight times (luckily winning them all) and worked on another book with Erich titled “Muay Thai Unleashed”. After a year in Thailand, I returned to the states and shortly thereafter Erich started Victory Belt Publishing. He asked if I would help out on some of the books and I agreed. The rest is pretty much history. I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the best fighters in the sport and I feel truly honored to have such an experience. I’ve worked on fourteen books with Victory Belt, and continue to train MMA.
You’ve co-authored quite a few instructional manuals over the past little while. Besides Anderson on this book, who else have you worked with?
Eddie Bravo, Marcelo Garcia, Randy Couture, BJ Penn, Lyoto Machida, Cung Le, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Karo Payisyan, Matt Linland, and Fedor Emelianenko…I think that’s all of them.
Of all the fighters you’ve worked with, who would you say has the most well-rounded talent inside the cage?
That’s difficult to say because most of the fighters we’ve worked with have been considered the best at one point in their career. For example, at one point Big Nog was at the top of the MMA mountain, and then Fedor, and then BJ, and now Anderson. It’s a matter of personal opinion and depends on the time scale. But if I had to choose, I would say Anderson is currently the best fighter in the world.
Tell us a bit about the Anderson Silva MMA Instruction Manual.
It’s important to mention that there are two Anderson Silva manuals, the “MMA Instruction Manual: Striking”, and the “MMA Instruction Manual: Muay Thai Clinch, Takedowns, Takedown Defense, and Ground Fighting”. The latter is the most recent title and picks up where the former book left off, which is in the clinch.
In addition to covering the Muay Thai clinch, takedowns, takedown defense, and ground fighting strategy, Anderson also details several techniques for escaping and pinning an opponent against the cage, as well as over sixty focus mitt striking combinations.
Is the manual geared more towards striking, the ground game, or all aspects of fighting?
It covers everything, but mainly focuses on the Muay Thai clinch, takedowns, takedown defense, and ground fighting. The striking combinations in the back of the book are simply drills that you can practice at home or in the gym. If you want a complete breakdown of his striking movements, you’ll have to check out his first manual, which focuses solely on striking.
Was this book designed specifically for people who already train MMA? Or can beginners benefit from it as well?
This book would benefit anybody that is training in martial arts. Anderson has a unique style that is worth studying. Whether you’re a novice martial artist or professional MMA fighter, you can definitely pull useful techniques and information from the book.
What’s your best advice for amateur fighters working their way up the ranks?
Stay consistent in the gym and put an emphasis on skill training. One quality repetition is better than one hundred shitty ones. Also, never stop learning. Train with as many people as possible and always keep an open mind.
What was it like working with Anderson on this book? Any crazy experiences?
These photo shoots for the books are brutal and take a toll on the fighters, but Anderson was a good sport and joked around the entire time. At one point during the shoot, Anderson starting mimicking fighters such as Chuck Liddell, Royce Gracie, and Wanderlei Silva. It was hilarious and his actions were spot on. I think there is a YouTube video of it so you should check it out. Despite what some people say on the forums, Anderson is a lighthearted easygoing guy with a great sense of humor.
Spider Silva’s a pretty spectacular fighter. What would you say was his most impressive victory inside the Octagon thus far?
I think his fights with Rich Franklin showcase some of his best work. It’s the best display of the Muay Thai clinch that I’ve seen in MMA.
Lastly, Silva vs. Okami is going down at UFC 134. Predictions?
As we’ve seen with the Sonnen fight, Anderson’s only weakness seems to be wrestlers. With that said, Okami is nowhere near the level of Sonnen’s wrestling ability and for that reason doesn’t stand a chance. For obvious reasons, I’ve got my money on Anderson. My prediction: knockout by flying knee in the third round.
Eager to learn a few new fight tips and techniques from the UFC Middleweight division’s fiercest competitor? Click here to purchase a copy of the Anderson Silva MMA Instruction Manual.