The Pitbull is back, and he made it painfully obvious that he is ready to make another run at the title after the destruction of John Howard in his last fight. He is ready to put an end to Ricky Story's win streak, extend his own, and take another step towards becoming the UFC Welterweight champion.

MMA SPORTS: How’s it going my friend, what have you been up to since the big win?
Thiago: Training man. Been working on my BJJ and wrestling a lot, I am becoming more and more adapt to my new diet... and I am just having fun.

MMA SPORTS: Ok, let’s go back to the last win. You put a 3 round beating on John Howard, what are your thoughts on the way the fight went?
Thiago: It went as planned. We put together a good strategy and it worked. I was coming off of 2 loses, and this fight was very big for me. It was my first fight with Dolce, and also new trainers, I just had a lot to prove to myself, and had to see how all these new things in my life would workout in the fight. I felt very good; I let myself go and did my best. I was looking for the KO, but it ended up going 3 rounds. I did prove to myself that my conditioning was good though.

MMA SPORTS: You have always been a technical fighter, but you seemed to greatly improve from the Fitch and Howard fight, almost like you turned another corner. Do you feel this is one of your best performances?
Thiago: Yeah, definitely. I showed a little wrestling and jiu-jitsu in this fight, got to use my striking. It was a little bit of everything in this one, and I got to see how it would go. The new Thiago you all will be seeing is a more well rounded fighter. We have come up with the right formula to become a champion now.

MMA SPORTS: This last fight was also your first one on the "Dolce Diet", what can you tell us about that, and was it a big factor in your performance?
Thiago: It was a very important factor in the fight. I thought I knew how to diet, I thought I knew how to cut weight, and when I got with the "Dolce Diet" I found out I had no clue what I was doing before, and that I was doing everything, like 100% the wrong way. (laughs) While I was doing the “Dolce Diet”, he mentioned to me that you always seem so happy, and I was surprised by that. I told him, "man, you don’t even know what I put myself through when I was doing this the wrong way". Dolce said I was probably only performing at like 50-60% of my ability in the past, because the things I was doing and my diet were like, inhuman (laughs). My diet is now adjusted, I feel great and am very excited about the next fight. Dolce has been a huge part of my life now.

MMA SPORTS: So tell me about Rick Story, what do you think of him as a fighter? I think he is a little underrated, as far as UFC Welterweights go?
Thiago: Rick is a tough kid, for sure. He is strong, a very good wrestler, I don’t think his striking is that great, but anyone who can get like 5 wins in the UFC is tough, no matter what. But he called me out; he asked to fight me, so I will show him that he should watch what he asks for.

MMA SPORTS: How do you think the two of you matchup, as far as styles go?
Thiago: I think it’s a classic, the old grappler vs striker type matchup. I wanna go out there and test his skills. He says he wants to stand and trade with me, but they all say that until they get hit. I have seen some holes in his standup, and his shot, yeah, I think it’s a perfect matchup really. He is in big trouble.

MMA SPORTS: Alright Thiago, how’s the fight gonna end?
Thiago: Definitely by either KO or Sub. I am way confident coming into this fight, very well prepared, I am just going to let everything out, and will finish him in the fight.

MMA SPORTS: If you win, that would put you with back to back wins over very tough up and comers in the UFC Welterweight Division, where do you think you would fit in, in the whole Welterweight picture?
Thiago: I truly believe that I am still one of the top 3. In my opinion it goes St.Pierre and then Fitch, and then me. I actually want the winner of the Penn/Fitch fight. I am gonna ask for that if I win, that’s the one I want. And then the winner of that should be next in line, I think.

MMA SPORTS: So, what fight in your career do you look back on as most important?
Thiago: I like to say that the last fight is the most important every time. I mean, I really think it was too. I was coming off of 2 losses, drama with not making weight in the past, I had a lot of baggage and that was a fight where I got to prove a lot to myself and people. The Karo fight was probably the one, where everyone took notice of me, and then the Hughes fight was the first fight where people really knew who I was.

MMA SPORTS: Describe your fighting style in three words or less?
Thiago: Intense, Aggressive and (starts laughing) Beautiful to watch.

MMA SPORTS: Ok that works (laughs). What were your thoughts on teammate Antonio Silva, putting that whooping on Fedor?
Thiago: It was amazing! I am great friends with “Pezao”, and he was really like the first guy to actually "beat" Fedor. I mean I know he was coming off a loss, but anyone can get caught in a triangle, especially against someone as skilled as Fabricio is on the ground. I mean, “Pezao” has a big head and jaw, and it can be kind of hard to miss, but he can take a shot! They had some nice exchanges, and when he got Fedor down he did not waste anytime passing and getting control, and he did great from the mount! It was a huge win!!

MMA SPORTS: Yeah, I was very impressed, so that’s all I got for you brother. Anything you wanna close with?
Thiago: Watch for me in 2011, I am going to shock the world!!