[BCN 6]: i giochi di testa di Paulo Filho (25/02/2010)

It was not that long ago Paulo Filho was considered one of the most durable and difficult opponents at 185 lbs. A smothering style and capable defense made him hard to damage: in a ten-year fight career, he has lost only once, a decision dropped to Chael Sonnen in the WEC following rumored issues with substance abuse.

Filho followed up that 2008 defeat with three straight wins, but indications of past problems returning have cropped up again with news that he dropped out, then back in, against Yuki Sasaki in a Brazilian event this Thursday.

At his worst, Filho was alleged to have serious issues with painkiller and/or sleeping pill dependency, addictions that takes considerable time and effort to beat. Erratic behavior over the fall -- he pulled himself out of a fight in Dream -- would indicate he still has personal issues to resolve.

Filho, like Mark Kerr before him, might be serving as a warning beacon for other athletes who push their bodies so strenuously that the only answer to climbing out of bed in the morning is chemical assistance. Perhaps Filho’s personality would have led him in this direction if not for fighting; perhaps fighting left him with few options. Either way, his situation points to a serious need for promoters and athletic commissions to address the mental health of fighters as seriously as they scrutinize their physical status. It’s not as important -- it’s more important.