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FIRE PROWRESTLING Z CHARACTER GUIDE: WANDERLEI SILVA
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for Sony PlayStation 2 (Japan)
Version 1.1
by Bill Wood ([email protected])
Last modified: 8/5/03

Fire ProWrestling Z (c) 2003 Spike

NOTE: This guide views and prints best with a monospace typeface.

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==VERSION HISTORY==
===================

1.1 - Minor corrections.

1.0 - Initial release of the guide.

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==TABLE OF CONTENTS==
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SECTION 1: HISTORY OF WANDERLEI SILVA
SECTION 2: SKILL AND PARAMETER STATS
SECTION 3: MOVELIST
SECTION 4: SHOOT FIGHTING IN FIRE PRO Z
SECTION 5: STRATEGY
SECTION 6: CLOSING

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==SECTION 1: HISTORY OF WANDERLEI SILVA==
=========================================

Affectionately nicknamed "The Axe Murderer" for his menacing ring
presence, PRIDE's Wanderlei (the "W" is pronounced like a "V") Silva
ranks as one of that promotion's elite martial artists and their
perennial middleweight champion.

Hailing from the Brazilian MMA team Chute Boxe, Silva stalks the ring
as though he's thirsting for blood. His intense prematch staredowns
can put the fear of God into his opponents, and several of Silva's
matches have ended within the one or two minute mark.

When the bell rings, Silva usually pounces from his corner onto his
opponent, raining down a volley of lethal Muay Thai punches and
kicks. He has an impressive MMA record of 21-3-1 (his last loss was
over three years ago to Tito Ortiz), and there has yet to be an
opponent able to defeat him in the PRIDE arena. Just ask Kazushi
Sakuraba, the Japanese icon of MMA who faced Silva twice and was
defeated as many times.

As of this writing, Silva and Sakuraba are set to have their third
meeting at the upcoming PRIDE Grand Prix tournament. Saku needs to
make a comeback in a big way, but this may be the wrong opponent to
mount a comeback against!

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==SECTION 2: SKILL AND PARAMETER STATS==
========================================

SKILL
-----
Real Name................Wanderlei Silva
FPZ Name...................Andrei Jiruba
Promotion..........................PRIDE*
FPZ Promotion..............Grapple House
Size...............................Small
Class...............................Free
Height............................182 cm
Weight.............................92 kg
Country...........................Brazil
Birthdate.......................7/3/1976
Stance..........................Shooting
Offensive Skill..................Shooter
Return Skill.....................Shooter
Critical Type...................Striking
Special Skill...............Wild Warrior
Recovery..........................Medium
Recovery (when bleeding)............Slow
Respiratory.......................Medium
Respiratory (when bleeding).......Medium
Awareness.........................Medium
Awareness (when bleeding).........Medium
Neck Strength.....................Medium
Arm Strength......................Medium
Waist Strength....................Medium
Foot Strength.....................Medium
Movement Speed...............Medium Fast
Ascend Speed........................Slow
Ascend Skill...............Cannot Ascend

* = All shootfighters in FPZ are grouped under the "Grapple House"
roster. If you choose to separate them between PRIDE, UFC and K-1,
Silva obviously belongs in PRIDE.

PARAMETER - OFFENSE     PARAMETER - DEFENSE
-------------------     -------------------
Punch.............8     Punch.............7
Kick..............8     Kick..............7
Suplex............3     Suplex............2
Submission........5     Submission........6
Stretch...........6     Stretch...........6
Power.............5     Flying............1
Instant-P.........7     Crush.............1
Arm Power.........4     Vs Lariat.........1
Technical.........3     Technical.........5
Rough.............9     Rough.............7
Ground............8     Ground............7

TOTAL SKILL POINTS (on a scale from 0-300): 193

SKILL CHANGES FROM FIRE PRO D TO FIRE PRO Z: N/A

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==SECTION 3: MOVELIST==
=======================

NOTE: This movelist is my direct translation of the Japanese Fire Pro
Z Player's Guide, there may be some minor errors. If I was unable to
translate, I looked up the move in Edit Mode.

Specialty moves are marked with [S]. Finisher is marked with [F].
Moves marked with a [C] have "CRITICAL!" potential.
Moves marked with a [M] end in a mount position.

KEY:

([]) = Square button
(X)  = X button
(O)  = Circle button

STRIKES
-------
Standing ([])......................................Jab
Standing (X)........................Muay Thai Low Kick
Standing (O) + d-pad.............Muay Thai Middle Kick
Standing (O)......................................Hook [C]
Standing ([]) + (X)................Muay Thai High Kick [C]
Running ([]).........................Single Leg Tackle [M]
Running (X)...............................Jumping Knee [C]
Running Counter ([])..............................Hook [C]
Running Counter (X)..............Muay Thai Middle Kick
Running to corner.................................none

GRAPPLES
--------
Grapple ([])............................Face Knee Lift
Grapple ([]) + Up........................Judo Takedown
Grapple ([]) + Left/Right...............Body Knee Lift
Grapple ([]) + Down..................Leg Trip Takedown [M]
Grapple (X).............................Front Facelock
Grapple (X) + Up..............................Hip Toss
Grapple (X) + Left/Right...............Short Uppercuts
Grapple (X) + Down...............Muay Thai Middle Kick
Grapple (O).................MACHINE GUN FACE KNEE LIFT [S][C]
Grapple (O) + Up...................Short Uppercut Rush [C]
Grapple (O) + Left/Right...............Cyber Knee Lift [C]
Grapple (O) + Down................Knee Strikes to Head [C]
Grapple ([]) + (X)..........................Kenka Rush [C]
Back Grapple ([])...........................Face Punch
Back Grapple (X)...........................Middle Kick
Back Grapple (O)......................Face Punch Renda [C]
Back Grapple (O) + Up/Down........Back Brain High Kick
Back Grapple (O) + Left/Right.....D.Choke Sleeper Hold
Back Grapple ([]) + (X)....................Back Tackle [M]
Back Grapple Counter ([])....................Elbow Pat
Back Grapple Counter (X)...........Double Elbow Strike

OPPONENT DOWN MOVES
-------------------
Opponent Face Up at Head (X)........Mounted Face Punch
Opponent Face Up at Head (O)...........Stomping (face)
Opponent Face Up at Feet (X)..................Low Kick
Opponent Face Up at Feet (O)............Guard Position [M]
Opponent Face Down at Head (X)..BACK OF HEAD KNEE RUSH [F][C]
Opponent Face Down at Head (O)......Mounted Head Punch
Opponent Face Down at Feet (X)....Cruc. Rev. Knee Hold
Opponent Face Down at Feet (O).....Back Mount Position [M]
Running at Downed Opponent (O)................Stomping

MOUNT MOVES
-----------
Mount Position ([])...............Guard Position Punch [C]
Mount Position (X)................Knee Strikes to Head [S][C]
Mount Position (O)....................Guillotine Choke
Mount Position Counter..........Triangle Choke w/Punch
Front Facelock Attack ([])..................Face Punch [C]
Front Facelock Attack (X).........Knee Strikes to Head [S][C]
Front Facelock Attack (O)..................Back Switch
Front Facelock Attack Counter...............Leg Tackle [M]
Back Mount Position ([])..............Back Mount Punch [C]
Back Mount Position (X).......Back Mount Knuckle Arrow
Back Mount Position (O)..................Choke Sleeper
Back Mount Position Counter........Escape through legs

POST AND APRON MOVES
--------------------
Post ([]).........................................none
Post (X)..........................................none
Post (O)..........................................none
Post ([]) + (X)...................................none
Run-Up Post vs Standing ([])......................none
Run-Up Post vs Downed (X).........................none
Corner Grapple (O) + Up...............Corner Knee Lift
Corner Grapple (O) + Left/Right.......Corner Body Blow
Corner Grapple (O) + Down.............Corner Knee Lift
Front Avalanche Counter...................Slap to face
Back Avalanche Counter..................Backhand Elbow
Apron Grapple from inside.........................Hook [C]
Apron Grapple from outside........................Hook [C]
Running to out of bounds..........................none
Slingshot to outside..............................none
Slingshot to inside...............................none

DOUBLE AND TRIPLE TEAM MOVES
----------------------------
Two Platon Front Grapple...................W. Dropkick
Two Platon Back Grapple.....................W.Backdrop
Two Platon Corner..................Highjack Piledriver
Three Platon Front Grapple.............Triple Beatdown
Three Platon Back Grapple..............Triple Beatdown
Three Platon Corner....................Triple Beatdown

PERFORMANCE
-----------
Analog Stick Left......................raises one fist
Analog Stick Right...................raises both hands
Analog Stick Up...................stares down opponent
Analog Stick Down........taunts opponent ("Bring It!")

MOVELIST CHANGES FROM FIRE PRO D TO FIRE PRO Z: N/A

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==SECTION 4: SHOOT FIGHTING IN FIRE PRO Z==
===========================================

Because shoot fighters are such a unique class of fighter in Fire Pro
Z, I will outline the pros and cons of using them in what is primarily
a pro wrestling game before we discuss Silva's strategy:

 PROS OF SHOOT FIGHTING IN FIRE PRO Z:
 ------------------------------------

 * Knowing the Fire Pro Z shoot grapple system puts you at an
   advantage versus opponents that don't

 * Because shooters usually can "CRITICAL!" opponents with a
   variety of submission holds or strikes, they can end a match
   quicker than most professional wrestlers

 * Shooters work well from the mount position, most professional
   wrestlers don't

 * High defensive stats vs. Submission and Stretch means shooters
   won't easily submit to holds

 CONS OF SHOOT FIGHTING IN FIRE PRO Z:
 ------------------------------------

 * Higher learning curve as you will need to perfect the timing of
   shoot grapples and mounts

 * On average, you will need to win more grapples to have success
   in a shoot match

 * Shooters are poorly-equipped defensively versus both heavy and
   junior pro wrestlers (generally low defensive stats vs. Flying,
   Crush and Lariat)

 * Shooters can't perform high-flying moves or other moves that
   take advantage of the wrestling ring

Basically, if you're up to the challenge of mastering the learning
curve of shoot fighting in Fire Pro Z, you will be rewarded with a
whole new aspect of gameplay.

SHOOT FIGHTING BASICS
There are three main shoot positions in Fire Pro Z: mount, back mount
and front facelock. Here is a brief description of these positions,
along with their grapple timing:

 MOUNT - The opponent is on the ground face up. The attacker mounts
 him, straddling his torso. The timing for the mount grapple is just
 after the attacker leans his torso back and is preparing his attack.

 BACK MOUNT - The opponent is on the ground face down. The attacker
 mounts him, straddling his lower back. The timing for the back mount
 grapple is just after the attacker raises his fists and is preparing
 his attack.

 FRONT FACELOCK - This is the rarest of shoot positions, and the
 easiest to master as far as timing goes. The front facelock is
 basically a counter to a mount attempt. The mount is countered by
 grabbing the attacker's torso when he is coming in for the shoot.
 The timing for the front facelock grapple is when the fighter that
 is countering slams his opponent to the mat. (NOTE: In MMA fighting,
 the front facelock position is commonly known as a "sprawl".)

You'll need to learn timing of each of these instances to master shoot
fighting. Play against another shooter on Level 1 CPU difficulty and
practice your timing over and over until it becomes as instinctive as
regular Fire Pro grappling.

LEARNING THE MOUNT SYSTEM WITH WANDERLEI SILVA
If you're using Silva to learn the mount system, here's a helpful
hint; go to Victory Road and start a new game (Jr. or Heavy). Choose
the New Japan (View Japan) roster first. Now try to win each match
using these moves as your main offense:

  Running ([]).........................Single Leg Tackle
  Grapple ([]) + Down..................Leg Trip Takedown
  Back Grapple ([]) + (O)....................Back Tackle
  Opponent Face Down at Feet (X).....Back Mount Position
  Opponent Face Up at Feet (O)............Guard Position

Each will result in a mount attempt. Once you have the mount, use any
followup you want. If the opponent sprawls on you, practice that
button timing as well. Since Victory Road opponents start at Level 1
difficulty and gradually increase, your timing will be forced to
improve with subsequent matches. I've found this to be the best way to
learn the Fire Pro Z mount system.

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==SECTION 5: STRATEGY==
=======================

GENERAL STRATEGY
Hey kiddies, wanna know what a "CRITICAL!" looks like? Well, you may
have a good chance of seeing one with Wanderlei Silva. His "Striking"
"CRITICAL!" type gives him a whopping 18 moves to score a KO with,
which is about 17 more than most pro wrestlers have in FPZ.

So your basic strategy should be, of course, to strike. But since many
of his grapples lead to strikes as well, don't be afraid to go for the
lockup. In fact, _every_single_one_ of his strong grapples have
"CRITICAL!" potential! Scary!

The upside to all of this is you really don't have to bother with the
mount system to have success with Silva. You can strike and grapple
just like any other wrestler and still have the ability to knock your
opponent senseless. But since he has 2 specials and 5 "CRITICAL!"s
from the mount, it may be worth your while to learn how to use them.

Another big problem for Silva's opponents is that once they start
dropping from the impact of his blows, they can be left prone in the
face down position, and Silva's brutal knee rush to the head is his
finishing move from this position.

Silva's special skill is "Wild Warrior", which fits him to a "T" and
spells even more trouble for anyone who faces him. In a nutshell, it
means his special moves do even more damage when he's healthy, plus he
may recuperate quickly and refuse to stay down on the mat, even after
a strong attack!

Silva does have one glaring weakness though, and that is his defensive
stats vs. pro wrestlers. A pitiful 1 rating vs. Flying, Crush and
Lariat and a 2 rating vs. Suplex means you don't want him in a pro
wrestling environment. Seeing as Silva's never worked a pro wrestling
match in his entire career, these stats are accurate.

If you want a quick, MMA-style KO, you'll want to distance yourself
and time your strikes as the opponent is walking in. If you're patient
however, you may want to win grapples and build up to your strong
grapples, where you have the potential to KO with five different
moves! Any way you use Silva, the potential for devastation is there.

STRIKES
In a word, ouch. His strong Hook and Muay Thai High Kick can both
"CRITICAL!", and with an 8 offensive rating in both kicking and
punching, just about any strike you land will do serious damage.

My advice here would be not to bother with the smaller blows, just
start dropping those bombs like Silva does in real life. It's possible
with Silva to end a match inside the 15 second mark (but not much
sooner, as it takes the referee several seconds to recognize a
"CRITICAL!" in FPZ).

(SIDE NOTE: See PRIDE 10: Yvel vs. Goodridge to see just how quickly
a well-timed Muay Thai kick can end a match in real life!)

GRAPPLES
Let me state this clearly; if you work your way up to strong grapples
with Silva, your opponent is in a world of hurt. By glancing at the
movelist, we can see he has two specials here (which equal extra
damage), plus "CRITICAL!" ability across the board.

If you're used to using pro wrestlers in FPZ, just go ahead and lock
up with your opponent as you would with any other wrestlers. Silva's
grapples usually end up as punches or Muay Thai kicks anyway.

The "Kenka Rush" (Grapple [] + X) is a devastating technique where
Silva pounds his opponent into the mat with his fists, the opponent
falls and begs for mercy, and Silva continues his attack! It looks
absolutely brutal, and if you can get a "CRITICAL!" on top of it...

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==SECTION 6: CLOSING==
======================

In closing, I would like to thank:

* www.pridefc.com for historical reference.

* CJayC and GameFAQs for hosting this guide.

Fire ProWrestling Z Character Guide: Wanderlei Silva
(c)2003 Bill Wood