Anderson Silva – The Champion

“I love to challenge myself and I always want to fight the best. It motivates me to keep working hard to defeat those challenges.” This was it. The longest title reign in middleweight history was about to come to an end. For four-plus rounds, Chael Sonnen had backed up every ounce of his pre-fight smack talk and was putting the finishing touches on a monumental upset win over Anderson Silva.

There was just one problem – Silva wasn’t ready to go yet, and with the seconds ticking away in the fifth and final round, he was still plotting a miracle finish.

“I was thinking of what I had to do to finish the fight, defend my title and go home healthy,” said Silva through translator Derek Kronig Lee.

Healthy was out of the question after absorbing a punishing attack from Sonnen, not to mention a pre-fight rib injury, but the finishing the fight and defending the title for a seventh time (tying him with Matt Hughes for most in UFC history), that was still possible. Not probable, but possible, and at the 3:10 mark of the round, less than two minutes away from defeat, he produced a tap out from Sonnen after locking in a triangle armbar.

It was a stirring victory to say the least, one that will remain on Silva’s highlight reel forever and a true determinant of his status as an all-time great. Winning easy and in dominant fashion is one thing; winning in the face of adversity is quite another. There would be no Muhammad Ali without the wars with Joe Frazier, no Sugar Ray Leonard without Tommy Hearns, and now Silva had shown that same grit against Sonnen, admitting that when you overcome such a test of wills, the true fighter emerges.

“I think all my fights have been tough, and fighting tough opponents builds a stronger fighter, one who can overcome adversity and stay in the fight to the end.”

And even after being beaten for much of the Sonnen bout, it may have been what the Brazilian star needed to break out of the funk that had put a cloud over the last two years of his reign. Sure, he looked spectacular and motivated when jumping up to 205 pounds to blast out James Irvin and Forrest Griffin in less than a round each, but he appeared to sleep walk through defenses against Patrick Cote, Thales Leites, and Demian Maia. Sonnen, in his face before and during their UFC 117 bout, brought the fire back out of Silva.

“I love to challenge myself and I always want to fight the best,” he said. “It motivates me to keep working hard to defeat those challenges.”

This Saturday night, there will be another challenge to his title, and this one may be the toughest as he faces countryman and former training partner Vitor Belfort in the main event of UFC 126 in Las Vegas.

“He is a dangerous opponent who was a young champion in the UFC,” said Silva of his opponent, who won the UFC 12 heavyweight tournament at 19 and then briefly held the organization’s light heavyweight title in 2004. “It’s going to be a great fight for the fans.”

But will it be a great fight for Silva, who is coming off a draining war with Sonnen? You can also add in the pressure of being in his fifth year as champion, something Silva readily agrees can be burdensome at times, but that he seems to have taken control of.

“There is a lot of responsibility and pressure when you are the champion, so keeping a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body; both aspects are determining in any fight.”

Silva has shown his toughness – mentally and physically – on the sport’s brightest stage, and at the ritual pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the champion made it clear that the Mandalay Bay was his house as he went nose to nose with the challenger. It’s added even more intrigue to this early-2011 dream fight, with fans and pundits wondering if the seemingly unbeatable “Spider” can hold off the charge of the still explosive “Phenom.”

The champion admits that Belfort “is a tough opponent” who “has good hands and has a lot of experience,” but when asked how the challenger has progressed as a fighter over the years, Silva’s response is simply “I’m not sure, we will have to wait and see on February 5th.”

It’s as much as you’ll get out of the champion, who saves his charisma for the Octagon and for those moments when the microphones are put away. But if his body language this week in Vegas says anything, it’s that his come from behind win over Sonnen has lit a fire under him that now has him approaching every fight with the intention of taking over from the opening bell. That’s a scary proposition for opponents, but a compelling one for his fans, who Silva promises to entertain in 2011.

“I want to defend my belt and fight the best,” he said. “The fans can expect to see great fights this year.”

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“The Spider” Bites Back – Silva KOs Belfort

LAS VEGAS, February 5 – Vitor Belfort was widely considered to be the most dangerous threat to Anderson Silva’s middleweight title reign. So Silva did what you’re supposed to do to such threats – he eliminated him immediately, knocking out Belfort in the first round to retain his crown for the eighth time Saturday night in the UFC 126 main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. In the process, Silva broke a tie with Matt Hughes for most successful title defenses in UFC history.

“That’s just one of the tricks I was working on,” said Silva, who, for all intents and purposes, ended the bout with a spectacular front kick to the chin.

The chants of “Vitor, Vitor” came from the rafters as soon as referee Mario Yamasaki called the two fighters to battle, but there would be no initial fireworks, as the two cautiously circled each other for the first 90 seconds until Belfort landed a range-finding leg kick. At the midway point, with still no meaningful action, Silva began showboating, with Belfort finally firing off a 1-2. Moments later, Belfort caught a Silva kick and the two tumbled to the mat. They rose quickly, and Silva, significantly warmed up, eluded a Belfort haymaker and came back with a blistering left front kick to the chin that dropped “The Phenom.”  Quickly moving in, Silva landed a 1-2 on his prone foe, and that was enough for Yamasaki to call a halt to the bout as the 3:25 mark.

“He caught me with a great kick,” said Belfort. “Anderson Silva is a great fighter. I’ll be back.”

With the win, Silva improves to 28-4; Belfort falls to 19-9.

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Silva, Belfort Hit UFC 126 Marks

On the eve of what many consider his most significant challenge, middleweight champion Anderson Silva did his best to intimidate the man who will be standing across the cage from him.

Silva tipped the scales at 185 pounds for his scheduled title defense against Vitor Belfort (185) in the UFC 126 headliner on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The eight other men booked for main card duty -- co-headliners Forrest Griffin (205) and Rich Franklin (203) included -- also met their contracted weight requirements at Friday’s official weigh-in.

Donning a plain white mask, Silva stood nose-to-nose with Belfort after the two left the scales. The two middleweights jawed at one another and had to be separated.

Having thrust himself into the greatest-fighter-of-all-time discussion, Silva will carry a 13-fight winning streak into the match. He last appeared at UFC 117 in August, when he submitted Team Quest’s Chael Sonnen with a fifth-round triangle choke at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. Silva, who turns 36 in April, was behind on the scorecards at the time. A lethal, pinpoint striker and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, he has secured 20 of his 27 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. High-profile wins over Griffin, Franklin (twice), former middleweight King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt, two-time Olympian Dan Henderson and 2007 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships winner Demian Maia anchor Silva’s stellar resume. “The Spider” has never been defeated (12-0) inside the Octagon.

Belfort debuted in the Octagon 14 years ago this month, at the age of 19 and later captured the light heavyweight championship. Enigmatic throughout his career, he has rattled off five consecutive victories, four of them finishes. However, a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery has kept the 33-year-old Carlson Gracie protégé on the sidelines since he stopped Franklin on first-round punches at UFC 103 in September 2009. Blessed with stinging hand speed and power, Belfort has delivered more than half (13) of his 19 career wins by KO or TKO. He owns other notable victories against 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland, former Pride Fighting Championships middleweight titleholder Wanderlei Silva, UFC hall of famer Randy Couture and one-time Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth. A win over Silva would make him the third man in history -- Couture and B.J. Penn are the others -- to hold UFC titles in multiple weight classes.

UFC 126 -- which also features a light heavyweight battle pairing Jon Jones (206) with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 winner Ryan Bader (205), a welterweight tilt pitting the surging Jake Ellenberger (171) against Carlos Eduardo Rocha (170) and a bantamweight duel between former WEC champion Miguel Torres (136) and Antonio Banuelos (136) -- will air live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. PT/7 p.m. PT. An hour prior, Spike TV will carry a pair of bouts from the undercard: Chad Mendes (146) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (146) and Donald Cerrone (155) vs. Paul Kelly (155). In addition, the UFC will stream a bantamweight dark match between Japanese star Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto (135) and Demetrious Johnson (136) on its Facebook page at 8:25 p.m. ET/5:25 p.m. PT.

Anderson Silva (185) vs. Vitor Belfort (185)

Forrest Griffin (205) vs. Rich Franklin (203)
Ryan Bader (205) vs. Jon Jones (206)
Jake Ellenberger (171) vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha (170)
Miguel Torres (136) vs. Antonio Banuelos (136)
Chad Mendes (146) vs. Michihiro Omigawa (146)
Donald Cerrone (155) vs. Paul Kelly (155)
Norifumi Yamamoto (135) vs. Demetrious Johnson (136)
Mike Pierce (*171) vs. Kenny Robertson (170)
Paul Taylor (156) vs. Gabe Ruediger (155)
Kyle Kingsbury (205) vs. Ricardo Romero (205)

* Mike Pierce made weight on his second attempt.

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UFC 126 Bonuses: Silva, Jones, Cerrone, Kelly Bank $75K

Middleweight king Anderson Silva (Pictured) earned a $75,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus after he crumpled Vitor Belfort with an otherworldly front kick in the UFC 126 headliner on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The end came 3:25 into round one, as Silva posted his 14th consecutive win in sensational fashion.

The two men circled one another for nearly two minutes before throwing any meaningful strikes. Belfort fired the first salvos, a pair of leg kicks and a right-left combination. Moments later, he was staring at the lights, the latest victim in Silva’s incredible run of dominance.

Meanwhile, Jon Jones snatched a $75,000 “Submission of the Night” bonus in wake of his guillotine-induced tapout of Ryan Bader. The 23-year-old Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative dominated the previously unbeaten Bader, ultimately securing victory with the second-round choke. The win earned Jones a crack at UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 next month in New Jersey.

Finally, World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Donald Cerrone and Paul Kelly pocketed matching $75,000 “Fight of the Night” bonuses after their two-round lightweight encounter ended with the Brit submitting to a rear-naked choke. Cerrone took the tapout 3:48 into round two, as he made the most of his Octagon debut.

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Anderson Silva: There's No Place Like Home

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As Date with Belfort Approaches, Silva Feels No Extra Pressure

Anderson Silva (left) | Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog.com

When fans last saw UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the Octagon, he was snatching victory from certain defeat against a game Chael Sonnen at UFC 117.

Silva will defend his title for the eighth time when he takes on former light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort in the UFC 126 main event this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Many view Belfort as Silva’s most difficult style matchup to date. A powerful boxer with blinding hand speed, Belfort may be the only man in the division capable of standing with the longtime champion. However, when asked if he was feeling any added pressure for the bout during a Jan. 27 pre-fight teleconference, Silva calmly assured everyone he was doing just fine.

“I just checked my blood pressure, and everything is normal,” said a chuckling Silva. “I’ve made a few adjustments, but I’ve been on pretty much the same track. I’ve been maintaining what I always do. It’s a very intense training camp. Of course, I’m always working to improve. I’ve kept the intensity throughout [my camp], and I’m going to go out there and do what I have trained to do.”

A dominant striker with laser-like accuracy in his punches and kicks, Silva is still considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. The Black House product has put together a truly memorable run since joining the UFC in 2006, rattling off a record 12 consecutive victories inside the Octagon. In his last defense, however, the champion looked to be all but done for. Competing with an injury, Silva was taken down repeatedly and battered by Sonnen for nearly five full rounds before securing a fight-ending triangle choke to save his title and keep his streak alive.

“[Silva] had a bruised rib, which happened a week before fight. The doctor recommended that he pull out, but Anderson said the show must go on and fought through the injury,” said Silva’s manager and translator, Ed Soares. “He took a good six to eight weeks off to let it heal before he started training regularly again. If you’ve ever injured a rib, you know how hard it is to breathe. It’s very painful.”

During Silva’s dominant run with the promotion, he has also competed outside of the middleweight division, finding great success at 205 pounds. With a rumored super fight with welterweight king and fellow pound-for-pound luminary Georges St. Pierre labeled a possibility by UFC President Dana White, Silva further hinted at his openness to competing outside his division.

“There are a lot of challenges in every weight category in the UFC, not just in the middleweight division,” he said. “I’m doing what I’m doing because I love doing it. I am well-trained. I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. I feel very natural.”

In that vein, Silva claims that all the benefits that come with being a UFC champion are not what motivate him to compete. Rather, the champion’s drive comes from his closest relationships.

“I’m not doing this for the fame, the money or the belt. I’m doing it because I’m happy to have the people around me that I have. I believe the people close to me are not close to me because of the fame or money,” said Silva. “They are with me because they care about me, and that makes me happy to go put on a good performance.”

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Pros Pick: Silva vs. Belfort

Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort will collide at UFC 126. | Sherdog.com

Super Saturday has often served as the staging ground for significant fights between high-profile UFC stars. UFC 126 “Silva vs. Belfort” falls in line this Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, as light heavyweight showdowns pairing Rich Franklin with Forrest Griffin and Jon Jones with Ryan Bader serve as the appetizers.

In the main event, two of the most dangerous and dynamic strikers in MMA history will vie for the UFC middleweight crown, as defending champion Anderson Silva puts his title on the line against Vitor Belfort.

Sherdog.com recently caught up with dozens of professional trainers and fighters to gauge their opinions on the long-awaited duel between Silva and Belfort:

Fred Ettish: Anderson vs. Vitor is a tough one, as most of them are in this sport. So many ways things can go, especially with two of the best, past and present. If Anderson comes serious, comes to fight and takes care of business, he should come out ahead in a tough fight. His last loss was over five years ago, and the list of his victims since then is littered with some of the top names and tough guys of the sport in his division: [Rich] Franklin (twice), [Chael] Sonnen, [Demian] Maia, [Dan] Henderson, [Thales] Leites and more. I do not pretend to understand his in-cage antics in some of those fights, but he has been pushed hard by Sonnen and by Henderson in the first rounds of their fights. Those two wins, especially coming back against Sonnen so late in the fight, are wins that are defining, in my honest opinion. Vitor can very well take this, and I have enjoyed watching him since the 19-year-old phenom exploded on the scene, leaving sleeping bodies in his wake. I just don’t think he will this time. The fighters that have given Anderson the toughest time are guys who have been wrestling since they were each knee high to a puppy. Vitor is strong and explosive and has likely trained a lot of wrestling, but that is not the same as being a lifelong wrestler. I’m not sure Vitor can keep Anderson down. I also don’t think he will be able to submit Anderson. I believe Vitor’s way to win the fight is with his speed and striking on the feet. I think Anderson’s precision striking and footwork will not allow Vitor to be effective enough. Vitor has his share of wins in the same time period as Anderson, including his win over Franklin, but he does not have the number of quality wins over that period Anderson does, and Anderson’s have been mostly title defenses. Anderson via TKO later in the fight, maybe round four.

Jonathan Chaimberg: I think the matchup is a great one for Silva. It’s one of the first fights for him in a while where he can focus on his creative striking game and not worry about being taken down or out-grappled; that is key. Vitor’s cage rust will also be a factor. Look for fireworks early and Anderson winning early in the second round.

Mike Constantino: I think Silva will use his timing to counter Vitor, take a couple rounds to find his distance and then win via KO in the third round.

Nate Marquardt: I think Silva’s footwork will be too much for Belfort to handle. I see Silva winning a decision or a third round or later TKO.

Tom Vaughn: Belfort has all the right tools but doesn’t seem convincing against top competition. There will probably be a cautious feeling-out process out of mutual respect that should work in Silva’s favor. Silva is great at dissecting an opponent over the duration of a fight. For that reason, Belfort should get on Silva from the start and hope he can land something big with his lightning-quick hands early in the fight. Don’t think so; Silva by TKO in round three.  

Marlon Sandro: I think Anderson wins a judges’ decision. I think Vitor only has a chance in the first two rounds. Everything favors Anderson because he’s more active, but I think Vitor is the most dangerous adversary for Anderson.

Joaquim Ferreira: I think it will be a close fight because Vitor is also an excellent athlete, but I think that Anderson wins by TKO in the third round.

Thiago Tavares: Silva dominates the fight and wins by unanimous decision.

Luis Ramos: I think Anderson wins by knockout in the second round.

Nick Thompson: This fight reminds me of something from my childhood. Derrick Noble’s and my father had been appointed by the court to defend a man who was accused of raping a young woman. Derrick’s and my faith in justice was badly shaken when the jury convicted the man despite our father having shown, in court, that the accuser was lying. The accuser’s father was so upset over his being humiliated in court that he attacked Derrick and me on our way home from our school’s Halloween pageant. The accuser’s father had just broken Derrick’s arm and was about to do worse, when, out of nowhere, the town recluse saved us.   

Jeremy Luchau: Silva wins by TKO or KO in the late second or early third round after finding his rhythm and precision counter strikes.

Jason Lambert: Hard to pick; very interesting matchup. Pick ’em.

Adam Singer: Do not take my pick and go to Vegas, unless you do the opposite of my choices. I have gotten the last four in a row wrong. So here goes: I think Vitor will stand up with Silva. This plays right into “The Spider’s” plans. Siva by KO in round three.

Robin Black: This is either going to be a mind-blowingly exciting three minutes or a painfully excruciating 25 minutes. Let’s hope for the former and a new champion.

Neil Melanson: Vitor is going to win.

Josh Thomson: Anderson by TKO in the second or third round.

Patrick Cote: I’ll go with Belfort. I think he will be too fast for Silva, and he’s a southpaw, like [Chael] Sonnen. Vitor will put a lot of pressure and catch him with a big left cross.

Nam Phan: I say Anderson Silva [wins].

Rex Richards: As much as I would prefer Vitor to win, I think his time off from fighting will hurt him in this fight and Silva will win by TKO in the fourth round. I’m a huge fan of both but remember a young vicious Belfort from the 1990s.

Keith Berry: Wow, this is an explosive fight. I’ve trained a bit with both of these guys, and I have to say I think Vitor will pull off the upset. I think it’s crazy to think he’s almost a 3-to-1 underdog, but I’m going to say Vitor by third-round TKO.

Kit Cope: The “fastest hands Vitor” thing is overhyped. Anderson is too slick and doesn’t move in straight lines. I’m callin’ this one Silva with style. Do a little dance, make a little love and choke Vitor unconscious.

Ron Frazier: I’m very biased here. I was the first coach to ever work with Belfort when he came to Xtreme Couture before the Terry Martin fight. All I can say is this is the best training camp he has had in the four he has been with us. It has been a joy. He has worked harder and smarter than ever before, working with six-time world kickboxing champ Ray Sefo and Gil Martinez, who has 20-plus years in the boxing game at a high level. He will have Neil Melanson working with his grappling, Jayme [Sandall], a karate world champion from Brazil, and, of course, the man himself, Randy Couture. He has prepared himself to become champion, and on top of all that, he is a different animal than Anderson has faced before. He is just as good a striker, if not better, with great footwork and faster hands. This fight will be a great one. I’m expecting a Belfort win by KO -- not sure which round.

Travis Lutter: If this fight happened before the last fight [with Sonnen], I would have picked Anderson for sure, but that fight throws doubts. With that being said, I am taking Anderson in this one, but I’m not as sure as I was.

Mike Easton: Vitor, I think, is going to win.

Ray Elbe: Belfort by submission. Long live Carlson Gracie.

Gabe Ruediger: I’m going with Ruediger by finish in the first. Oh, you meant the actual main event -- Anderson by submission or TKO in the third round.

Gerald Harris: I’m going to honestly flip a coin on this one. I have no idea who will win, but I’ll be watching.

Benji Radach: I pick Belfort by TKO or KO in the first few rounds. Otherwise, I see Anderson turning it up in the later rounds for a decision win.

Stephane Vigneault: I [hope] Belfort wins because Belfort was my first idol and pretty much was the first idol of everybody after his debut in the UFC. But, realistically, if Belfort [does] not KO Silva in round one, Silva will win in round three [by] submission or TKO. But I will scream, “Let’s go Vitor!”

Striker’s Delight

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Silva Signs with Soccer Superstar Ronaldo's Marketing Company

Anderson Silva (left) | Marcelo Alonso/Sherdog.com

With all the greatness that he has achieved in the UFC, on the eve of his all-Brazilian title clash with Vitor Belfort at UFC 126, Anderson Silva is finally seeing his success pay off in Brazil.

The UFC middleweight champion has signed with 9ine, the upstart sports marketing firm of soccer great Ronaldo, the three-time FIFA Player of the Year. 9ine is a partnership venture between Ronaldo, entertainment entrepreneur Marcos Buaiz, and London-based advertising powerhouse WPP.

The company, which officially launches in March with offices in both Sao Paulo and London, has already thrown its weight behind its new client. Silva will still be managed by Ed Soares and Jorge “Joinha” Guimaraes, while 9ine look to secure sponsorships and opportunities to develop the brand of “The Spider.”

“9ine has a concept of exclusivity, which means working with only a few athletes and brands, just the best,” Ronaldo stated in a press release. The 34-year-old superstar currently starts for Sao Paulo-based soccer club Corinthians, which happens to be Silva’s team of choice. “This is the case of Anderson Silva, one of the greatest competitors in the MMA world.

When Silva faces Belfort on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Silva will be sponsored by Bozzano, a leading producer of men’s shaving and grooming products in Brazil. According to Brazil’s Veja Magazine, Bozzano will pay 170,000 reais, or just over $102,000 USD from the sponsorship deal to have their mark stamped on the champion.

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‘Fedor vs. Silva’ Prelims to Air on HDNet

Fedor Emelianenko | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

The undercard for Strikeforce and M-1 Global’s “Fedor vs. Silva” on Feb. 18 will air live on HDNet.

Sherdog.com confirmed the news on Friday with Strikeforce's director of communications Mike Afromowitz. MMA Junkie initially reported on the matter Friday afternoon.

The event, which will go down from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., will serve to kick off Strikeforce's upcoming heavyweight tournament and will be headlined by the titular matchup between Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva. Also featured will be a second tournament quarterfinal between Andrei Arlovski and Sergei Kharitonov.

The preliminary HDNet broadcast will air directly prior to the main card on Showtime and is expected to feature four bouts, including a pair of featherweight scraps featuring Anthony Leone taking on Josh LaBerge and Jason McLean locking up with Kevin Roddy. Also scheduled for the evening is a lightweight bout pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Marc Stevens against John Cholish, as well as a welterweight affair featuring Igor Gracie taking on John Salgado.

Rounding out the all-heavyweight main card on Showtime will be three alternate bouts for the tournament. In a battle of up-and-comers, “Challengers” series standouts Shane del Rosario and Lavar Johnson square off. Meanwhile, Chad Griggs toes the line against Gianpiero Villante, and Valentijn Overeem butts heads with Ray Sefo.

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Gracie-Salgado Lined Up for ‘Fedor vs. Silva’ Undercard

A welterweight scrap between Igor Gracie and John Salgado is in the works for Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Silva” on Feb. 12 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

The event will be headlined by the titular heavyweight tilt between Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva. Also featured will be a second quarter-final in Strikeforce’s 2011 heavyweight grand prix, as former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski will square off with Sergei Kharitonov.

Sherdog learned of the preliminary Gracie-Salgado bout from sources close to the matchup on Friday. Bout agreements have yet to be signed, and the fight has not yet been made official by Strikeforce.

The son of family champion Rolls Gracie, Gracie has had mixed results in his MMA career thus far. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has fought exclusively in the Northeast since he began his career in 2008. Following a decision loss in his debut, Gracie battled back with a win at Ring of Combat 22 in Atlantic City, N.J. The Brazilian again tasted defeat in his third outing, dropping a decision to Vagner Rocha at Bellator 11 in June 2009. His most recent outing resulted in victory, as Gracie submitted Chris Vorano at a Canadian event 13 months ago.

Like Gracie, Salgado is a Ring of Combat veteran, posting a 2-3 record in the promotion. “Greco” made his M-1 debut in April, earning a split decision victory over Renato Migliaccio in April. Salgado limps into his bout with Gracie off back-to-back losses. After outpointing Migliaccio, the Team Energy representative returned to the ring just two weeks later at Ring of Combat 29, where he was submitted by Mike Medrano with a north-south choke. Salgado most recently fell to UFC veteran Chris Liguori by decision in November.

“Fedor vs. Silva” features an all-heavyweight main card and will showcase three alternate tournament bouts, including a fight matching Strikeforce Challengers series standouts Lavar Johnson and Shane del Rosario, as well as bouts pitting Valentijn Overeem against Ray Sefo and Chad Griggs against Gian Villante.

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Silva: Fedor’s ‘Main Weakness’ Lies in Ground Game

Despite Fedor Emelianenko’s loss to Fabricio Werdum in June, Antonio Silva (Pictured) still views the Russian fighter as MMA’s top heavyweight. However, that does not mean Silva will not try to take a page from his countryman’s playbook when the Brazilian “Bigfoot” meets the “Last Emperor” in the opening round of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix.

“The one thing I have in my mind is: Werdum showed the world [Fedor’s] holes on the ground. I think his main weakness is there,” Silva said during Thursday’s media conference call to promote Strikeforce “Fedor vs. Silva” on Feb. 12 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.

“It’s very hard to define how the fight’s gonna be. I’m gonna follow the waves, and if the fight’s good for me in the stand-up, I’m gonna keep it standing up,” Silva added. “He’s a complete fighter. I’m a complete fighter. I’m going to capitalize on anything the fight gives to me.”

One factor the 6-foot-4, 265-pound Silva already has plans to capitalize on is his significant size advantage over Emelianenko, who stands 6-foot and weighed in for the Werdum bout at 229 pounds.

“I’m gonna try to take advantage of my weight. If I hit certain positions, I think he’s gonna feel it,” Silva said.

No stranger to gargantuan opponents or foes suggesting that they have seen the chinks in his armor, Emelianenko offered a typically subdued take on Silva’s strategy.

“It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever happens, happens. I can fight either way,” said Emelianenko. “Many times, people have sized me up and tried to say what my strengths and weaknesses are. But if they think that they’ve found what my biggest weakness is, then let them try to take advantage of it.”

Not one for trash talk himself, Silva spoke of Emelianenko with great reverence, referring to the former Pride champion as a “legend.” Asked whether he had hoped to square off against Emelianenko sooner, Silva -- whose own loss to Werdum in November 2009 remains his only defeat since 2006 -- surmised that now is the right time.

“When I had eight fights, everybody said I could be the man to beat Fedor in the future. But God knows the right moment, and now I have 18 fights and just two losses. In my mind, I know I can beat him,” said Silva. “Fedor is a legend, but to be the legend, you must beat the legend. That’s what I’m going to do.”

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Silva, Edgar Earn Event-High Purses at UFC 125

UFC 125 main-carder Thiago Silva and headliner Frankie Edgar topped the payroll for the Jan. 1 event, according to figures released Monday by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Silva took home an event-high $110,000 (including a $55,000 win bonus) for his three-round drubbing of Brandon Vera ($60,000), while lightweight title-holder Edgar earned $102,000 for his five-round championship draw with Gray Maynard ($52,000).

Though not reflected in the NSAC-issued numbers, the UFC announced after the event that both Edgar and Maynard would receive win bonuses. The state’s figures also do not include “locker room” bonuses or other undisclosed payouts which a promotion may issue.

In the evening’s other pay-per-view bouts, Brian Stann netted $42,000 ($21,000 win bonus) for his first-round knockout of Chris Leben ($46,000); “Stun Gun” Dong Hyun Kim earned $70,000 ($35,000 win bonus) with his decision win over Nate Diaz ($33,000); and Clay Guida picked up $62,000 ($31,000 win bonus) for his second-round guillotine choke submission against Takanori Gomi ($50,000).

Held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, UFC 125 “Resolution” drew a reported 12,688 spectators for a live gate of $2,174,780.

UFC 125 “Resolution” payouts:
Frankie Edgar -- $102,000 drew with Gray Maynard -- $52,000
Brian Stann -- $42,000 (including $21,000 win bonus) def. Chris Leben -- $46,000
Thiago Silva -- $110,000 (including $55,000 win bonus) def. Brandon Vera -- $60,000
Dong Hyun Kim -- $70,000 (including $35,000 win bonus) def. Nate Diaz -- $33,000
Clay Guida -- $62,000 (including $31,000 win bonus) def. Takanori Gomi -- $50,000
Jeremy Stephens -- $36,000 (including $18,000 win bonus) def. Marcus Davis -- $31,000
Dustin Poirier -- $8,000 (including $4,000 win bonus) def. Josh Grispi -- $15,000
Brad Tavares -- $16,000 (including $8,000 win bonus) def. Phil Baroni -- $25,000
Diego Nunes -- $20,000 (including $10,000 win bonus) def. Mike Brown -- $23,000
Daniel Roberts -- $24,000 (including $12,000 win bonus) def. Greg Soto -- $8,000
Jacob Volkmann -- $24,000 (including $12,000 win bonus) def. Antonio McKee -- $15,000

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Kyle Replaces Overeem, Meets Silva at Dec. 4 Strikeforce

Resurgent American Kickboxing Academy representative Mike Kyle (Pictured) will lock horns with former EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio Silva in a featured matchup at Strikeforce “Henderson vs. Babalu 2” this Saturday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Strikeforce officials on Monday made Sherdog.com aware of the matchup.

Kyle replaces Valentijn Overeem, who withdrew from the event with an elbow injury.

Based in San Jose, Calif., Kyle will carry a four-fight winning streak into the match. The 30-year-old last appeared at an Xtreme MMA show on Nov. 5, when he stopped Stephen Oliver on first-round punches at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in Sydney, Australia. A potent finisher, Kyle has delivered 12 of his 18 career victories by knockout or technical knockout, including a June 2009 upset of reigning Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. He owns a 2-2-1 mark inside Strikeforce.

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Silva has not competed since he earned a unanimous decision over former UFC heavyweight king Andrei Arlovski at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” in May. A black belt in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the 31-year-old has won seven of his last eight fights, losing only to the world-ranked Fabricio Werdum in that span. In 16 professional appearances, Silva has been finished only once.

A light heavyweight showdown between two-time Olympian Dan Henderson and Renato “Babalu” Sobral will headline Strikeforce’s year-end event, along with a middleweight tilt pairing former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler with 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland.

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Kyle Rolls Dice on Pay, Injures Hand Against Silva

Mike Kyle (top) vs. Antonio Silva: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com

When Mike Kyle was approached to step in for an injured Valentijn Overeem against Antonio Silva, he was given two choices: fight for the typical show-plus-win money, or take a flat rate, regardless of the bout’s outcome.

As a 3-1 underdog, few would have blamed Kyle for taking the flat pay, which was considerably more than his show money. For Kyle, however, the choice was clear. According to the American Kickboxing Academy product, playing it safe would have equated to betting against himself.

“I just couldn't do that. I had to go out and believe in myself and leave it all in the ring,” Kyle told Sherdog.com after his fight at Strikeforce “Henderson vs. Babalu II” on Saturday.

In giving it his all, Kyle nearly pulled off a colossal upset. Early in round one, he clipped Silva with a sharp right hand that dropped “Bigfoot” and brought the crowd to its feet. As Kyle jumped on the fallen giant, the size discrepancy between the two fighters became startlingly apparent. Nonetheless, Kyle continued to pound on the Brazilian, hoping for a referee stoppage which never came.

“I'm not going to use [his size] as an excuse. He was better than me tonight,” said Kyle. “I thought it was going to be stopped and I got really excited.”

At the post-fight presser, Kyle sported a bandage. The 30-year-old claimed he broke his hand twice while delivering ground-and-pound in the first frame.

“Once my right hand broke, mentally, I felt like I couldn't do nothing to him,” said Kyle.

In round two, the King of the Cage light heavyweight champion found himself caught in a Silva anaconda choke. Although he admitted to feeling mentally beaten between rounds, Kyle refused to quit and escaped the submission.

“I didn’t want to quit out there. There have been fights in the past where I’ve quit, and I believe that [AKA teammate] Cain Velasquez beat that quit out of me,” he said. “That choke was tight, but I had to leave it all in the cage.”

Eventually, though, the size difference caught up with Kyle, who was mounted by Silva and finished with punches at the 2:49 mark of the second round.

Although Kyle walked away with another loss on his record, his performance against the world-ranked Silva turned some heads. Giving away over 40 pounds, Kyle nearly pulled off the shocking upset, as he did when he knocked out current Strikeforce 205-pound king Rafael Cavalcante in June 2009. When asked about Kyle's chances as a light heavyweight contender, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker was optimistic.

“I think Mike is right in the mix, and he keeps getting better,” said Coker. “He has the ability to fight at both weights, and I think his stock went up tonight.”

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Mineiros Top Paulistas, Prospect Silva Slips at Brazil Fight 3

Sunday, November 28, 2010
by Guilherme Pinheiro (gpinheiro@sherdog.com) Igor Fernandes destroys Marcelo Azevedo: Marcelo Alonso | Sherdog.com

Brazil Fight has quickly become the premier MMA event in the state of Minas Gerais. Saturday night, at the Chevrolet Hall in Belo Horizonte, the in-state fighters triumphed 4-1 over their Sao Paulo foes in a five-fight interstate series.

In the most shocking outcome of the Minas Gerais vs. Sao Paulo series -- and the only loss for the Mineiro side -- touted lightweight prospect Thiago Michel Pereira Silva lasted just 70 seconds against unheralded Alessandro Zoio.

Silva, who has been dubbed “The Anderson Silva of Belo Horizonte” for his prodigious striking, slipped while going for his first kick of the fight. Zoio followed him to ground, quickly getting his back. Zoio slowly put his hooks in, got the body triangle and finally submitted Silva with a rear-naked choke at just 1:10 in the first round.

“He might be the best 155-pound fighter in Brazil, but he slipped and I was able to finish him,” an elated Zoio said following the fight.

Alessandro Zoio pulled off the upset.

In the most controversial bout of the evening, local Joaquim "Mamute" Ferreira took an unpopular split decision over Edson "Conterraneo" Franca in a heavyweight contest.

After a competitive first round where “Mamute” -- the only man to ever defeat UFC title contender Junior dos Santos -- showed his grappling and “Conterraneo” showed his striking, the pair exhaustedly grappled for the following 10 minutes. Ferreira held top control in the second round, and Franca -- who daylights as a bricklayer -- forced Ferreira to turtle for the entire third round, bloodying his face with punches.

After the split decision in Ferreira’s favor was announced, Franca’s coach Miguel Repanas began arguing with crowd members, yelling that his fighter was robbed.

“He is a warrior and you are correct to support him,” Franca said, taking the house microphone and addressing the partisan crown. “The sport needs this.”

In lightweight action, Cesar "Gordim" Augusto earned a first-round stoppage over Udi Lima. “Gordim” was stuck in a deep armbar and looked to be on the verge of defeat. However, the hometown fighter was able to slam his way out of it and pounce on a disoriented Lima with punches to get the stoppage at 3:22 of the first round.

At 205 pounds, Cristiano "Titi" Lazzarini forced Walter Luis da Silva to quit in the second round. After spending almost the entire first round mounted on da Silva, “Titi” got another takedown in the second stanza. As soon as the fighters touched the ground, da Silva signaled to referee Marlon Sandro that he wanted out, giving Lazzarini the win at 4:05 in round two.

Edson Franca bloodied "Mamute,"
but couldn't get the decision win.Marcio Nunes came out throwing haymakers against Gustavo Franca. However, “Coelho” kept his composure, got a takedown, took Nunes’ back, and finished the fight with a rear-naked choke at 3:24 of the first round.

At Brazil Fight 2 in August, Igor “Chatubinha” Fernandes needed only 96 seconds to tap out Marcelo "Uirapuru" Azevedo with his trademark anaconda choke. In Saturday night’s finale, he needed just 18 seconds to knock him out.

Just seconds into the fight, Fernandes hit Azevedo with a humongous overhand right to the jaw, which put “Uirapuru” flat on the mat, clearly unconscious. Without breaking stride, Fernandes finished the job, dropping hammerfists on the unconscious Azevedo until referee Felipe Lima could intervene.

After the fight, a very emotional “Chatubinha” -- a popular fighting exponent of Rio’s favelas -- made a personal and political plea.

“I just want ask for peace in my community, Vila Cruzeiro,” said the teary-eyed fighter, calling for an end to the violence in one of the main battlegrounds of Rio de Janeiro’s ongoing outbreak of violence.

Cesar "Gordim" survived a nasty
armbar from Udi Lima.In a clash of 205-pound prospects, Natal native Ronny Markes halted Fernando Silva with strikes at 3:08 of the first round.

“Lageano” came out striking against his northeastern foe, but Markes surprised him by ending every exchange with a successful takedown. After Silva was able to get back up for a third time, Markes clipped him with a thunderous overhand right. Markes seized the opportunity and pounced on Lageano, finishing him with punches.

The win gets the 22-year-old Markes back in the win column, following his surprising first career loss on Oct. 7 to Paulo Rodrigues at Iron Man Championship 7.

Two-time Rio Heroes champion William Vianna won a razor-thin split decision over notorious local Mauricio Antonio "Faccao" Santos Jr., avenging his loss from Brazil Fight’s first edition this past March. The bout was mostly a bad display of poor striking, in which both fighters spent the contest hitting air. However, after 15 minutes, Vianna had landed the majority of hard blows, especially unchecked low kicks, and earned the split nod.

In Brazil Fight’s first-ever female fight, virtual unknown Juliana Carneiro earned split decision over Aline Serio in a lackluster affair. The two women spent the majority of the fight against the fence, with Serio stuffing Carneiro’s takedowns. However, Carneiro was able to land just enough offense with punches and knees to eke out the close decision.

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UFC 117: Silva v. Sonnen

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Okami Wants Silva Rematch; Marquardt Not Looking Ahead

It has been nearly five years since Yushin Okami (Pictured) fought Anderson Silva, but at a pre-fight press conference for UFC 122 on Thursday, it became clear that the current UFC middleweight champion is still on the Japanese fighter’s mind.

Okami -- who meets Nate Marquardt in the main event on Saturday at the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, with a 185-pound title shot on the line -- was surprisingly direct when asked whether he prefers a rematch with Silva for the belt or a matchup with Vitor Belfort, who first challenges “The Spider” at UFC 126 in February.

“I’d like to fight against Mr. Anderson Silva,” Okami said.

In a January 2006 welterweight bout for the now-defunct Hawaiian promotion Rumble on the Rock, Silva was disqualified in the opening round for delivering an illegal upkick to the face of Okami, who was on both knees in Silva’s guard. It is an outcome with which Silva has since voiced his displeasure and one which has clearly left Okami with a bitter taste.

“Technically speaking, I won the fight, but I feel I lost that fight,” Okami said. “I admit that he’s a great fighter. That’s the only reason why I’d like to fight against him.”

Since his meeting with Silva, Okami has gone 11-3, including a 9-2 run in the UFC. Most recently, Okami took a split decision from powerhouse wrestler Mark Munoz in August.

While Okami’s answer was clear, his opponent declined to state a preference, or to look past his current task.

“Honestly, I don’t care,” Marquardt said. “I have a very tough opponent in front of me, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Marquardt has also met Silva in the past, challenging for the UFC middleweight belt in July 2007, when he dropped a one-sided bout via first-round technical knockout. However, the Greg Jackson product claims it was his February decision loss to Chael Sonnen which changed his perspective on being a top contender.

“[It’s] not necessarily that I value it more, but when I lost to Chael, I kinda realized that I had lost a little bit of my desire, my fire to train,” said Marquardt. “My dream is to be the champion, and I think that reignited my fire. I got that now, and that’s how I can know that I’m gonna go out and fight my best.”

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