After nearly a decade spent battling with the world’s best heavyweights around the globe, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva is finally coming home.
The Brasilia, Brazil, native will not only be returning to the city he was born in when he steps into the Octagon to face Andrei Arlovski this Saturday night at Fight Night 51, but it will also mark the first time in his professional career he will be competing in front of his countrymen.
That detail seems to be a curious wrinkle, especially considering the UFC’s extended presence in Brazil over the past four years. Nevertheless, “Bigfoot” is excited to finally be getting the chance to compete on his native soil.
His journey through mixed martial arts has taken him around the world and back, and on Saturday night, Silva intends to give his hometown crowd a show to remember.
“It is awesome to be fighting in Brazil because this will be the first fight in my entire career where the crowd will be with me instead of against me,” Silva told Bleacher Report with the assistance of a translator. “Every time I’ve fought before the crowd has been on the side of my opponent. That won’t be the case this time, and I’m very excited.”
When Silva steps in to face “The Pit Bull” on Saturday night, it will bring his nine-month layoff to an end. The last time fight fans saw him in action, it was against legendary powerhouse Mark Hunt when the two heavyweight juggernauts engaged in a battle for the ages at Fight Night 33 last December. The bout turned into a five-round war that saw both men pushed to their physical limits, with the end result being a majority draw on the judges’ scorecards.
The clash between Silva and Hunt was immediately heralded as one of the best heavyweight fights in MMA history, but the good vibes would soon turn sour when Silva tested positive for elevated testosterone levels in his post-fight drug test.
The 35-year-old would be issued a nine-month suspension, and the majority draw would be changed to a no-contest in the official record books. Nevertheless, being on the sidelines gave Silva time to heal old injuries and allowed him to lock his focus on making a triumphant return in his next fight.
The opportunity to do so will come against Arlovski this weekend in Brazil. Even though the two men originally squared off four years ago under the Strikeforce banner, Silva is treating their tilt on Saturday night like a fresh start. He’s confident he will have what it takes to get the job done again and believes what he brings to the table will be too much for the Jackson-Winkeljohn-trained fighter to handle.
“I had some small injuries and an operation on my shoulder, but I stayed in training,” Silva said. “Throughout it all I was always looking forward to my next fight.
“Arlovski is very good with his stand up, but I’m comfortable wherever this fight goes. I’m confident with my striking and my skills on the ground as well. I think the weight difference is going to play a factor in this fight for sure.
“I’m very happy to be returning to the Octagon,” he added. “I’m excited to encounter victory once again.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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