Just days away from his upcoming title defense, Anderson Silva is motivated to fight in front of his country at UFC 134. Silva, who will make his ninth-consecutive title defense, headlines the event against Yushin Okami.
In a recent interview on FOX Sports, Silva spoke about his upcoming bout against the Japanese star and hopes to see his opponent in good condition. Both men met previously in a 2006 bout that saw Okami earn a win over the Brazilian by disqualification, but despite the result, Silva expects nothing more than to see Okami prepared to compete.
“I believe that Okami is going to come very well prepared,” Silva said of his opponent.
“I have no idea if he is going to stand up with me or try and take me down. I do know that he will be well prepared just like me. One thing I do know is I will be well prepared to represent my team and represent my work.”
Represent might just be an understatement in regard to Silva’s upcoming fight.
The Brazilian has held the middleweight title for nearly five years and is considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. “The Spider” has created some of the most memorable highlights in UFC history with his quick reflexes and creative striking.
But the accolades and championships don’t seem to flatter the Curitiba native as much as simply representing the UFC and being given the opportunity to be a part of an event in Brazil.
“I’m just proud to be part of the history, to be part of the team that are UFC athletes. That is the thing I’m most proud of,” he said.
If history tells us anything about Silva, it is that he can put on inspiring performances when he is motivated to do so. Now that he has been given the opportunity to fight in Rio de Janeiro, Silva will not likely disappoint.
“It’s going to be great. The Brazilian fans are very rowdy and my message to the world [is] prepare yourself because it’s going to get rowdy,” he said.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com