When Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva steps into the Octagon at UFC 132 against Chris Leben on July 2, it will be the 45th professional fight of his MMA career.Recently, the former PRIDE middleweight champion took to Twitter to inform his fans that h…
When Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva steps into the Octagon at UFC 132 against Chris Leben on July 2, it will be the 45th professional fight of his MMA career.
Recently, the former PRIDE middleweight champion took to Twitter to inform his fans that he would like another 10 fights before he retires:
“I want to make more ten fights in my career. It’s amazing, when I think about it my eyes are filled with tears,” Silva tweeted.
Since joining the UFC in 2007, Silva has fought six times and granted, he had some time off due to surgeries.
Ten more fights would see the 34-year-old Silva most likely entering his 40s before he retires.
Silva also took time to thank his fans, “Thank God because for some years now I don’t need to fight for money, I do it because I’m crazy for you. My fans are my reason [for fighting].”
Silva, who has the WandFC team and his Las Vegas training facility to fall back on, seems less than eager to head into retirement:
“You have no idea how I do feel when I am inside that [the cage]. It’s unique and intense. I’ve competed my whole life, I don’t know how it’ll be afterwards,” Silva tweeted.
Silva’s career began with a victory over Dilson Filho on Nov. 1, 1996.
UFC 132 will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 2. The fight card will be headlined by a UFC bantamweight bout between the champion Dominick Cruz and challenger, former WEC featherweight champion, Urijah Faber.The two fighters have met be…
UFC 132 will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 2. The fight card will be headlined by a UFC bantamweight bout between the champion Dominick Cruz and challenger, former WEC featherweight champion, Urijah Faber.
The two fighters have met before, with Faber (25-4) defeating Cruz by first round submission. That loss, in 2007, remains the only blemish on Cruz’s record (17-1).
Since that time, the two have developed a mutual dislike for each other.
“Me and Urijah don’t really get along very much, needless to say,” Cruz told Heavy.com’s Fight Day. “It goes all the way back to the first time we fought about four years ago I’d say. I fought him at 145 pounds for the world title. I did some stuff that made him angry. He did some stuff after the fight that made me angry.”
“It just stuck in my head and just gave me a bad taste in my mouth. I never really just had a good feeling towards him since then. It just makes it that much easier to get in there and punch him in the face.”
Faber had the following to say about the animosity between the two.
“I don’t really like Cruz very much. You keep hearing about it, because everybody keeps asking about it,” Faber said in a recent UFC media call. “The bottom line is I think the guy kind of chose me as an enemy, and I accept. We fought once, and we’re going to do it again.”
The main card will also see the return of Wanderlei Silva to the Octagon. Silva, who has been rehabbing from knee surgery, has not fought since defeating Michael Bisping by unanimous decision in February of last year.
Silva will face Chris Leben on the Las Vegas card. Leben is coming off a TKO loss to Brian Stann at UFC 125.
Tito Ortiz will be facing Ryan Bader and his possible release from the UFC when he steps into the cage on July 2. UFC president Dana White has made it clear that Ortiz has run out of chances with the UFC and if he does not deliver a win in this bout he will be released from his contract. Ortiz has not won a fight since defeating Ken Shamrock in 2006.
Standing in Ortiz’s way, Bader will look to get back in the win column after suffering the first loss of his 13 fight MMA career to Jon Jones at UFC 125.
Rounding out the main card which will be shown on pay-per-view at 9:00 pm ET:
Dennis Siver vs. Matt Wiman
Carlos Condit vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Preliminary fights that have been made official:
Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller
Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki
Jason “Mayhem” Miller vs. Aaron Simpson
Tickets for UFC 132 will go on sale on Saturday, May 7 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced from $75-$800.
Bleacher Report’s John Heinis:Fighters Only recently interviewed UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans.The main topic of discussion was one of Evans former opponents, “The Count” Michael Bisping. Evans said that Bisping is not a guy who seems that ski…
Bleacher Report’s John Heinis:
Fighters Only recently interviewed UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans.
The main topic of discussion was one of Evans former opponents, “The Count” Michael Bisping.
Evans said that Bisping is not a guy who seems that skilled, until you enter the cage against him.
“That’s one thing I learned by fighting him. And his takedowns have gotten a lot better, I have been impressed by that—and by his transitions to those takedowns,” Evans complimented.
The former light heavyweight champion then had no problem elaborating on these comments.
“See its one thing to be able to hit a takedown—anybody at this level in MMA, we all know how to take someone down. But its the little things that make your takedown effective and one of the things is your transition from your punches to your takedown.”
For those unfamiliar, Evans won a split decision over Bisping at UFC 78 in what was widely considered a boring fight.
Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges:According to MMAConvert.com, UFC welterweight Jon Fitch had successful surgery after he suffered a shoulder injury during his bout against BJ Penn, at UFC 127. Fitch posted via Twitter earlier today following his surg…
Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges:
According to MMAConvert.com, UFC welterweight Jon Fitch had successful surgery after he suffered a shoulder injury during his bout against BJ Penn, at UFC 127.
Fitch posted via Twitter earlier today following his surgery and he seems to be in great spirits.
“Awake and feeling like a million bucks,” Fitch said.
While the American Kickboxing Academy fighter has not confirmed a return to the Octagon, he is expected to be out of action for six months.
However the injury has not affected Fitch completely. MMAConvert.com also reports he attended a UFC 129 after party last weekend in Toronto, where he and AKA teammate Cain Velasquez ran into BJ Penn.
Bleacher Report’s MMA news recap for Thursday, May 5:UFC 129: Cesar Gracie surprised by Jake Shields’ boxing skills.UFC 131: Rani Yahya out, Jason Young to fight Dustin Poirier.UFC 130: Gray Maynard talks Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis and Rashad Evans….
Bleacher Report’s MMA news recap for Thursday, May 5:
UFC 129: Cesar Gracie surprised by Jake Shields’ boxing skills.
UFC 131: Rani Yahya out, Jason Young to fight Dustin Poirier.
UFC 130: Gray Maynard talks Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis and Rashad Evans.
UFC 129 Results: Could Mark Hominick get another title shot with a couple of wins?
UFC 130: Roy Nelson talks UFC Fan Expo, mullets and Frank Mir.
UFC Rio: Ben Rothwell’s return and rumored opponent.
Bleacher Report’s Sal DeRose:At UFC 129, Mark Hominick gave Jose Aldo a run for his money even with a hematoma on his head. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to grasp the UFC featherweight title from Aldo.Hominick though, may get another crack at t…
Bleacher Report’s Sal DeRose:
At UFC 129, Mark Hominick gave Jose Aldo a run for his money even with a hematoma on his head. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to grasp the UFC featherweight title from Aldo.
Hominick though, may get another crack at the featherweight title with a couple more wins under his belt after he impressed the UFC with his UFC 129 performance.
“Oh, they were thrilled. They were like, ‘Heal up and we want you back as soon as you can. In another two fights you will get another crack at the title,’” Hominick told The Fan 590 Radio on Monday. “I know some of the things I have to work on to take him out. I don’t think he would be lining up to fight me to tell you the honest truth.”
Hominick took the fight to Aldo and in the fifth round made an impressive comeback to try and sway the judges in his favor. Hominick though lost to Aldo by unanimous decision and is now out for a little bit while he heals.
Hominick’s performance took place at home in Canada in front of 50,000 at Roger Centre in Toronto.
When Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva steps into the Octagon at UFC 132 against Chris Leben on July 2, it will be the 45th professional fight of his MMA career.
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