At UFC 183, Anderson Silva will make his long-awaited comeback to the Octagon against the brash and always controversial Nick Diaz. Longtime former middleweight champion Silva suffered a catastrophic injury at UFC 168, when he broke his leg during an e…
At UFC 183, Anderson Silva will make his long-awaited comeback to the Octagon against the brash and always controversial Nick Diaz. Longtime former middleweight champion Silva suffered a catastrophic injury at UFC 168, when he broke his leg during an exchange with the current 185-pound champion, Chris Weidman.
Since his 14-month layoff, the Brazilian has recuperated and is prepared to entertain the masses this Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
However, his opponent at UFC 183 is of similar size and stature and enjoys the stand-up game just as much as Silva. Both of the combatants’ strengths lie within their striking. Nevertheless, Diaz may wish to become more versatile in his overall skill set if he hopes to topple the man whom many consider to be the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
Anderson Silva
To be successful in his 2015 debut, Silva will more than likely participate in the flashy, unorthodox and unpredictable style of fighting that allowed him to reign atop the middleweight division for nearly seven years.
The 39-year-old has spent the last 18 years keeping other fighters off balance with his unconventional fight style. He is tall, and his length has allowed him to dominate his opponents without being hit in return. Silva’s speed has also played a major factor in his victories, which has afforded him 33 wins, 26 by finish.
Diaz enjoys a stand-up war, which plays to Silva’s advantage. The Brazilian is more seasoned, his striking is more accurate, and he possesses the ability to end a fight in an instant (a la Forrest Griffin, Vitor Belfort and Stephan Bonnar). Silva will welcome a stand-up matchup and most likely reign victorious if the main event remains on its feet. Given that, Silva’s camp recently told Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting they have no doubt Silva will put on an “amazing performance” at UFC 183.
Nick Diaz
Diaz relishes the stand-up game. However, in this matchup, he may wish to engage in a dirty boxing and grappling war. Silva has traditionally had difficulty with wrestlers or other grapplers of the like. His bouts against Weidman, Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen proved to be challenging, as the grappling aspect presented a significant issue.
The Brazilian, however, went on to defeat two of those opponents, but the blueprint to control his unpredictable strikes had been created. Closing the distance and latching on to Silva while wearing him down from strikes within the clinch may prove effective and ruin Silva’s run for the title.
Nevertheless, it appears that Diaz will choose to stand and trade with his Brazilian counterpart. The “Stockton Bad Boy” has employed the services of Glory champion Artem Levin to heavily assist him in his stand-up game. With a kickboxing and muay thai record of 50-4-1, Levin has the tools to improve Diaz’s overall striking skill set.
During an appearance on Inside MMA, Diaz commented on Levin’s contributions to his UFC 183 preparation, saying, “He is here for a couple of days. We had some workouts. And I like to work with different kickboxers and a lot of professional strikers.”
If Diaz is able to dispatch the MMA legend in dramatic fashion, it may spell the end to Silva’s career and grant Diaz a shot at the middleweight title.
I love Nick Diaz.
In the spirit of full disclosure I think it’s important to tell you that up front. It’s a manly platonic love. Purely unprofessional? Sure. And deeply held.
Everything about Diaz resonates with me. His intransigence and “me agai…
I love Nick Diaz.
In the spirit of full disclosure I think it’s important to tell you that up front. It’s a manly platonic love. Purely unprofessional? Sure. And deeply held.
Everything about Diaz resonates with me. His intransigence and “me against the world” outlook, his willingness to endure tremendous punishment in order to make his point to an opponent and his obnoxious petulance in the face of any and all obstacles—I feel that, man.
There’s tragic glory waiting to reveal itself every time Diaz fights. Even his moment of greatest triumph was eventually ruined by his own fondness for marijuana. Diaz can’t get out of his own way.
That’s beautiful sadness.
But even as Nick Diaz‘s biggest fan, it’s been hard for me to get too excited about his fight with Anderson Silva at UFC 183 this Saturday. In every other Diaz tilt I’ve been able to convince myself, whether logical or not, that there was a path to victory for Stockton’s finest. Even against the great Georges St-Pierre I dared to dream.
With Silva, however, my heart has failed completely in the one mission I assigned it—overcoming my stubborn and analytical brain telling me that all signs point to a comeback win for the “Spider.”
It’s clear that the UFC is looking at the fight as a stepping stone for Silva. President Dana White is already dreaming of a third bout between the former champion and current middleweight kingpin Chris Weidman? And why not? Their last bout was the most successful UFC pay-per-view in years.
That means Diaz is seen as the opponent here. He’s the big name coming in to lose, a resume line chosen specifically for how well he matches up with Silva.
Diaz is a recklessly aggressive striker who never stops moving forward. Silva is the ultimate counterpuncher, a man who likes nothing better than to see an opponent moving towards him, the fly completely unaware of the web he’s walking into.
Nothing I did seemed to help relieve doubt. I read striking expert Connor Ruebusch‘s ode to Diaz and was briefly able to suspend disbelief. Diaz‘s unbelievable pace and willingness to absorb punishment, he argues, makes him a threat to anyone, even Anderson Silva:
It takes a highly disciplined opponent to consistently evade Diaz‘s attacks, and with each failed attempt Diaz‘s confidence grows, and his aggression with it. Despite the linear nature of his offensive footwork, he is more than happy to put wide, stinging hooks at the end of a combination, deceptively powerful punches that catch anything in a wide arc before him even as they allow him to pull his head back out of the range of his opponent’s counters…Of the eighteen men who have tried to stick to a gameplan and deny the ever-mounting Diaz swarm since 2006, only two have succeeded, and neither of them was able to thwart him entirely.
Michael Bisping, Fox Sports 1 commentator and perennial middleweight contender, agrees that this is where Silva is vulnerable. I asked him to make a case for Diaz. He did his best.
“Opponents can’t stand back too much or he’ll get comfortable and get into a real rhythm and start opening up with his boxing combinations,” Bisping said. “I think he’s capable of taking Anderson out of his comfort zone…I would say he has the better hands and better combinations. That’s how Diaz wins this fight.”
In Diaz‘s perfect world. that relentless forward momentum ends in one place—up against the cage, where he brutalizes foes with sweeping hooks to the body and bullies them with his head to keep them right where he wants them.
“I’ve always been gunning for Anderson myself,” Bisping said. “People would often ask me ‘what would be your game plan?’ And I’d try to back him up. I’d do just what Diaz will try to do—back him up against the fence and not give him room to maneuver. Anderson likes space. He likes to be in striking range. He likes to have room to circle away from his opponent and be just close enough to counter. Pushing him against the fence takes that away.”
Of course, Bisping cautions, even getting exactly what you want against Silva can be extremely dangerous. ChaelSonnen wanted to take him to the mat. He got a triangle choke for his troubles. Rich Franklin, the former middleweight champion, wanted, like Diaz, to push him against the cage and rough him up. The result wasn’t pretty.
“Rich Franklin found out the hard way. And after that fighters haven’t been so keen to get into the clinch with Anderson,” Bisping said. “You can stay in boxing range and still be at the advantage. Don’t get so close that Anderson can clinch. You can stand toe-to-toe without necessarily being chest-to-chest which is where he can get the Thai clinch.”
That’s a fine line. And Diaz, almost inevitably, ends up in the clinch in every single bout, drawn to the intimacy of close quarter combat.
Of course, that’s assuming Silva will allow the fight to proceed on Diaz‘s terms. Against Carlos Condit, Diaz‘s two fatal flaws were revealed to the world. He struggles against a mobile opponent, following his foe in circles rather than cutting off the cage. He’s also vulnerable to low leg kicks, refusing to check them and having to press the reset button again and again if a persistent opponent is willing to actively attack his extremities.
If Silva was watching the Condit fight closely, he may be able to forestall Nick’s best opportunities.
And then there’s the small matter of weight. Silva is a full-sized middleweight who has dominated the biggest and best fighters in that division for nearly a decade. That, according to Fightland’s Jack Slack, is a big deal:
The strength and size advantage for Silva is a significant one. The reason that none of the other super fights from the “summer of super fights” the other year came to fruition is that there is a reason that fighters cut weight.
Diaz has spent the bulk of his career at 170 pounds, even dropping down to lightweight in his younger days. He’s used to fighting men his size and smaller.
“The thing about Diaz is that he has a very long reach,” Bisping said. “That’s always been advantageous when he’s fought guys at 170. Against Anderson, he’s not going to have that reach advantage.”
Bisping points out, however, that there can be advantages in moving up a class, even if you’re still able to make the weight.
“When you cut weight, you lose muscle mass as well,” Bisping pointed out. “It just goes hand and hand with extreme dieting. You do lose a bit of strength and you do lose a bit of punching power. Diaz will certainly go into this fight as strong as he’s ever been. He’s been able to eat correctly, he didn’t have to diet so he’s been able to recover after every training session. I expect Diaz to be in the best shape of his life. Maybe not to look at. But in terms of endurance, strength and punching power.”
It’s an interesting proposition when you consider it that way. Diaz, at 31, could be peaking, his physical condition and martial skills aligning perfectly at just the right moment in time.
Silva, by contrast, is nearing 40. His last two fights have ended via brutal knockout and devastating leg break respectively. He hasn’t fought in more than a year. Considering so much of his game revolves around the breathtaking speed and reflexes he uses to counter an opponent’s every misstep, it’s safe to assume age will not be his friend.
Could Diaz actually pull this off?
Slack, for one, doesn’t see it as a likely turn of events:
…the stylistic match up is a horrible one for Diaz. He walks forward, he can’t cut off the ring, and he repeatedly throws himself head first into the double collar tie when he gets there.
…Diaz is fighting Silva in Silva’s world, at Silva’s weight, and provides exactly the kind of fighter Silva wants. Aggressive, emotional, and completely oblivious to the effects of lateral movement and low kicks.
That’s a damning account, a version of reality I can’t bring myself to face. I choose to believe Diaz will march forward, he will force Silva to fight and he will show the world that will power and endurance can overcome native ability.
Yes, this is Silva’s fight to lose. But it’s a fight he could lose. There is a path for Diaz to walk. There is hope and in hope lie dreams.
That may not be much. But for sports fans who have seen the impossible, it’s enough. In the end, a Diaz fan must live by the man’s own immortal words—”Don’t be scared homie.”
Jonathan Snowden is Bleacher Report’s lead combat sports writer. All quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.
UFC 183 is nearly here—and the much-anticipated middleweight clash between Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz headlines the action.
The 12-fight card will become official on Friday evening when the 22 athletes step on the scale to make their weight cla…
UFC 183 is nearly here—and the much-anticipated middleweight clash between Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz headlines the action.
The 12-fight card will become official on Friday evening when the 22 athletes step on the scale to make their weight classifications.
In the co-main event, welterweights Kelvin Gastelum and TyronWoodley try to take another step toward the UFC gold. The two highly ranked contenders are not far off from earning a title shot, and an impressive showing puts them in the discussion.
The rest of the card is equally exciting. Bleacher Report will have complete coverage all weekend long, kicking off with the weigh-ins at 7 p.m. ET. We will report on all the official weights and any missteps that may occur. Keep it locked here at B/R for your UFC 183 analysis.
In every sport, there exists a perpetual debate as to who the greatest of all time is. And with each passing generation, the line blurs between the ghosts of past, present and future.
Mixed martial arts, under the banner of the UFC,&nb…
In every sport, there exists a perpetual debate as to who the greatest of all time is. And with each passing generation, the line blurs between the ghosts of past, present and future.
Mixed martial arts, under the banner of the UFC, turned 20 in 2013. In comparison to its more seasoned siblings, MMA is going through puberty. But that doesn’t mean the cage hasn’t showcased its share of brilliance.
What was once mostly spectacle, like matching a 600-pound sumo wrestler against a 170-pound whirling dervish, became a fully defined sport. And when it’s performed at its finest, MMA can be a ballet of violence.
A few names rise above the rest when talk turns to the greatest MMA fighter of all time. It starts with the self-effacing Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko. In real time, some are already willing to proclaim current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones as the man.
Between those two in the debate are two different champions in Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva. You can make a case for both, as well as for the two aforementioned fighters, but for many, the guy who’s making his long-awaited return this weekend at UFC 183stands tallest.
Fans and pundits alike compare win-loss records. They debate respective strength of competition and add up who has more knockouts and submissions versus judges’ decisions. Win streaks and total time as champion matter. Bonus points if they’ve held belts in more than one organization.
Beyond the calculators, protractors and the inexact science of it all, there’s the poetry found in motion. The splendor of Silva is what separates him from the others.
Think about the way he moved and the manner in which he flattened once tall men. Silva was the first mixed martial artist who made you feel you were breathing in the Matrix. He’d mastered the sequencing of ones and zeros and was giving us the woman in the red dress.
We couldn’t look away. And then, just like that, it all came crashing down. With the flick of a wrist, Silva’s near seven-year reign was over at the hands of an agent of change in the unbeaten Chris Weidman.
In their first fight, Silva’s bullet-dodging backfired. Weidman dropped the champ with a left hook and followed it up with some retaliatory(Caution: Strong language) ground-and-pound. The second match added injury to insult with the leg break that put The Spider out of action for 13 months.
Silva could have easily called it a career. The injury was an excruciating one.
A few months shy of 39 at the time, he had nothing left to prove. But he refused to be put out to pasture. Over the past year, various videos of Silva’s comeback trail flooded the Internet. The ones of him kicking with his mending leg were the most visceral.
When he steps into the cage Saturday night at UFC 183, it will be a moment that lives with his fans forever. Jack Dempsey said, “A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.” Silva didn’t have to get up, but he did.
Combat sports are unforgiving by design.
Most career endings are not the stuff of Hollywood. There’s no guarantee that Silva’s final dance, whenever it comes, won’t be any prettier than if he’d hobbled out on a broken leg.
But at least he’ll be going out on his terms—GOAT status in tow for the time.
LAS VEGAS—The fun part about a Nick Diaz fight isn’t really the fight itself.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the fights. Diaz is exciting, what with his constant motion and punches and trash-talking.
But it’s the other stuff, the stuff that…
LAS VEGAS—The fun part about a Nick Diaz fight isn’t really the fight itself.
Not that there’s anything wrong with the fights. Diaz is exciting, what with his constant motion and punches and trash-talking.
But it’s the other stuff, the stuff that goes along with Diaz, that makes him such an attraction. That’s why media members completely encircled Diaz’s empty podium 20 minutes before the brash Stockton native was set to show up for Thursday’s media day.
Anderson Silva, the greatest fighter in the history of the sport? Five media members awaited his arrival, which came 23 minutes after he was scheduled to arrive.
Make no mistake: For those of us who are looking for quotable bits and pieces, Diaz was the attraction, even when the great Silva was in the room.
Diaz was the attraction because Wednesday he pulled a Diaz move, skipping the traditional fight week open workouts after missing several UFC-scheduled flights. On Tuesday, he showed up at the airport in Sacramento, put his bags on the plane, walked to his gate and then, in his own words, “had to go home for some things.” He turned around and left the airport, leaving UFC officials scrambling.
“When we got to the airport I was like, I think I’d just rather sleep in my own bed tonight,” Diaz said. “I think they were gonna try to jam me up with a bunch of things.
“I apologize to all the fans, especially the ones that were here to see the open workout. I didn’t really put too much thought into it. I was just more focused on the fight,” Diaz said. “I’ve pulled the same card a couple of times. It’s pretty inconsiderate of me. I apologize to all the fans who were anticipating a show on Wednesday.”
Yes, Diaz has pulled the same card a couple of times. For UFC officials, it is nothing new. This time, they were ready to capitalize, turning his absence into a marketing angle that set MMA‘s social media space on fire. Dana White tweeted a photo of Diaz on a milk carton. The promotion worked it into its highly popular online Embedded series. In short, the UFC did what promoters do best, which is take the cards they are given and play them to their advantage.
Diaz wasn’t surprised at the UFC’s decision to use his absence as a fight-week storyline.
“They’re gonna have something regardless. They’re gonna say whatever they want to say,” Diaz said. “They had fun with it. That’s fine. They’re gonna do what they like.”
Diaz is the most interesting character in mixed martial arts precisely because he is as real as they come. He hates media obligations. But when he does them, he opens up in a way few others do with raw-nerve honesty. He repeatedly noted on Thursday that he wasn’t going to rush to Las Vegas to fulfill media commitments when his only obligation was to show up on Friday, make weight and fight on Saturday.
In his mind, those are the moments he committed to. Everything else falls by the wayside if he so chooses.
“For me, mixed martial arts isn’t a career. It’s an opportunity. Today is an opportunity,” he said. “I have to work myself up to these things. I make the best out of the situation.”
After 30 minutes of conversation, UFC representative Reed Harris signaled that Diaz’s time in front of the media was up. It was a curious thing; the other nine fighters available for media stuck around another 30 minutes. Not Diaz. He walked over to the fans stuck behind a barricade and signed autographs for a few minutes before disappearing with his massive bodyguard into a back room, emerging 30 minutes later for his faceoff with Silva.
It took an extra day, but Diaz showed up. And when he did, he proved once again that he’s one of the most intriguing people the sport has ever seen. And perhaps the magic of Diaz is that we get such limited doses and so few chances for actual face time.
Even if it is not intentional, he makes the moment count.
Silva, Diaz Are Polar Opposites of Jones, Cormier
The media day faceoff earlier this month between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier was as heated as they come, an intense and public moment between two fighters who didn’t like each other and did not mind showing it.
Thursday’s faceoff between Silva and Diaz? Not so much. Diaz looked as though he wasn’t sure how to act or handle himself with an opponent he respects. He awkwardly pointed at Silva before lifting his fists up for the photo op and then bowed to the former middleweight champion.
Unlike many opponents in the past, it appeared as though Diaz won’t be working himself into a frenzy in order to face Silva. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, we’ll find out Saturday night.
After the faceoff, Silva spotted longtime coach and friend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the crowd. Followed by his anxious (and massive) bodyguards, Silva surged through the assembled media and hugged Nogueira, and Big Nog gave him a huge smile in return. The pair hadn’t seen each other in a while, and it was a happy reunion.
After speaking with Nogueira briefly, Silva spent nearly 30 minutes signing autographs and taking photos with the fans in attendance. He laughed and joked and gave off the appearance of a man without a care in the world.
During a media scrum earlier, Silva repeated his belief that the Diaz fight represents his UFC debut all over again. If his tour de force Wednesday open workout and general mannerisms are to be believed, the rest of the UFC’s middleweight division might be in trouble.
Tate Plans Super Post-Fight Party
Win or lose, there will be no Vegas clubs for Miesha Tate after her bout against Sara McMann.
Instead, Tate, longtime boyfriend Bryan Caraway, mother Michele and stepfather Rob will rent an RV and drive to Phoenix, home of Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Tate asked sponsor Budweiser for tickets to the Super Bowl prior to the Seahawks’ thrilling January 18 game against the Green Bay Packers. The beer giant obliged.
“But I knew it would be much more life-changing and memorable if my team was there,” Tate said. “That was a pivotal moment. For me, it’s way more awesome to go there and support my own local team.”
Things worked out perfectly. Tate will face McMann, and a win would move her one step closer to her ultimate goal of a third fight with Ronda Rousey. Then, she’ll hop on an RV—ideally with another win in her back pocket—and drive the four hours to Phoenix to support her favorite football team while eating the kind of tailgate junk food she has denied herself for the past eight weeks.
It has the makings of a perfect weekend.
Woodley Still Believes in the People of Ferguson
It has been nearly six months since Tyron Woodley watched his hometown of Ferguson, Missouri, spiral out of control after the shooting of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Woodley is part of the fabric of Ferguson. He was on Canfield Drive just two days before police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Brown on the same street. In August, he told Bleacher Report that he was skeptical of real governmental change in Ferguson; racial tensions have existed in the city for as long as Woodley can remember.
In November, a grand jury decided not to indict Wilson for the shooting. Ferguson exploded anew. Violent protests broke out. Looters crashed into local businesses, stealing anything not nailed down while the national news aired the madness live.
Woodley was disappointed with the decision not to indict Wilson.
“Our justice system failed us. The city failed us. Not that he should have been found guilty. But the due process wasn’t served,” Woodley told Bleacher Report. “I feel like the case was strong enough that it should have at least been taken to court. There’s still some kinks in the system. It’s wrong on both sides. Hopefully, this stops the sweeping underneath the rug, and they’ll really address what’s going on in the government.”
Woodley said he’s disappointed in the Ferguson government but still believes in the people, and that the looters America saw on national news did not represent the city.
“They were professional opportunists who didn’t even live in Missouri. Ninety-nine percent of the people who live in Ferguson were peacefully protesting,” he said. “That’s what activists do: They say ‘this is wrong, I don’t believe it and I’m going to peacefully show it.’ The people that used it as an opportunity to steal and loot, they’re idiots and morons. They’re a disgrace to society and the human race.”
Gastelum Reserving Judgment on Reebok Deal
Fighters and their managers began learning more about the new partnership between the UFC and Reebok at the UFC Fight Night card in Boston in January.
Earlier this month, Bleacher Report revealed the details of the new Athlete Outfitting Policy, which goes into effect beginning with the July 6 card in Las Vegas. But one thing is still missing, and it’s the most important detail of all: how much the fighters will make from the deal.
Welterweight Kelvin Gastelum, who faces Woodley in Saturday night’s co-main event, said he is reserving judgment on the deal until he finds out how it will impact his checkbook.
“I can’t say until we know the dollar amount. A lot of people are going to be losing a lot of money,” Gastelum said. “But until we see the dollar amount, we won’t know how to react.”
It is a common refrain among fighters, especially those with good sponsorship deals like Gastelum. He is sponsored by Bad Boy, an iconic brand in the mixed martial arts space, and the company pays him a monthly salary to promote its brand.
But beginning in July, the UFC will force all fighters to wear Reebok for all UFC-sanctioned appearances.
What will happen to Gastelum’s deal with Bad Boy or with Urijah Faber’s deal with Torque, once those brands are no longer able to appear on UFC broadcasts?
Many questions remain on the Reebok deal, and it could be months before we have definitive answers. In the meantime, the fighters play the waiting game just like the rest of us.
All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
UFC 183 is the final event of what has been an action-packed January for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The story revolves around the return of Anderson Silva and his battle against the outspoken Nick Diaz. Yet there are many other important fight…
UFC 183 is the final event of what has been an action-packed January for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The story revolves around the return of Anderson Silva and his battle against the outspoken Nick Diaz. Yet there are many other important fights that will occur on the undercard.
One of those features Sara McMann and Miesha Tate, two women who are amongst the best in the women’s bantamweight division. But this does not mean they are fighting for a shot at Ronda Rousey.
The UFC recognizes Tate and McMann as two of the best women who are a part of the 135-pound group. In the company’s official rankings, they are in second and third positions, respectively. The top-ranked individual is Cat Zingano, who is poised to challenge Rousey at UFC 184. So what does this mean for the winner of the Tate-McMann fight on Saturday? That question has not been directly addressed.
Both Tate and McMann have turned around their careers since recent losses to the champion. Tate is riding a two-fight win streak, while McMann defeated Lauren Murphy in August. These wins were enough to keep them recognized as the No. 2 and No. 3 fighters in the division, yet they weren’t enough to garner another shot at the title.
This fight should be recognized as an opportunity to keep these athletes busy while not removing any up-and-coming contenders they would potentially defeat.
Still, that does not mean this is not a valuable contest. Both competitors are aware how important a win would be at UFC 183.
“A win over Tate in this fight gives me the chance to tell the UFC to give me another title shot,” McMann told Duane Finley for UFC.com. “I believe I am the person to beat Ronda and want them to put me against her again. I’m stronger, better, faster and more aware than I was the last time I fought her and really want the chance to do it again.”
Tate has similar feelings about her chances in facing and defeating Rousey down the line. But she also knows that she has to get through McMann before any such battle can occur.
“She [Ronda Rousey] motivates me to be a better fighter and a better person. A stronger fighter and a stronger person. So I kind of revel in that,” Tate stated to Damon Martin of FoxSports.com. “It’s something I look forward to and I hope I will have another chance to fight her. I think beating McMann makes a great argument.”
Sara McMann and Miesha Tate are two of the top names in the women’s bantamweight division. Although they are standouts in the weight class, they were both unable to take the title from Ronda Rousey. Their fight at UFC 183 may not be a direct title eliminator, but they both believe a victory will put them on the path toward another title shot.
At UFC 183, Anderson Silva will make his long-awaited comeback to the Octagon against the brash and always controversial Nick Diaz. Longtime former middleweight champion Silva suffered a catastrophic injury at UFC 168, when he broke his leg during an exchange with the current 185-pound champion, Chris Weidman.