Anderson in fight against Demian. Photo: Luca Atalla.
Brazil’s Sensei Sportv martial arts television program will wrap up 2010 with one of the most heavily-anticipated interviews of the year. Record holder in straight wins in the UFC, record holder in title defenses who took more than 280 blows to his face over five rounds and with an injured rib, Anderson Silva had Brazilian fans on tenterhooks for nearly twenty-five minutes, but then showed why he is considered the best fighter ever to enter the octagon by finishing off Chael Sonnen. The fight was just voted the fight of the year at the MMA Awards ceremony this week in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the interview with reporter Mario Filho, Anderson reveals all that went on in the lead-up (including the provocations and training injury), during, and in the wake of the fight that put the “Spider” back on the list of UFC president Dana White’s darlings and even put the champion in high standing with the Jiu-Jitsu community, which bore witness not just to the technique learned from Rodrigo Minotauro, but the will power it took to pursue victory till the very end, while taking an surprising and unprecedented beating all the while.
Anderson confirms he has at least another five fights on his latest contract and that he will indeed carry on in the middleweight mix, even though Dana White jumps out of his seat with euphoria when he sees him laying waste to his opponents in the light heavyweight division. His next showdown, against also-Brazilian Vitor Belfort set for February 2011, is another highlight of the interview, but breaking from the character he’s shown through past statements, Andersonn really seems to have learned and matured a great deal through the repercussions of his last two fights (Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen), and chose his words carefully, candidly, but masterfully dodged controversy. And he even said:
“If Demian comes to understand why he’s in there, he’ll be the next guy to have and defend the middleweight belt for a long time.”
Silva also addresses his partnership and classes with Hollywood star and aikido master Steven Seagal, says Cigano will be the future UFC heavyweight champion, what motivates and demotivates him at this point in his career, and much more.