It took a while, but UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva opened up and said his piece.
After a string of one-word answers and an apparent lack of interest in promoting his UFC 117 headliner against Chael Sonnen, Silva said he simply differs with the trash-talking challenger on how to sell a fight.
“I just don’t choose to promote the fight like that,” Silva told MMAjunkie.com.
By now, John Salter should be used to last-minute opponent changes.
Following middleweight Phil Baroni’s withdrawal from their fight at UFC 118, sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com that Dan Miller has stepped in to meet the Southerner on the event’s preliminary card.
MMADiehards.com first reported the change.
Light heavyweights Jared Hamman vs. Kyle Kingsbury and welterweights David Mitchell vs. Anthony Waldburger are set for UFC Fight Night 22’s un-aired preliminary card.
MMAjunkie.com previously reported the two matchups, which recently were made official.
UFC Fight Night 22 takes place Sept. 15 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and airs on Spike TV.
Forget light heavyweight, forget heavyweight, and especially forget welterweight; Anderson Silva says he wants to stick to middleweight.
The UFC’s 185-pound champion today said that he plans to retire in the 185-pound class and apparently is uninterested in fighting at light heavyweight or heavyweight.
“I like my weight division that I fight in, and I’m prepared to stay in my weight division,” Silva today said through translator and manager, Ed Soares.
Despite the loss of middleweight Jorge Rivera due to a broken arm, replacement fighter Gerald Harris and opponent Alessio Sakara have kept their spot on the UFC 118 “UFC Prelims” broadcast.
A source close to the event today confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com.
Harris vs. Sakara, as well as Terry Etim vs. Joe Lauzon, remain on the one-hour Spike TV broadcast, which precedes the night’s pay-per-view main card.
UFC newcomer Todd “Bulldog” Brown has replaced injured Thiago Silva and now meets Tim Boetsch at UFC 117.
Earlier today MMAjunkie.com reported that a back injury had forced Silva off the upcoming card.
In his place steps Brown, who according to agent Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com, recently finalized a four-fight deal with the promotion.
UFC welterweight Phil Baroni is out of next month’s UFC 118 event and his fight with John Salter due to a collarbone injury.
Baroni’s agent, Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com, today confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com.
“He suffered a minor injury that interrupted his preparations,” Pavia said. “It’s not going to be a long-term problem.”
A lightweight bout between Chris Horodecki and Ed Ratcliff and a bantamweight fight between Chad George and Antonio Banuelos are set for the WEC 51 preliminary card.
WEC officials today announced the additions.
MMAjunkie.com first reported the Horodecki vs. Ratcliff fight this past week; George vs. Banuelos is a previously unreported booking.
Thiago Silva re-injured his back and is unable to fight Tim Boetsch at UFC 117.
Multiple sources close to the event today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com that Silva is benched and that a search for a replacement opponent is underway.
UFC 117 takes place Aug. 7 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., and features a headliner between middleweight champion Anderson Silva and challenger Chael Sonnen.
An opening-round heavyweight tournament bout between two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion Cole Konrad and submission specialist Rogent Lloret is set for Bellator 25.
Bellator officials today announced the fight.
Bellator 25, which features other season-three tourney fights, takes place Aug. 19 at the Chicago Theatre in Illinois.