Playful Anderson Silva says someone's 'going to fall' in UFC 101 showdown

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Playful Anderson Silva says someone's 'going to fall' in UFC 101 showdown


By Neil Davidson


PHILADELPHIA — A playful Anderson Silva put on a show Wednesday, making like the Ronaldinho of mixed martial arts during a media workout in advance of UFC 101.
After modestly changing behind a UFC backdrop in the corner, Silva and four training partners began a leisurely trot around a set of wrestling mats in a hotel's makeshift workout room. When a piercing whistle announce it was time to pair up, the UFC middleweight champion showed off a behind-the-heel flick kick, mischievously dumped his partner on a nearby table and - with a huge grin on his face - almost wiped out himself on a set of scales behind him.
When it came time to grapple, the 34-year-old Brazilian couldn't resist poking a nearby duo as well as his own opponent.
The sweaty session over, Silva cringed in mock fear as a gaggle of reporters approached. Throughout the entire scrum, Silva held up an imaginary microphone, sticking it in front of each questioner, then manager-interpreter Ed Soares and then his own mouth. Adding realism, at one point he grimaced and used his other arm to support the one holding the imaginary mic.
But Silva (24-4) turned a bit more serious when it got down to the nitty-gritty of his fight with former light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of UFC 101 Saturday night at the Wachovia Center.
"I hope he comes in there and we get to see a standup war for 15 minutes," Silva said through Soares. "I can guarantee you I've prepared to go 15 minutes for a standup war and I can guarantee you someone's going to fall."
It is that kind of take-no-prisoners fight UFC president Dana White wanted when he matched Silva against Griffin at 205 pounds.
Silva has won all nine outings in the UFC, losing just one round in the process (to Dan Henderson, whom he submitted in the second round at UFC 82). But perhaps because of those high standards, he came in for criticism for not showing off his arsenal in his last two wins over Thales Leites and Canadian Patrick Cote.
Griffin, for one, doesn't think the criticism was warranted.
"People have short memories man, it's a tough business. I hear people talk about Chuck (Liddell) and they don't remember the three years the guy was unstoppable," he said. "People are always that way. Sports fans are that way, you win the Super Bowl, all they want is you to win the Super Bowl next year, you know."
Still, White decided Silva was bored with the 185-pound division, so he gave the Brazilian a bigger challenge in Griffin, a hard-nosed fighter who is willing to bang.
Asked about White's comments, Silva showed off some of his English.
"Dana boss," he said with a smile.
But he acknowledged the criticism.
"I thought my fights were great last time but most people weren't too happy with my performance so I think this is the fight that they thought that would be the kind of fight that the people want to watch," he said via Soares
Silva said he welcomed the "great challenge" of Griffin. And he has come prepared, looking thicker than in his middleweight travels, saying he will probably weigh around 206 pounds the night of the fight. Griffin will weigh around 220.
Griffin (16-5) enjoys a good challenge. When former Pride star Mauricio (Shogun) Rua moved to the UFC, Griffin asked to fight him and improbably submitted him at UFC 76.
The 30-year-old former Georgia sheriff's deputy sees the six-foot-two Silva as another worthy mountain to climb.
"I don't have so much to lose," he acknowledged. "So you got beat up by Anderson Silva.
"There's a big up-side. Somebody's got to beat him sooner or later. (He) might break an ankle on the way to cage. You never know."
Griffin, at least, has no fear of Silva.
"I want to fight him, I want to be in there with him. Not oh shit, it's Anderson Silva. Like Nate Marquardt (a loser to Silva at UFC 73). He so much better than that (performance). I think personally.
"Guys realize they're fighting Anderson Silva, they get frustrated, they can't hit him. 'He's so quick he's so talented.' By the second round you're almost looking for a way out."
Griffin acknowledges that Silva has what Liddell had - an aura of invincibility.
"What I'm saying is you've got to beat me in a fight," he said, "you can't beat me with your aura, with your presence."
Unlike most fighters at the regular pre-fight media workouts, Griffin and Silva both worked up a sweat with Silva showing off some flashy flying knees at one point and the six-foot-three Griffin demonstrating his flexibility with some sky-high head kicks.
NOTES - Two days after signing Russian heavyweight star Fedor Emelianenko, Strikeforce has added middleweight Ronaldo (Jacare) Souza.