Wanderlei: “I Did Not Chicken Out”
Two days after UFC president Dana White asserted former PRIDE
205-pound champion Wanderlei
Silva (Pictures) had refused a fight with Chuck Liddell (Pictures), the Brazilian fighter published
a video response on his Web site.
"At no instant did I say I don't wish to fight him," Silva said. "It's much to the contrary. I've wanted this fight for a long time. I'm very anxious for it to happen. I've been preparing for it for a long time."
Silva said he was given the option of fighting in September or November, and the Chute Boxe light heavyweight opted to fight later in the year.
"Without a doubt this is the most important fight of my life," Silva said. "The guy is one of the biggest names in the USA, so I think that we (Chuck and I) have everything needed to do a very exciting fight. And that is why it is such an awaited fight. I choose to fight in November, and at no time did I say I didn't want to fight him. I was the first to propose the fight. They had been hiding him for several reasons, and now a lot of people turned up saying I chickened out."
Yahoo!'s Kevin Iole reported on Wednesday that a representative of Silva's had, according to White, informed the UFC that the former PRIDE champion would not fight Liddell.
As result, White said, it was unlikely the bout would ever take place.
"I'm here to say I did not chicken out," Silva responded. "I'm going through with it. I think I have to be in my best shape, both physically and technically. So I want this extra time to train better, to be at the apex of my conditioning and show my full potential."
Silva said he is likely moving to the U.S. this week or next, and that he planned to make it his home. With a move from South America on his plate, Silva suggested is he is unable "to totally focus on my training."
"I've always done everything that the promoters want," he continued. "I always fought when they wanted and was always in the same disposition at all the events in which I have participated. Sometimes I have even done things I shouldn't have, putting my own image at risk."
Perhaps the former PRIDE champion is remembering his last two bouts, both brutal knockout losses. Last September Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) dispatched of Silva in the semifinals of PRIDE's 2006 Open-Weight Grand Prix. The Brazilian returned to the ring this February and suffered a heavy knockout by Quinton Jackson (Pictures) challenger Dan Henderson (Pictures).
"I'm anxious for my return to winning," he said. "I know I have responsibilities, the responsibility I have to people all around the world who cheer for me. And perhaps for the rush of promoters wanting me in their events, a lot of people show up saying all kinds of things. But not all that is true. The truth is that this fight will happen, if he doesn't hide behind all that now. But if it won't be with him, I'll see what happens. But right off the bat, what I want to happen is that this fight takes place in November, so that we can put on the great show everybody is hoping for. And this fight has everything it takes to be a historic bout in MMA world, as all the fans have been waiting for it for so long."
"At no instant did I say I don't wish to fight him," Silva said. "It's much to the contrary. I've wanted this fight for a long time. I'm very anxious for it to happen. I've been preparing for it for a long time."
Silva said he was given the option of fighting in September or November, and the Chute Boxe light heavyweight opted to fight later in the year.
"Without a doubt this is the most important fight of my life," Silva said. "The guy is one of the biggest names in the USA, so I think that we (Chuck and I) have everything needed to do a very exciting fight. And that is why it is such an awaited fight. I choose to fight in November, and at no time did I say I didn't want to fight him. I was the first to propose the fight. They had been hiding him for several reasons, and now a lot of people turned up saying I chickened out."
Yahoo!'s Kevin Iole reported on Wednesday that a representative of Silva's had, according to White, informed the UFC that the former PRIDE champion would not fight Liddell.
As result, White said, it was unlikely the bout would ever take place.
"I'm here to say I did not chicken out," Silva responded. "I'm going through with it. I think I have to be in my best shape, both physically and technically. So I want this extra time to train better, to be at the apex of my conditioning and show my full potential."
Silva said he is likely moving to the U.S. this week or next, and that he planned to make it his home. With a move from South America on his plate, Silva suggested is he is unable "to totally focus on my training."
"I've always done everything that the promoters want," he continued. "I always fought when they wanted and was always in the same disposition at all the events in which I have participated. Sometimes I have even done things I shouldn't have, putting my own image at risk."
Perhaps the former PRIDE champion is remembering his last two bouts, both brutal knockout losses. Last September Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) dispatched of Silva in the semifinals of PRIDE's 2006 Open-Weight Grand Prix. The Brazilian returned to the ring this February and suffered a heavy knockout by Quinton Jackson (Pictures) challenger Dan Henderson (Pictures).
"I'm anxious for my return to winning," he said. "I know I have responsibilities, the responsibility I have to people all around the world who cheer for me. And perhaps for the rush of promoters wanting me in their events, a lot of people show up saying all kinds of things. But not all that is true. The truth is that this fight will happen, if he doesn't hide behind all that now. But if it won't be with him, I'll see what happens. But right off the bat, what I want to happen is that this fight takes place in November, so that we can put on the great show everybody is hoping for. And this fight has everything it takes to be a historic bout in MMA world, as all the fans have been waiting for it for so long."
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