Wanderlei Silva wants to fight Vitor Belfort before Retirement

Wanderlei Silva says Vitor Belfort rematch was lone fight he wanted before retirement
by Steven Marrocco and John Morgan on Jan 12, 2012 at 1:15 pm ET

Wanderlei Silva wants to fight Vitor Belfort before Retirement Wanderlei-silva-13

Wanderlei Silva wants to fight Vitor Belfort before Retirement Wanderlei-silva-13

Quote :: With the exception of injuries or an act of God, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort will fight after Belfort meets Anthony Johnson on Saturday at UFC 142.

How much does Silva want to fight Belfort?

"A lot," he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) during open workouts for the pay-per-view event, which takes place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. "This is one fight I really, really want to do before I retire. I'm so happy for a fight with this guy in Brazil."

Silva (34-11-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC), who coaches opposite Belfort (20-9 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in the first Brazil-based edition of "The Ultimate Fighter," said the two will fight in Sao Paulo, where the two met some 14 years ago at "UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil" (UFC 17.5) and tryouts for the reality show recently took place.

Rumor has it a soccer stadium might host the coaches' fight, which is a long way from the venue that hosted their first meeting. Silva said all the fight teams were crammed into the same dressing room at "UFC Brazil," so he warmed up in the restrooms as people relieved themselves nearby.

Quite a long way, indeed.

There are now queues of fans lined up to get the autographs of fighters in Brazil. The sport wasn't outlaw back then – fighting was everywhere – but it wasn't celebrated in the way it is now.

With his coaching gig on "TUF," which airs in Brazil on Globo and in the U.S. on FUEL TV, Silva hopes to usher in a new generation of competitors who may not know the road he and Belfort paved. But it's no less important to him to keep the sport thriving, which by all indications, it already is.

"This is the reason I'm a big Dana White fan," he said of the UFC president. "Because he made the sport different. The guy is the Steve Jobs of MMA."

Of course, Silva would like to see Belfort win against Johnson, but he doesn't sound so sure that will happen.

"I'm going to cheer for him," Silva said. "I want to see [Belfort] get a good victory, but it's a tough fight. I think it's one of his toughest opponents in the last few years. This guy is a young guy; he's an explosive guy, a good wrestler. I don't know why he fought at [170 pounds]. He's so big. I saw him at the hotel, and his back was like a horse.

"It's a tough fight, but I think [Belfort] will use his experience and his right hand, and I hope he wins the fight."

But regardless of whether Belfort comes out on top or not, Silva wants his rematch. He got stopped in 44 seconds when they first met, and it's a loss that's nagged him for years.

I am interested to see Wande fight Vitor, but with the knowledge that Silva is nearing the end of his career in the UFC as a fighter.

Oh Wanderlei, we all love you but at this point in your career I don't want to see you get knocked out. Unfortunately, Vitor will KO you just like the first time you fought him Sad

The first death in a UFC ring. affraid

I'd like to see it I'm always up for a good rematch.

I think the title should probably read "Vitor will retire Wandi after this fight"

I just dont see how wandi is going to win this. Leben ko'ed him like it was nothing imagine how quick Vitor could do it.

^^
Although I agree with that, we all know anything is possible in mma;

Prime example

That is very true lamb, it is a fight and anything can happen.

» Vitor Belfort Out, Wanderlei Silva in Against Cung Le at UFC 139
» Wanderlei Silva blasts UFC in "This is Not a Goodbye" retirement video
» Anderson Silva vs Vitor Belfort 2 in the works for UFC 197???