Anderson Silva Says UFC 183 Fight Against Nick Diaz Will Be Greatest Of All Time

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will finally make his long-anticipated return to fighting this coming Januray, as he squares off against the Stockton bad boy Nick Diaz at UFC 183. The pairing came at a perfect time for the promotion and fans alike, and I can’t imagine how much hype the first trailer for the event will garner.

Speaking during a recent media call, and transcribed by MMAFighting.com, Silva commented on his upcoming ‘non-title super-fight’ with Diaz:

“We both haven’t fought for a while and I’m coming off an injury. Nick likes to fight standing and moves forward. Everybody knows he has an excellent boxing and will do the standup fight that everybody wants to see. I believe that it’s going to be the best standup fight of all time in the UFC,”

The styles of Silva and Diaz could not be better matched if you tried, and just about everything surrounding this fight makes sense; both guys coming in off lengthy lay offs, neither guy would dream of taking the other down and dry humping to a decision, and there is just something about these two MMA idols colliding that brings out the nostalgic in me.

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“I always pay attention to the best fighters in the UFC and the fighters that could one day be my opponents. I never imagined I would fight Nick Diaz, but I watched his fights because I think he’s an excellent fighter. He has a good jiu-jitsu, an excellent boxing, and I think it’s going to be a great fight. If he doesn’t try to grab me and stall, it’s going to be the best UFC fight ever.”

“I have seven fights left in my contract, and I will be able to do all seven because I like to fight,” he said. “I obviously fight at 185 pounds, so if I earn another chance to fight for the title I would do it, but it’s not in my plans right now. My plan is to fight and get some confidence. “

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It seems that Silva has certainly changed his tune since breaking his leg against Chris Weidman at UFC 168; the former champion insisted he would never make a run at the title again. Perhaps the thought of getting back in the octagon and potentially beating a big name in Diaz would be enough to reignite the flame in Silva’s heart.

“I’ve been beaten many times, so I’m not worried about what Weidman has done lately, or Lyoto. Every fighter searches for what they want, and I’m going after my goals. My fights with Weidman are in the past. They would be in the past even if I had defeated him. My focus is my fight with Nick Diaz, so I can do my comeback in the best way possible for me and for my fans.”

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It’s odd to think that we haven’t seen Silva victorious in well over a year, especially considering he is undoubtedly one of the most dominant MMA fighters of all time. This is just another example of how fast this sport can catch up with even the biggest talents in the game.

Do you think ‘The Spider’ will impress against Diaz, or will the 209 put a damper on the Brazilian parade?

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports