Bruno Silva continues to be mad at Chris Weidman for what occurred of their struggle, and hopes to get an opportunity to fulfill him contained in the cage once more.
Weidman was awarded the TKO victory over “Blindado” at UFC Atlantic Metropolis this previous March, a end result that was later overturned to a technical resolution when replay confirmed that Silva went down on account of eye pokes, not punches. Silva filed an attraction to overturn it to a no-contest as a substitute, however the fee denied his request.
Silva mentioned he quickly “misplaced 30 p.c of my imaginative and prescient in one of many eyes” as a result of foul, and tried to persuade UFC matchmakers to e book a right away rematch. As an alternative, the Brazilian returns towards Ismail Naurdiev at Saturday’s UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, whereas Weidman meets Eryk Anders on Nov. 16 at UFC 309.
“We had been asking for this struggle,” Silva mentioned in an interview with MMA Combating. “After I go to mattress at evening, he’s the opponent I hate essentially the most. I’ve fought many individuals, I’ve greater than 30 MMA fights, however each time I consider him and Cormier, I really feel anger.”
Weidman was a part of the UFC 300 weigh-in present alongside Daniel Cormier, Laura Sanko and Dan Hellie, who made enjoyable of the current eye poke state of affairs.
“[Weidman] is preventing a month after me, and my focus is on knocking this man [Naurdiev], after which then I’m calling him out on the mic,” Silva mentioned. “I may ask for different opponents, however I wish to take care of issues my means. He’s preventing subsequent month, and I’ve a rating to settle with him. It’s private. I’ll ask the UFC, and I hope they ship him my means. He’s not on an awesome run, however he has a giant title. He’s a former champion, and it brings good media. If we each win, possibly that’s attention-grabbing for the UFC. I would like that struggle again. But when that’s one thing that’s gonna gradual me down, f*ck that dude.”
Days after the controversial bout, Weidman mentioned Silva overreacted to the attention pokes and celebrated getting again to the win column following a two-fight skid. Silva, then again, has now misplaced three straight within the UFC with earlier defeats to Brendan Allen and Shara Magomedov.
“My largest mistake was that I revered Chris Weidman an excessive amount of, and I’ll stay with that for the remainder of my life,” Silva mentioned. “He deserved no respect. Even [coach Andre] Dida mentioned I revered him means an excessive amount of. The struggle was over, we spoke within the locker room as a result of I didn’t need any dangerous vibe. After which he grabs the mic and begins speaking crap, him and Cormier. My God. Cormier, discuss an unbearable particular person.”
Months later, Fight Sports activities Anti-Doping introduced that Silva obtained a six-month suspension however what was a “seemingly unintentional” anti-doping violation for a metabolite of drostanolone. Silva had already been suspended earlier than, a two-year ban imposed by america Anti-Doping Company in 2020.
Very attention-grabbing… 2nd failure in his profession… seemingly im advised that might be from microdosing anabolics as nicely ♂️! https://t.co/zpeDIZ9oVk
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) August 10, 2024
“And when the doping [news] got here, brother, what am I going to say?” Silva continued. “Let’s suppose you don’t know me and listen to I examined constructive. How am I going to defend myself? The total story is on the market, however individuals solely learn the headline. The crap he mentioned, that pisses me off, however how am I going to say something? He already doesn’t respect anyone, and now I’m [testing] constructive. I stayed quiet.
“Life will get again at him, prefer it did when he made enjoyable of Anderson Silva after which broke his leg. He reaps what he sows. Sadly, I didn’t beat him. If I knock him out, then there’s no extra argument. However he defeated me that means and I can’t say something. It bothers me rather a lot, man. Typically I can’t consider individuals could be so disrespectful, however there’s at all times dangerous individuals on the market.”
“Blindado” admitted {that a} longer suspension would have led to his retirement from the game, and thanked the UFC and the in-house doping company for “being on my facet and believing me.” Silva remained lively throughout the suspension, competing in three grappling matches and an newbie boxing bout in his health club in Curitiba, Brazil, and now turns his focus again to the UFC.
“I really feel mild going into this struggle,” Silva mentioned. “I’ve left wins and losses previously and nothing will intervene. I’m surrounded by good individuals, and I’m able to be again. If somebody asks me how motivated I’m, I say motivation is bullsh*t. What I really feel proper now could be freedom to go there and struggle. I’ve nothing to show to anybody. My solely objective is to go there and submit him, beat the crap out of him, knock him out, or win by factors. I’m not getting back from Abu Dhabi with out the win, and my crew joyful on the airplane.”
