UFC 148 Fight Card: Questions We Would Love to Ask Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva is the most iconic figure in MMA history.

He's a man of few words, but a fighter who paints a portrait inside the Octagon. Pablo Picasso, himself, couldn't create something as beautiful as Silva's highlight reel artwork.

He's a legend of the sport, he's the most dominant champion in UFC history and he's the greatest fighter of all time. But fans know very little about Silva compared to fellow champions Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones.

It's almost as if Silva has his guard up to the American fans, and his reserved demeanor makes him all the more interesting. So with an opportunity to pick his brain before the biggest fight of his career at UFC 148, these are the questions fans would love to ask him.

Just How Healthy Were You in the First Fight?

Let's jump right into this thing: Just how healthy were you, Anderson?

The rib injury that Silva was battling going into the last contest has been talked about heavily. Could Silva stop the takedown without the injury? Would Chael Sonnen have dominated the striking had he been 100 percent?

Silva was absolutely worked in the first fight. There's just no other way to put it, and it was obvious that he wasn't comfortable striking with Sonnen.

But how much of that should be credited to Sonnen's pressure and how much should be placed on Silva's injured rib?

We'll find these answers out in the main event of Saturday's pay-per-view, but it'd be nice to get an honest answer out of Silva.

Is Sonnen the Greatest Challenge in Your Storied Career?

Here's a rhetorical question.

Asking Silva if Sonnen is the greatest challenge in his career isn't being asked for the sake of nothing. It's being asked to see if Silva will admit it.

Silva has never shown more dislike for an opponent than he has for Sonnen, so labeling him as Silva's greatest challenge would give Sonnen more credit than Silva would want.

Even if everyone knows Sonnen gave him a beating unlike anyone else, I find that it would be hard for Silva to openly admit that.

Though he might be reluctant to do so, Silva might give Sonnen at least a little credit as a competitor. But then again, I wouldn't hold my breath.

Why Did You Choose to Fire Back at Sonnen Verbally?

In the UFC, Silva has had three heated rivalries.

The first came against Demian Maia, and Silva chose to embarrass him in the Octagon rather than hyping the fight verbally.

The second was Sonnen, and all Silva would say is Sonnen would have his chance to back up his words in the fight, which he did.

And the third was his fight with Vitor Belfort. Again, Silva refused to talk a lot of trash heading into the bout. Instead, he wore a white mask and had one of the most intense staredowns in UFC history.

But in a UFC conference call heading into UFC 148, Silva went on a tirade and hurled threat after threat toward Sonnen. So why did he choose to fire back this time? Is Sonnen in his head?

You Wanted to Submit Him at UFC 117, Do You Want to Knock Him out at UFC 148?

For those who haven't seen Silva's documentary "Like Water," that should be your No. 1 priority between now and fight time.

The documentary took place after the Maia fight and led into the Sonnen fight. As great as it was, there was one scene that stood out above the rest.

After a training session, Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria walked outside, and Silva stopped and told him that he was going to submit him. Nogueira looked at him puzzled and insisted that he was going to knock him out. Silva then reaffirmed that he was going to submit him.

After watching that I immediate had chills and couldn't help but think, "what if his game plan the entire time was to go to the ground and submit him?"

That's something that will remain a mystery, but with the documentary as proof, we do know that he wanted to submit him. So going into UFC 148, does Silva want to knock out Sonnen?

What Would a Loss to Sonnen Mean to You Personally?

No matter what happens Saturday night, Silva's legacy is set.

He could go in and lose to Sonnen, and he will still be considered the greatest MMA fighter of all time. His 14-0 record in the UFC may never be topped again, and his highlight reels are unmatched.

So the thought of a loss to Sonnen affecting Silva's legacy shouldn't be considered. What should be considered is what kind of an impact it would have on Silva as a man.

After everything Sonnen has said, from Brazil to his remarks about Silva's wife, losing to Sonnen just isn't an option.

He has to defend his country and his family, and a loss to Sonnen at UFC 148 could haunt him forever.

How Do You Plan on Changing the Image of the Sport?

Silva has already changed the image of the sport.

He changed it when he front-kicked Vitor Belfort in the face and sent him to the canvas at UFC 126. Ever since, fighters won't hesitate to throw a front kick in the Octagon, and it's the last highlight of the UFC's opening on PPV.

But in his angry rant, Silva dubbed that he would change the image of the sport in his fight against Sonnen.

What exactly does that mean? Will he unveil a new move on Sonnen or did he suggest having to be pulled off of Sonnen by the referee after beating him down?

That's something Silva should elaborate on.

What's Left to Do After You Beat Sonnen?

This is undoubtedly the climax of Silva's MMA career.

One-on-one with his greatest adversary, and he not only has to defend his championship, he has to defend his country.

But what's left for Silva once this fight is over with? What else does he have to prove? With a victory, he will be 15-0 in the UFC.

But is there anything other than a dream matchup with Jones or GSP that is worthy of Sonnen's attention? Dan Henderson is fighting Jones, and if Jones defeats him, a rematch with Silva will be unlikely.

After defeating The Joker to his Batman, who knows what the next step will be for the greatest fighter of all time?