Wanderlei Silva: "I don't fight anymore for money. I fight because I like to."

*Please visit FiveKnuckles.com for more mixed martial arts media*

"This is a new time in my life. Like, I don't go to 185 (pounds) for - I don't know - 15 years in my life. I'm going to fight in both divisions. I have a lot of good fights in both divisions here. The stare down for me, I love it, to intimidate my opponent and put the energy in my eyes. And the guy looking at me, he not gonna have his fight with me. I don't fight anymore for money. I fight because I like to. I fight for this: I like to shake the crowds, and I'm going to shake the crowd in Australia. I'm going to make the guys crazy there."  - Wanderlei Silva

Even though he's known as "The Axe Murderer," fans still love him. Wanderlei Silva is one of the most celebrated and generally well-liked fighters. While he has fought most of his career at 205-lbs., he has recently taken a step down to fight at the catchweight of 195 pounds (against Rich Franklin last June). However, this weekend's UFC 110 event will mark his debut in the middleweight division.

His opponent will be the U.K.'s Michael Bisping. In Bisping's most recent fight, against Denis Kang at UFC 105 last November, he scored a second-round TKO by way of a combination of knees and punches, which earned him Fight of the Night honors.

"I watched the fight," said Silva. "It was a real good fight. Now I'm going to start studying his game to prepare the fight especially for him. I train so much now. He's a real tough guy. We need to respect the opponent - all opponents. I like to fight in the stand up. I'm not afraid of being punched. Not afraid of cuts. Not afraid of nothing. This fight is a very important fight for me. I need to not just give a good show, but I need to win."

Silva currently has a losing record in the UFC, but has always been considered one of the top contenders in any weight class. His crushing abilities on his feet and his never-say-die attitude have earned him many fans over his nearly 14-year career. Silva (32-10-1, 1 NC) is known for combining an aggressive fighting style with an intense passion for the sport. He has beaten Ricardo Arona, Quinton Jackson, Dan Henderson and Mike van Arsdale.

According to Fighters Only Magazine, the winner of Silva vs. Bisping will reportedly take on Yoshihiro Akiyama. It had been reported that the winner would jump to the number two middleweight title contention spot - especially if Bisping is declared the winner - however, it appears that their 185-lbs. title shot will have to be put on hold for a little while longer.