Wanderlei Silva Says Anderson Silva Helped Him Prepare for Cung Le
Walking into what might possibly be his final bout, Wanderlei Silva has prepared himself to walk into UFC 139 with one intention: to win.
The Brazilian has gone 1-1 since dropping down to 185 lbs, but he has yet to score a decisive victory inside the Octagon since knocking out Keith Jardine in 2008.
To help get prepared and familiarized with Cung Le and his unorthodox style, Silva has enlisted the services of some the sport's top fighters, including UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
In an interview with TATAME.com, Silva said he enjoyed his time training with "The Spider" and he praised the champion for his skills and intelligence as a martial artist.
"He’s got a pretty evolved way of seeing martial arts. His coaches must be congratulated, they’ve built a super athlete," Silva said. "Back there we noticed his potential, he knew great Boxing and how to move, but he overcame himself and became one of the best of all time."
Silva's career has been on the decline for a few years and UFC President Dana White has made it clear that "The Axe Murderer" should no longer continue fighting. Silva has accumulated a UFC record of 2-4 since his acquisition from Pride FC in 2007. Despite his boss's wishes, Silva doesn't see a reason to retire momentarily, although there will be a lot of pressure on him to perform well this weekend.
"The training makes you more confident, so I’m feeling fine. It’s normal to be under pressure," he said. "I’m fighting professionally for 15 years, and it’s always been like that."
While he does hold a lot of experience to his name, Silva will look to put on an entertaining bout for the fans, regardless of the outcome. His skills might have diminished over time, but his passion for the sport is still alive and well and it is what makes him still want to fight and compete.
