Anderson Silva: Is He the Most Marked Man in the UFC Middleweight Division?

First, it was Chael Sonnen, and then along came Mark Muñoz, and now Dan Henderson has also joined the pack and thrown down the gauntlet to the UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

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 [...] “All the 'injuries' that keep Anderson from a rematch with me or Chael will heal real fast if they offer Bisping to him." Henderson said.

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What the master rhetorician Sonnen started over a year ago seems to have become contagious to some degree.

Following his triumphant return to the Octagon at UFC 136 against Brian Stann, Sonnen immediately took to the mic to call out Silva, who was in attendance that night.

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"Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck. Super Bowl weekend … the biggest rematch in the history of the sport. I’m calling you out, Silva, but we’re upping the stakes. I beat you, you leave the division. You beat me, I’ll leave the UFC forever." Sonnen said.

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Silva’s response was silence, much to the chagrin of Sonnen, however, when Silva eventually responded sometime later, he mentioned his native Brazil as the perfect setting for both fighters to settle their scores.

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"I don’t like [Chael Sonnen]. This guy [wants to] fight me? Go to Brazil,” Silva told MMANation.com. “No problem. Chael talks too much. I’m ready to fight Chael. But you have the chance...go to Brazil to fight me.”

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Next up was his friend (most likely a foe now) and former training partner Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Muñoz, who was on fire after dispatching Chris “The Crippler” Leben at UFC 138.

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"I paid my dues in this weight class and I think I deserve a title shot. Anderson Silva is by far the best pound-for-pound fighter. I give him all the respect and honor, but I think I deserve a title shot right now. I consider him a friend, but right now I'd love to get a title shot." Muñoz said.

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He would later recant the call out, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

At present, Hendo must be on cloud nine after his successful return to the Octagon at UFC 139.

In what was a battle for the ages in a to-and-fro affair with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, the H-Bomb prevailed to take home a unanimous points victory.

Now he’s set his sights on something much bigger and lucrative—UFC gold.

The same gold that has eluded the former Pride and Strikeforce champion, on two separate occasions—once to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson for the 205 belt and once to the man who submitted him more than three years ago, Silva.

Hendo seems determined to have UFC gold strapped around his waist, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s the light heavyweight title or The Spider's coveted middleweight crown.

Though Hendo has thus served the first volley, it’s left to be seen whether Silva returns the complement.

Be that as it may, at this point in time in the UFC’s middleweight assemblage, Anderson “The Spider” Silva is a marked man and he knows it.

The question is can he fend off the challenges flying his way to reign supreme continually over the 185-pound division?

Only time will tell.

As things stand, no matter how uneasy his head may lay at present, he’s still the king who wears the crown.