Anderson Silva was hoping for his first fight post-suspension to come in his home country of Brazil, but instead he’s coming back against Michael Bisping at UFC Fight Night 83 in Bisping’s home country of England.
The Brazilian is returning from suspension after failing two drug tests for his fight with Nick Diaz at UFC 183 earlier this year, and he’s hoping the matchup is a springboard to getting back on track towards regaining the UFC Middleweight Championship.
“I would love it if the fight were to happen in Brazil, but it will be a pleasure to come back and fight Michael Bisping in London, at the O2 Arena,” Silva said in an interview with Combate in Brazil (translated by Lucas Rezende at BloodyElbow.com).
“It has been a long time since I last fought in London and I’m really excited to come back. I believe it will be a huge test so I can go after a title shot.”
Penick’s Analysis: The last time Silva fought in London was April of 2006 in his final appearance for the Cage Rage promotion before entering the UFC. He knocked out Tony Fryklund in the first round in what was also his first appearance since getting disqualified for an illegal upkick against Yushin Okami that January. This is probably the perfect fight for him right now, because Bisping’s a very beatable opponent for him, and he can push towards a resurgent 2016 with a big start to the year. It’s a beneficial matchup, and whether he finds himself facing a hostile crowd or not, it’s a fight he should win.
[Photo (c) Jayne Kamin-Oncea via USA Today Sports]
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