Anderson Silva :: TATAME

The UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva defended for the fifth time his title at UFC 90, against the Canadian fighter Patrick Cote, but in a fashion people wasn’t used to see. Getting his eighth victory in a row at UFC’s octagon, Anderson spoke to TATAME.com and explained the strategy used in the fight against Cote and replied the bad commentaries about the way he fought. Check below the exclusive interview with Anderson Silva, who commented the chances to give a revenge to Cote and fight Chuck Liddell at light-heavyweight division.

What do you think about your last fight against Cote?

The fight was good, but unfortunately he got hurt. We train hard for a fight and sometimes we get injured, but it was a good fight, interesting to watch. We imposed a game that was confusing him a lot, but unfortunately we couldn’t be able to finish it.

Many people criticized you, and others said you were underestimated him. What can you say about that?

Speak about me is easy, it’s hard to be me. I get when I am today after hard work and no joking. My job is serious, no joking about that. I never underestimated him, I was doing a strategy which was working perfectly, confusing him and making him mistake and then knock him out. We trained to do a five rounds fight, we wasn’t planning to knock on e first or second round. We were watching his mistakes, but unfortunately we couldn’t finish out fight, but it was good for me, all this experience, the technique we imposed, the punches, and if I had more one or two rounds I’d catch him…

Cote got on the third round against you… Why couldn’t you knock him out?

Nothing, our objective wasn’t knock him out, it was make him mistake and take the fight were we wanted, and it was happening, but he got injured.

We did you chose this tactic?

We did a whole training prepared for the kind of fight he does. We saw his fights, things he does in each round, and we trained for that. I think one thing is get to a fight against a guy who mistakes a lot on the first round and knock him out, and other one is prepare a strategy.

After the fight, Cote said you were scared to fight him. What do you think about that?

It’s complicated, he has a mouth can say whatever he wants, I won’t worry about that. He couldn’t hit me just once on the whole fight, I put him down, kicked him in the head, knees, elbow… I wouldn’t get into his game and risk taking a lucky punch and lose the fight. I did the fight my way and what we trained was working, he can say whatever he wants.

Would you accept a rematch against him?

It’s not my decision, if Dana White thinks he deserves that… I’m training to fight the best and develop my work and technique.

We heard some rumors about a fight between you and Chuck Liddell… Is that true?

Thanks for the information, but I didn’t know about that. Everything is possible, but that’s nothing set yet. Let’s wait and see what’ll happen.

Do you think Thales Leites, after this victory, can be your next challenge for the belt?

I can think many things, and I won’t be arrogant. He’s after his spot, running after that, and if they (UFC) think he deserves that, I’ll do it for sure.

Who do you think is the toughest that can fight against you for the belt?

I don’t think that’s only one tough guy, but a lot of good fighters, toughs, fighting for their chances.