While Nick Diaz has spoken at length about his upcoming UFC 183 superfight against Anderson Silva, the former champion has remain silent… until now.
Returning after a gruesome injury suffered in December, “The Spider” returns to the Octagon on Jan. 31 and is expecting a stand-up war against the Stockton superstar.
“It’s a good fight for the fans and for me,” Silva said in a media call on Friday. “We both haven’t fought for a while and I’m coming off an injury. Nick likes to fight standing and moves forward. Everybody knows he has an excellent boxing and will do the standup fight that everybody wants to see.”
Silva said that because of the weight difference, he never expected Diaz to be someone he would meet in the Octagon, but said that he does expect his opponent to keep the action standing.
“I believe that it’s going to be the best standup fight of all time in the UFC,” he said. “I always pay attention to the best fighters in the UFC and the fighters that could one day be my opponents. I never imagined I would fight Nick Diaz, but I watched his fights because I think he’s an excellent fighter. He has a good jiu-jitsu, an excellent boxing, and I think it’s going to be a great fight. If he doesn’t try to grab me and stall, it’s going to be the best UFC fight ever.”
Doctors had no choice but to insert a titanium rod into Silva’s left leg after his last fight with Chris Weidman to help him recover and Silva admits that he isn’t quite feeling 100% yet. He also said that he has no plans to have the rod in his leg removed.
“It’s 95 percent,” Silva said of his leg. “It’s obviously not like it used to be, but it’s getting better. I’m kicking, but I can’t kick too hard. I will do it on fight night.”
Silva revealed that he still has seven fights left on his current UFC contract.
“I have seven fights left in my contract, and I will be able to do all seven because I like to fight,” he said. “I obviously fight at 185 pounds, so if I earn another chance to fight for the title I would do it, but it’s not in my plans right now. My plan is to fight and get some confidence.”
