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Fighter Profile: Wanderlei Silva

 

Wanderlei SilvaOverall Record: 33-10-1

Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil

Height: 5’11” Weight: 185 lbs

Born: July 3, 1976



Wanderlei Silva is a Mixed Martial Arts fighter that currently fights both in the Light Heavyweight (205 lb) and Middleweight (185 lb) divisions with the UFC. Silva now runs his own fight team, Wand Fight Team, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He formerly trained under legendary trainer Rudimar Fedrigo at Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil.

“The Axe Murderer” specializes in Muay-Thai and is also a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He began his fight career as a 20 year-old fighting in Brazilian Vale Tudo tournaments. After an impressive run in the BVT and IVC he found himself on the UFC – Brazil card in 1998.

His first stint in the UFC was a short lived one. He lost his debut with the organization to Vitor Belfort but bounced back at UFC 20 with a win over Tony Petarra. Silva’s aggressive style, and his KO over Petarra, earned him his first major championship fight at UFC 25 against Tito Ortiz. Silva was outscored on the scorecards by Ortiz and lost via unanimous decision in that April 2000 fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (then called the Middleweight Championship).

While dabbling with fights in the UFC and tournaments in Brazil, he also was discovered by another major promotion, Pride FC. He began fighting for Pride FC in September 1999 at Pride 7 with a decision win over Carl Greco. After his Pride debut win he would go on to have one of the most productive streaks in the organizations’ history.

Silva continued with Pride, winning 18 of his next 20 fights. He fought many memorable fights during that span defeating the likes of Quinton Jackson, Dan Henderson and Japanese legend - Kaz Sakuraba. He also earned accolades as the Pride Middleweight champion and 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix champion during that span.

Silva didn’t lose in Pride until Shockwave -2004 when Mark Hunt beat him via a split decision. The next couple years were not as good to him as the previous six years. He would maintain the Middleweight championship belt but lose non-title fights to Ricardo Arona and Mirko Filipovic.

He continued to fight for Pride FC until February 2007 when Dan Henderson knocked him out with a brutal right hand. He lost his MW belt as well as his “fight-home.” His Pride 33 loss to Dan Henderson would prove to be his last with the company, as the company would fold soon after.

The reason that the UFC was interested in purchasing the remaining assets of Pride FC was for fighters' contracts like Wanderlei Silva. Silva had one door close with Pride but another door open when he stepped into the octagon at UFC 79 to fight Chuck Liddell. The fight had been rumored for awhile but finally happened in December of 2007.

It had been a fight that the fighters and fans alike had wanted to see for a long time. Silva vs. Liddell produced fireworks as the two fighters traded punches for 3 – 5:00 rounds. Liddell, however had come out of the UFC 79 fight as the victor on the judges’ scorecards winning by unanimous decision. Silva re-introduced himself back to the UFC fans with an incredible fight.

 

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He wouldn’t have to wait long, only 5 months, to get back into the octagon. This time he was matched up against another aggressive striker in Keith Jardine. The May 2008 - UFC 84 – Ill Will fight looked like a throwback to his old Pride FC days. Silva came out throwing his trademark punches and caught Jardine, dropping him in only 36 seconds for a KO victory.

Silva had earned two wins in Pride over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson but now it was under different rules in a different setting. In his most recent fight, Silva didn’t last long, instead being overwhelmed by Jackson and his stand up skills. Silva was unable to make it out of the first round at UFC 92 in December 2008, losing via knockout for only the 5th time in his 12½ year career.

His return to the UFC has been a tough road and it doesn’t get any easier in his next bout. The knockout expert will fight former Middleweight champion Rich Franklin in a 195 lb catch weight bout at UFC 99 in Germany on June 13.

It is obvious that the 32-year old Silva is far from finished with his highly decorated career. The level of competition is understandably getting tougher each year making it harder to stay at the top of the rankings. However, with 4 losses in his last 5 fights he can hardly afford to lose another fight. If that were to happen its hard to say if even “The Axe Murderer” can avoid the UFC chopping block.

 

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By Nick Russell
ProFighting-fans.com Staff Writer
Published May 2009

Photo courtesy of UFC