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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
"[Chris] Leben is a really good opponent. He's got a style like my style, he likes to fight. He's not afraid to fight toe-to-toe, he's a good opponent. He's gonna fight on the next UFC, if he wins I want to fight him…With [Chael] Sonnen, he is more a wrestler, I think he's a good fight for me too. I trained with him one time at Xtreme Couture and I killed him there. I think he is a good opponent, too. He's tough… I think it's fun, no? Because sometimes I talk, we talk, its making the fight more interesting… I like to talk about my opponents, no problem. I am not afraid of anybody. I've fought with heavyweights, light-heavyweights… for me it's no problem, I fight with all."
-Wanderlei Silva talks to The Fight Network about a couple of potential opponents upon his return to action in the UFC in 2011.
Penick's Analysis: Sonnen and Silva have ramped up the trash talking on Twitter over the last few weeks since Sonnen's hearing with the CSAC, and it's highly likely the UFC is looking at that fight first. However, Silva said he wanted to return on the Toronto card on April 30, leaving plenty of recovery time for Chris Leben should he defeat Brian Stann at UFC 125 on New Year's Day. For Silva I think the Leben fight would be more up his alley, because it's a guarantee that Sonnen would be looking to bring the fight to the ground while, as Silva said, Leben would be willing to go toe-to-toe with him. That said, Silva said he's working on his wrestling as well and trying to improve that part of his game so he can dictate where a fight takes place. Whomever the UFC chooses as his opponent, Silva's return should make for an exciting fight.
[Wanderlei Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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