Blood poured out of Antonio Silva’s forehead, all but blinding the Brazilian heavyweight.
It soon covered the mat and even Cain Velasquez, who earned a first-round TKO at UFC 146 in May. It was one of the bloodiest fights in UFC history, although -- as is often the case with cuts to the head -- the carnage didn’t match the damage inflicted by one of Velasquez’s elbows.
“What he really hurt was my ego,” Silva told FOXSports.com through a translator. “I soon learned everything was fine. I was back training for my next fight two weeks after that. That was my 21st fight and it’s only the second time I had been cut. It was pretty new to me.”
Silva and his management said there were no lasting effects from the Velasquez fight leading up to Friday’s bout against Travis Browne atop the UFC on FX 5 card. Rather, it was a focused Silva in camp set on ending a two-match losing streak that also included a first-round KO by Daniel Cormier at a Strikeforce bout in September 2011.
“I’ve basically had the same training and the same training partners,” Silva said. “Also what hasn’t changed is my desire to win. I want to capitalize on his mistakes and not take anything for granted. I am still training hard and have the desire to be a champ.”
That goal isn’t as it easy as it once was in a weight division that last decade was a shell what it is now. Led by champ Junior dos Santos, the heavyweight division was showcased on the entire UFC 146 card. Then there were fighters who were not even on that card atop the division, like the currently suspended Alistair Overeem (positive drug test) and Strikeforce fighter Daniel Cormier.
“In the UFC, there are no easy fights,” Silva said. “It’s the toughest heavyweight division in the world. There are 10 fighters who could have a shot at the title. That’s what I’m trying to do. I want to win this fight and get (back in the conversation) for a title shot.”
Silva’s trainer, Ricardo Liborio of American Top Team, said a main reason for the division’s current strength is the incorporation of fighters from Strikeforce, a promotion UFC’s parent company, Zuffa, purchased last year. Silva (16-4) had five Strikeforce fights before he made his UFC debut.
“The Strikeforce fighters got brought in and it immediately got better,” Liborio said. “The division has become one of the strongest in UFC.”
Browne made his way through other promotions as well, but made a name for himself on The Ultimate Fighter. He won the 11th season with a first-round TKO of James McSweeney in the finale.
Browne (13-0-1) has yet to lose a pro fight, although he hasn’t fought since April because his opponent for August’s UFC on FOX 4 (Ben Rothwell) had to withdraw due to injury.
“I’ve had some good wins and I’ve had wins where I wish I could have shown more,” Browne said. “I’ve got a huge chance against a big name in Bigfoot (Silva), he’s beaten some top guys, and I’ve got to go out there and show the best of myself.”
Silva said he expects to need only two of the scheduled five rounds to tag Browne with his first loss.
“He’s the second or third person I’ve fought who is bigger than me, but it does not matter,” Silva said. “It is no problem. I know I can take him down to the ground and ground and pound him – for sure that is where I am very dangerous.”
If Silva does win this one on the ground, it may allay some of those images in peoples’ mind about what he left there in May.
