Former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva responds to the rumors that he does not want to fight Chuck Liddell.
MMA Weekly reports that Wanderlei Silva has issued a response via his personal website in regards to the rumors about him ducking a fight with former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.
"I never said that I wouldn’t fight Chuck. I’ve wanted this fight for a long time” says Silva in a video message on his website.
The former Pride champion continued, “I received a contract with two options, I could fight in September or November. I have chosen to make this fight in November. I was the first to want this fight, but they kept avoiding this fight. Now there’s a lot of people saying that I have ducked Chuck. This is not true."
According to Silva, the timing for the fight to take place in September did not work for him. He explained, “I am in a moment of transition in my life. I’m going to move to the U.S. in a few weeks. I’m going to live in the U.S. and there’s a lot of things happening, and I’m not focused on training the way I want to be. I always fought at the time the promoters wanted. Sometimes I did things I should not have done, but this time I won’t do that anymore."
Denying he ever turned down a fight with Chuck Liddell, Silva said, “I want to fight chuck in November and make a huge show, and make it the biggest show ever...I have no doubt it’s the most important fight of my life. I know Chuck is a great name in the U.S., we’ll have a great fight. I think I must be in my best shape, so I want to take this time to train better and be in my best shape ever."
Wanderlei asserted, “This fight is on, if he (Chuck) doesn’t hide behind this mess."
Only time will tell whether or not this fight will ever really happen.