PRIDE’s Wanderlei Silva Taking the Year off

Performify back with some big news from the world of PRIDE Fighting Championships.

PRIDE’s Wanderlei Silva declared that he will take off the rest of 2007 to focus on training. In an in-depth interview posted today in the Gazeta do Povo, a newspaper from Silva’s hometown of Curitiba, Brazil, the former PRIDE 205-pound champion expressed that he would not return to the PRIDE ring — or the UFC Octagon — until sometime in 2008.



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I really hope he comes to the UFC, it would be great.

Its good to see that wandy has came to the realisation that he needs some time off from MMA. Hes been fighting consistantly since 1996 and has had 40 bouts in total.

To look at him you wouldnt guess he was only just turned 31. After his 2 last fights (in which he lost both in devastating fashion) he has accepted that he needs to re-focus his training & fight strategy and come back stronger than before.

Time heals pain, and im sure UFC/Pride fans would love to see a rejuvinated 'Axe Murderer' back doing what he does best!

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Posted by randyleprechaun

Its good to see that wandy has came to the realisation that he needs some time off from MMA. Hes been fighting consistantly since 1996 and has had 40 bouts in total.

To look at him you wouldnt guess he was only just turned 31. After his 2 last fights (in which he lost both in devastating fashion) he has accepted that he needs to re-focus his training & fight strategy and come back stronger than before.

Time heals pain, and im sure UFC/Pride fans would love to see a rejuvinated 'Axe Murderer' back doing what he does best!

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ok... but only if he fights chuck when he comes back.

I dont see how taking this much time off is going to help him any.

thats right ! who cares what he does if he don't fight chuck when he comes back

this is the best move IMO for wanderlei, take a year off to refocus, train, just take babysteps to build back his confidence. I am glad to hear this. It's just too bad we won't get to see Wanderlei in the ring this year.

The time off is not only a time to heal the body, but it is also a time to re-invent yourself as a fighter. I think this is the best thing you can do after two losses (albeit to great fighters) following a long running career. I think we'll see a really hungry and improved Wanderlei at the end of the break.

he'll come back stronger

lol i thought he was like turning 36

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Posted by randyleprechaun

Its good to see that wandy has came to the realisation that he needs some time off from MMA. Hes been fighting consistantly since 1996 and has had 40 bouts in total.

To look at him you wouldnt guess he was only just turned 31. After his 2 last fights (in which he lost both in devastating fashion) he has accepted that he needs to re-focus his training & fight strategy and come back stronger than before.

Time heals pain, and im sure UFC/Pride fans would love to see a rejuvinated 'Axe Murderer' back doing what he does best!

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I totally agree, i would love to see the axe murderer come back stronger than ever

It saddens me to know that he's done for a year or so. But in honesty, I think this is really for the best. The man's been knocked out twice; God knows that there's no worse way to lose than that. Even if Cro Cop and Henderson are two the of best in the world right now, it's gotta hurt Wandy thinking that he's lost to two guys he's thrown down with before.

But I digress. I just hope that next year he's better than he is now, and that he's ready to rock the 205 lb division again...PRIDE or UFC.