Credit:Getty/UFC
Credit: Getty/UFC
Credit: Getty/UFC
Credit:Getty/UFC
Alex
Pereira’s first-round knockout of Sean
Strickland at UFC 276
impressed many people, but not former foe Bruno
Silva.
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“On his best blessed day, I was sure Strickland couldn’t beat
‘Poatan,’ but when I saw him praising ‘Poatan’s’ abilities in
the press conference, I knew [he was scared] and wouldn’t last too
long, and that’s exactly what happened,” Silva told
Sherdog.com.
The former M-1 Global champion, who is 3-1 in the UFC with a
decision loss to Pereira, also criticized middleweight champion
Israel
Adesanya for his performance in a five-round verdict over
Jared
Cannonier in the UFC 276 main event.
“Adesanya acts like he is a god but is actually one of the
most boring champions nowadays,” Silva said. “I truly hope ‘Poatan’
brings the fight just like he did in his last fights, because
certainly his left hand is still on Adesanya’s mind. I see the
champion being more versatile and ‘Poatan’ more precise, but if he
waits for Adesanya to act, in this case I see a boring fight with
the champion keeping the belt.”
Silva is schedule to return to the Octagon on Aug. 13 against
Gerald
Meerschaert. “Blindado” revealed that his training to face the
dangerous ground specialist, who owns 26 career submission
victories, does not include a special focus on takedown
defense.
“I’m training MMA as always,” Silva said. “I hope to be able to
knock him out standing up, but if he takes me down, I will cut his
face with my elbows. I don’t want to talk about tactics, but I’m
bringing some surprises to him.”
Silva also revealed that Pereira is not the opponent with the
heaviest hands he has faced in 29 career MMA bouts.
“The Russian Gennadiy
Kovalev, who I knocked out in Russia in 2018, had the
strongest punch I ever felt,” he said. “‘Poatan’ didn’t hit as
hard, but he is certainly more precise. You must have a really
strong chin to exchange with these guys and not get knocked
out. I truly hope he beats Adesanya and gets the UFC belt. ‘Poatan’
proved my value to the world and I truly believe we will face each
other again in the future, but this time in a five-round title
fight.”