Hey UFC, Chris Leben Wants to Fight His Hero, Wanderlei Silva

Chris Leben is itching to get back in the Octagon. The season-one
Ultimate Fighter cast member is coming off a loss to Brian Stann at
UFC 125: Resolution in January and has since been without a fight to
look forward to.

While in limbo, Leben is patiently awaiting a call from the UFC offering up
his next foe within the eight-sided chained fence. In doing so, he can only sit
and consider who he would like face. For Leben, that desired fight is MMA
superstar Wanderlei Silva.

A match-up with the former Pride 205-pound champion is the most attractive
contest to Leben at the moment. His manager, Gary Ibarra, explained that his
client is more than willing to take on the task of fighting a legend of the
sport.

“Chris is eager to fight again after his loss to Brian Stann,” Ibarra told MMAWeekly.com. “(He) would like to reiterate
his desire to compete against a legend of the sport and personal hero of his in
Wanderlei Silva.”


Although a bout with Silva is the match-up Leben wants most, he understands
that the matchmaking is not up to him or anyone in his camp. Ibarra added that
they have all the confidence in the world in Joe Silva’s matchmaking abilities,
and if not Wanderlei Silva, then the UFC will pit him against someone that will
allow he and Leben entertain the MMA faithful all around.


“We have no doubt they will determine the proper match-up so Chris can once
again do what he does best, and that’s put on a great show for MMA fans
everywhere,” Ibarra said.

Leben most recently took on Stann and fell to the former United States Marine
in the first round of their fight via TKO. The loss stopped a three-fight win
streak, which included an epic war against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116:
Lesnar vs. Carwin last July. The fight went through three rounds of back
and forth action before Leben was able to lock in a triangle choke late in final
five-minute set. The bout earned Leben and Akiyama “Fight of the Night”
honors.

Easily regarded as one of the most popular fighters in the history of the
sport, Silva has not fought since making his middleweight debut against Michael
Bisping in February of 2010 at UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez. He was
scheduled to face Akiyama at UFC 116, but broken ribs forced him out of the
fight, and Leben stepped in as his replacement. After defeating Akiyama, Leben
openly called out Silva in effort to bring the fight to fruition, but no plans
to actually make it happen have surfaced.

Since both fighters are without an opponent for their next fight, a
Silva-Leben match-up makes sense, but it is all in the hands of UFC brass.

Source: www.mmaweekly.com