Bisping hails Silva ‘a modern-day Bruce Lee’ following wins over Ortiz, Chavez Jr.
Anderson Silva weighs in ahead of his Sept. 11 boxing match against Tito Ortiz. | Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images
“He is a modern-day Bruce Lee. Anderson Silva truly is one of the greatest of all time and that is just a fact.” Anderson Silva is truly one of a kind.
At 46-years-old and seemingly on the brink of retirement, ‘The Spider’ flipped the combat sports world on its head when he beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in his first boxing match in over 23 years this past June.
Silva followed up with a highlight-reel knockout of Tito Ortiz in the Triller Fight Club co-main event on Saturday, faceplanting ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ in the first round after landing a trio of hooks that sent Ortiz crashing face-first to the canvas.
Fellow UFC Hall-of-Famer Michael Bisping says Silva’s late resurgence in boxing proves that he is ‘a modern-day Bruce Lee’ and one of ‘the greatest martial artists that the human race has ever seen.’
“Anderson Silva is one of the greatest martial artists that the human race has ever seen,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA Fighting). “He is a modern-day Bruce Lee. Anderson Silva truly is one of the greatest of all time and that is just a fact….
“Tito said he’s gonna go out there and punch a hole in his head and he’s a fighter all the rest of it, and he ain’t gonna use none of that wing-chun bollocks on him. That is not the way you fight Anderson Silva. You can’t go in against Anderson Silva and be aggressive… No way. Anderson Silva’s timing is impeccable, his reflexes are cat-like, urban cat-like, and the diversity of attacks that Anderson Silva has is mind-blowing…. Tito should have known coming into this fight against Anderson that you have to be strategic.”
Bisping, who edged out a decision win over Silva after a grueling five-round contest in the UFC Fight Night 84 main event, isn’t sure what’s next for Silva but would love to see the Brazilian take on YouTuber Jake Paul and teach him a lesson in respect.
“What’s next for Anderson Silva? I don’t know but every part of my body says that if Jake Paul really wants a tough test, Anderson Silva is your man,” Bisping said. “Look no further. You think you’ve got what it takes and you want to pick off somebody that’s not in their prime – Anderson Silva is 46, many knockouts now, he’s long in the tooth, a battle-worn veteran – but Anderson Silva will give you everything you don’t want, so be careful.”
Silva was reportedly in talks with Jake’s older brother Logan, but the bout never came to fruition. Perhaps negotiations will recommence following Silva’s latest win.
