Wanderlei Silva and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson will fight for the fourth time at a Bellator event on September 29. The first two fights, at Pride Final Conflict 2003 on November 9, 2003 and Pride 28: High Octane on October 31, 2004 ended in victory for Wand via savage knees. The trilogy fight at UFC 92 on December 27, 2008 saw Rampage wreak revenge via TKO (strikes).
Andre Dida, Wand’s coach for the past four fights, spoke recently with Guilherme Cruz for MMA Fighting and said the fourth fight won’t go like the third.
“We know what went wrong, said Dida. Wanderlei fought in a way and Quinton Jackson fired back. If Quinton Jackson does that again, we’ll catch him. … Wanderlei is happy, living and training in Brazil again, and we’ll make sure he has his hands raised in the end.
The fight in Bellator will be at heavyweight, which Dida sees as a positive for both.
Cutting weight is not good for Wanderlei Silva anymore, he said. Wanderlei Silva is stronger and heavier today, and he would need more time to cut weight. It’s good for Quinton Jackson, too. They both will be fit to do their best in there without draining their bodies.
We know [Rampage] likes to brawl, and that’s great for the fans, who will watch a great fight, and for Wanderlei, because the style matches up well for him. … Every time Quinton Jackson tried to break Wanderlei standing, Wanderlei went there and broke him. He always tries to go toe-to-toe and ends up dying.
I think it’s a one-round fight. Wanderlei Silva’s hands are quick. We couldn’t show much against Sonnen, but when he did he knocked him down. Wanderlei’s timing is great, and I can get his best in the gym. Speed, knees, aggressiveness.
Wand will be 42 by fight time, and has complained in the past of head trauma.
Wanderlei Silva could have stopped a while ago if he wanted, but he keeps fighting, said Dida. I think that as long as there are legends fighting legends, we can do it. Wanderlei and Dan Henderson, Wanderlei and Fedor. There are several guys to fight.
Henderson? Please, no.
Dida also said Wand plans to run for a seat in the National Congress of Brazil, the legislative body of Brazil’s federal government, in the October elections.
