“I will guarantee that he will not be bored when fighting me,” he said.

As if his task isn’t difficult enough, the southpaw will be charged with having to defeat Silva in his home country. Should he win, it would make the victory even sweeter. Okami says that he’s always dreamed of becoming the UFC champion, and to do it, he will have to unseat the longest-reigning titleholder in promotional history.

So, to recap, Silva has defended the belt eight times, won 14 straight, finished 12 of those bouts, and is considered the pound-for-pound king. He’s also going to be out for revenge against the last man who beat him, while fighting on his home turf.

It’s already a lot to overcome without the pressure of the extra storylines, but Okami says he won’t let the enormity of the moment get to him. Nor will he let Silva get in his head. After all, he’s stared him in the eye once before. Unlike most who have faced Silva during this streak, this will not be a new experience for him. A winner of 10 of his 12 UFC bouts, and with consecutive victories over Nate Marquardt and Mark Munoz propelling him forward, Okami isn’t about to be overwhelmed by a champion who often seems like he’s won even before he enters the cage.

“My opponent is the champion Anderson, the fight is in Brazil, and I am the challenger. I’d say that the table has been set,” he said.

“He’s got an aura that intimidates any opponent. I’m going to take that aura away from him.”

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