Dmac

Evan Tanner On Silva: "If I Want The Belt, I'll Take It"

The following is an excerpt from an interview with former UFC Middleweight champion Evan Tanner, conducted by RandomSpeak.com:

RS: What are your thoughts on the Middleweight division right now, and more specifically the new MW Champ, Anderson Silva?

Evan: You know, people always as me questions like that. I can't really answer them. I can't really say I'm a fan of the sport. I like to compete, but I don't watch much fighting or keep up with the latest news. Unless I'm fighting I'm usually somewhere else altogether, working on some outside project, reading a book, or out on some adventure somewhere.

RS: Well obviously you have alot of other stuff on your plate as well.

Evan: I spent almost all of last year on the road. I had a lot of personal issues I was dealing with. Right now I'm completely focused on getting this foundation up and running. I'll worry about me later.

Thoughts on Anderson Silva, though- nobody fights him right. Nobody knows how to fight him. They all come in with the completely wrong approach. I know the exact way to beat Anderson; I know the right kind of movement, and the way to beat him.

RS: So you're confident that if you make a comeback, you would have a good shot at the title?

Evan: (laughs) For sure. I've never trained year-round, and I think I'm infamous for the amount of drinking I've done. Those two things have had a serious effect on what I've been able to do in the ring.

Starting this foundation is a huge step, I've put the beer down and I'm going to be training full-time, year-round for the first time in my career. The sky's the limit. Who knows what I can do? If I could win a world championship training 2 or 3 months a year, what could I do if I'm training full-time? If I want the belt, I'll take it. I don't mean that arrogantly, I'm just confident.

Credit - MMANews

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Twist of lEMOn

Dmac you should really start commenting on the news you post, just to give alittle something else to the post and so its not all DangrousInc copy paste.

But Tanner is just talking out at his ass at this point wanting to get his name back out there. personaly ive never liked him so I hope he gets mauled.

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Dmac

No I don't just post the news and then leave it, I wait for people to post in the thread then debate with them.

But now Tanner has more time on his hands and his personal issues are resolves I beleive that he will be better than ever, however I feel that 'If I want it, I'll take it' is a tiny bit overconfident.

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Zar

I think Evan Tanner is great, but I think Silva's post knee surgery performance against Lutter has given people the worng impression.

Also, even if Evan can bet by Silva, Franklin has Tanners number as he has demonstrated twice before.

However I hope Tanner comes back strong, when he came back at 57(I think) he was training with Chute Box and seemed motivated. Lets hope he can get that same mentality back.