“I’ve been in this sport a long time. My friend Jake Shields fought in Rumble on The Rock. He, Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami, Anderson Silva and other fighters. In the same period I was fighting in the UFC and in Japan. I think that we all were fighting at the 175-pound limit and I wanted a lot to be part of that tournament. I have always looked Anderson as a potential opponent but I was focused on the Welterweight division and facing Georges St-Pierre…I have never inspired myself in him but, of course, to me he’s one of the best fighters. I think that this is an exciting bout for him and for the fans.”

In an interview with The Brazilian Media (Globo), UFC 183 headliner Nick Diaz discussed his upcoming fight against Anderson Silva, and how long he’s looked at the potential matchup.