<div class="Article" style="float: left;">
<table>
<tr style="vertical-align: bottom;">
<td>
<h3><a href="/go=news.detail&gid=449452" target="_blank">
Anderson Silva: I'm not fighting Brazilians again
</a></h3>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<a href="/go=news.detail&gid=449452" ><img class="photo" src="http://img.mixedmartialarts.com/method=get&rs=100&q=75&x=10&y=104&w=310&h=165&ro=0&s=anderson-silva-mauricio-rua.jpg" /></a>
<div style="clear: both; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;"> </div>
</div>
<p>The issue of fight a teammate is a contentious one in the UFC, but former middleweight champion Anderson Silva plans to take it to a new level. In a recent interview with Brazil's SporTV, Silva said there was no more fighting fellow Brazilians.</p>
To Silva, the UFC belt is a national patrimony, something the Brazilian people can take pride in. If a Brazilian holds the title, that's good enough for him.
“I’m in another phase," said Silva as translated by Andreas Brauning for FightLand. "I want to find myself again. If I get my credentials back up again and have the chance to fight for the title again against Chris Weidman, or any other athlete who isn’t Brazilian, I’d fight for sure.”
UFC middleweight champion Weidman fights Brazilian Vitor Belfort at UFC 184 on Feb 28, and Silva hopes Belfort takes it.
“Vitor has been active in the UFC longer than anyone," said Silva. "He was champion when he was 19, and he deserves this opportunity. I believe that he will win his fight against Weidman. Brazil needs to cheer for him. The title is a Brazilian legacy, it needs to stay here.”
In October Weidman wondered why so many American MMA fans did not support an American champ, like himself.
"I've fought all these top Brazilians," said Weidman. "They're all supporting their people, Anderson Silva, they're supporting him. Lyoto Machida, they're all supporting him. I didn't have the full support of America. Not everyone American was rooting for me because I'm from America. If they were rooting for me, it's because they were a fan of me. There was a lot of fans from America who were cheering for Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida."
So what do you think UG? Who is your favorite fighter? And does country have anything to do with it?
<div style="clear: left; line-height: 1px;height: 1px;"> </div>