“I believe the whole fight will take place standing up” - Anderson Silva eager to slug it out with newcomer Paul Elliott

Anderson Silva is set to welcome promotional newcomer Paul Elliott to the global stage of ONE Championship at ONE: Only the Brave on Friday, January 28.

The match pits two established strikers looking to extend their dominance to MMA and could be a match that steals the whole show.

Ahead of his match, Silva said in an interview that he’s looking forward to putting on a great performance:

“It’s going to be a beautiful fight to watch,” ‘Braddock’ said. “Paul is a striker, and so am I. I hope we exchange a lot of punches and kicks, and we have the best fight of the year.”

Anderson Silva has over 60 kickboxing bouts to his name, competing in various promotions around the world before taking his talents to the ONE Super Series. Meanwhile, Elliott also comes from a kickboxing background and has transitioned well in MMA, staying undefeated in the sport since 2017.

“He’s newer to MMA, as I am too. He seems to be strong, but I don’t see much skill in takedowns and jiu-jitsu. So, I don’t believe he’s going to surprise me,” Silva said. “We both do grappling to defend and not to attack. That’s why I believe the whole fight will take place standing up.”

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Anderson Silva predicts the outcome of their match

Stylistically, this match looks more in the wheelhouse of Anderson Silva compared to his last MMA bout against Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida, which could give him a chance to showcase more of his talents in the circle.

Silva acknowledges his opponent’s power, but it doesn’t faze him:

“[Him being a powerful striker] doesn’t intimidate me. In fact, that’s exactly what we want – opponents that fit our style. I believe we are going to have an epic fight.”

The Brazilian heavyweight boasts a stopping power that has helped carry him to victories, whether in kickboxing or in MMA. He also predicted that the fight would end before the third round.

"I believe this fight ends before the end of the third round,” he added. “I hope I’m still on my feet at the end because I think one of us is going to be knocked out.”

All three of Anderson Silva’s MMA wins did not reach the scorecards, and with an added incentive from ONE Championship for impressive performances, expect ‘Braddock’ to go for another finish in this match.