UFC Light Heavyweight Brandon Vera, who's been champing at the bit to get his hands on Thiago Silva just as soon as he returned from his drug suspension, lost his opportunity to seek vengeance on the previously banned Brazilian at the UFC on FUEL TV 3 event on May 15 in Fairfax, Virginia.
That's because "The Truth" failed to get medically cleared to compete, thanks to pesky arm injury he suffered in his unanimous decision win over Eliot Marshall at UFC 137: "Penn vs. Diaz" last October in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Silva isn't buying it.
He thinks it has more to do with a broken fingernail, or some other malady that befalls hapless tween girls on the way to the mall. But while that door closed, a much larger one opened.
Hear Silva break it all down (via Sherdog.com) after the jump.
"For me there is not much to change, but I actually wanted to get Brandon Vera because he talked a lot of nonsense. He took a beating like a little girl and was crying afterwards. I think [this time] he broke a nail, so he couldn't fight. They offered the Croation [Prokrajac], then Nogueira was hurt -- I don't choose my opponents, so I accepted [the fight with Gustafsson]. I'm happy to be in the main fight of the night, and I will show why I should be there. I haven’t fought, but I didn’t stop [training]. I am 100 percent in full swing. I'm very excited; the anticipation is huge to fight again. I'm too hungry for a fight. Anyone who knows me knows my style -- I don't like goofing off. I go there to finish the fight. I will continue to be aggressive.
Vera received a broken nose and his promotion pink slip after being manhandled by the tainted Brazilian at last year's "Edgar vs. Maynard" pay-per-view, but has since been called back to the UFC after Silva's drug test results came back so hot they were practically on fire.
Silva was slapped with a slew of penalties, including a one year revocation of his fight license, a steep monetary fine ($33,750) and a change in ruling for his bout against Vera to a "No Contest."
Not that it hurt his opportunities inside the Octagon.
In fact, he'll be main eventing the upcoming UFC on FUEL TV 2 card next month is Sweden, filling in for an injured Antonio Rogerio Nogueira against top division prospect Alexander Gustafsson.
Too soon?
How many fight fans out there are disappointed that we don't get Silva vs. Vera II? Or would it have gone down just like the first fight, juice or no juice?