Don't believe the hype.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender Charlie Brenneman doesn't care much for all the hype that comes along with a hot prospect. In fact, the former Pros vs. Joes winner says he loves to take on mixed marital arts (MMA) fighters who carry said hype in order to be the one to put a halt to it.
In fact, Brenneman was the one the put an end to the six-fight win streak of Rick Story at UFC 130 last year, after "The Horror" was thought to be one of the toughest up-and-coming 170-pound fighters in the UFC after defeating the likes of Johny Hendricks and Thiago Alves.
After coming up short to "The Spaniard" at UFC on Versus: "Kongo vs. Barry," Story has tumbled down the ranks of the welterweight division, going winless (0-2) in his last two bouts inside the Octagon, including his loss to Brenneman, which was followed by a defeat at the hands of Martin Kampmann.
Now, Brenneman -- a former high school teacher -- is looking to stop another "freight train" in the form of former Jungle Fight Welterweight champion Erick Silva at UFC on FX 3: "Johnson vs. McCall" this Friday night (June 8, 2012) from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.
Going 1-1 thus far in the UFC with his loss coming because of a controversial disqualification to Carlo Prater at UFC 142, Silva had previously won nine straight and, according to Brenneman, has been talked about as if he is the next Anderson Silva.
Check out what Charlie had to say to MMA Weekly after the jump:
"If he's the better man and proves me wrong, I'll have no trouble saying that I was wrong and he was much better than I thought. We'll find out real quick if his black belt judo and jiu-jitsu is the real deal. I promise I will put that pressure on him early. He's got such a big name, yet he hasn't proven too much, so that's like having cake and getting to eat it too. I get to fight a big name who hasn't really proved themselves and so that's all the better because it's better than fighting a big name who's beats the crap out of everybody. I mean to me those are the guys I want to fight a la Rick Story. He hasn't really proven that much in the UFC, however, if you hear the talk it sounds like he's the next Anderson Silva. So I'd like to put a halt to that freight train."
Silva, on the other hand, is looking to start a new win streak after his previous one was put to an end when the referee Mario Yamasaki inexplicably disqualified "Indio" for punches to the back of the head of Prater in what seemingly was another quick win for the young Brazilian when the two met on Jan., 14, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
How about it Maniacs. will Erick Silva prove that the "hype" surrounding him is just this Friday night in Florida? Or will Brenneman put a halt to it before it picks up anymore steam?