UFC Fight Night 40: Matt Brown says Erick Silva hasn't really fought anybody 'that good'

With five of his last six victories coming by way of knockout, it's no secret Matt Brown will look to keep it on the feet when he faces Erick Silva in the main event of this weekend's (May 10, 2014) UFC Fight Night 40 event from Cincinnati, Ohio.

According to "The Immortal," Silva's chin will have a hard time dealing with his power, and he's willing to engage in a toe-to-toe battle to prove his theory.

His words to MMA Fighting:

"I don't think he can take my punches. If I punch him I'm gonna hurt him. I don't think he'll be able, but who knows? Hopefully I can punch him before he punches me, we can find out about his chin before he finds out about mine."

Despite Silva wowing fight fans during his first two years competing inside the Octagon, Brown isn't too impressed with the Brazilian, declaring that his competition wasn't exactly elite level.

He explains:

"He hasn't really fought anybody that good. The best guys that he fought, he lost to. It depends on what you consider impressed. To be in the UFC is impressive, he has knocked some guys out pretty bad, but he has lost a couple times which wasn't impressive. I don't really look at it like that. Everybody is good and everybody has a lot to offer. Everybody is going to bring something to the table that's dangerous."

Perhaps that's why Brown was upset that he was going into the bout as a 2-to-1 underdog against a fighter ranked lower than him.

But, as Brown declared, that will only motivate him further to pick up a win in front of the hometown crowd against one of the fastest-rising prospects in the 170-pound division.

A win would give him seven in a row and a good case to get next crack at the welterweight crown.