At age 40, former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is taking mixed martial arts (MMA) training as serious as ever, judging by the above video (via BJPenn.com), which shows "The Spider" wrecking pads with his patented Muay Thai kicks.
Silva is six weeks out from a long-awaited clash with perennial contender Michael Bisping atop a Fight Pass-exclusive UFC Fight Night 83 card in London, England on Feb. 27, 2016. It will mark his 19th foray into the Octagon and the first time he's competed since testing positive for steroids and anti-anxiety medication, following his UFC 183 main event opposite Nick Diaz.
The Brazilian swears it was because of tainted sex pills, but he ultimately felt the wrath of Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), who suspended him for a total of 12 months dating back to his Jan. 2015 meeting with the Stockton slugger.
Silva, who lost his 185-pound strap to Chris Weidman via knockout in July 2013, had his unanimous-decision victory over Diaz changed to a No Contest. His last legitimate win came over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153 in Oct. 2012.
"The Count," meanwhile, steps into the Octagon for the 25th time when he faces Silva and is no fan of the ex-champ. Bisping will put his two-fight win streak on the line inside The O2 Arena.
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