Wanderlei Silva - The Return of The Axe Murderer - Part I

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Full article here: http://www.ufc.com

Wanderlei Silva - The Return of The Axe Murderer - Part I
By Thomas Gerbasi

When the word “legendary” precedes your name, it can sometimes be a license to forget where you came from, to avoid the people who supported you through the lean times, and to look down from your ivory tower as a different person than the one you started out as.

But spend a little time with former PRIDE champion Wanderlei Silva, a true legend in the sport of mixed martial arts if there ever was one, and you will find someone who hasn’t changed a bit over his 11 years in the fight game. If anything, he has grown more attached to his fanbase and to his role as an ambassador for the sport as he has gotten older.

This was never more evident than in the days leading up to UFC 76 in Anaheim on September 22nd. Recently re-signed to the UFC after a seven year stint in PRIDE that saw him establish himself as one of MMA’s greats, Silva was greeted by scores of fans at every turn, whether at the event weigh-in, the arena, or at the host hotel. There were no bodyguards around Silva, no buffers to keep the people away, and he greeted every fan with the same enthusiasm and gratitude. Even those disappointed when a Friday autograph session had to end had their day brightened when Silva made an effort to shake hands with everyone who didn’t get an opportunity to get their items signed.

continued on http://www.ufc.com