Ed Soares says recent media coverage of Anderson Silva ‘a shame’

By Brett Okamoto

Friday, April 23, 2010 | 2:13 p.m.

SACRAMENTO — The recent negative media storm regarding Anderson Silva's lackluster performance at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi two weeks ago has been a bit over the top in the opinion of his manger and friend, Ed Soares.

Frankly, he even finds it a bit sickening.

"Unfortunately in this business, it's always, 'What have you done for me lately?'" Soares said. "You're only as good as your last fight. So, in his next fight, he'll knock somebody out and everyone will be thinking he's the greatest again.

"It's just the way people are, man. They like building fighters up and putting them on a pedestal, and even more than that, they like to tear them down. It's just sick a little bit, I think."

Silva, regarded by some as the best MMA fighter in the world, defeated Demian Maia by unanimous decision at UFC 112 but has been criticized for showboating throughout the fight and backpedaling for most of the final three rounds.

UFC president Dana White was so upset by Silva's performance, he later said in an interview on ESPN's 'Jim Rome is Burning' that if it happens again, he would cut the fighter from the organization.

While Soares made sure to emphasize he believes White has the fans' interests at heart, the manager did admit he thought those words were a little harsh for a fighter who has done as much for the UFC as Silva has.

"Dana has the right to say what he wants, that's his right as the president of the event," said Soares, who is in Sacramento this week with WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. "But I do think that's a little harsh to say you're going to cut the best fighter in the world.

"I'm trying not to take it personal. I know Anderson got a little bummed out when he heard that. I see the point he's trying to make, but I think that may be a little extreme. That's just my opinion. I respect Dana White a lot; he's always been great to us."

The main frustration for Soares is his belief that Silva's accomplishments in the UFC have been overlooked during the criticisms for his last fight.

Soares says the bottom line is that his fighter is 11-0 in the organization and only two of those fights have gone the distance.

"It's a shame to me that he's getting more press out of this performance which was not as good," Soares said. "Why didn't we get this kind of media when he knocked out Forrest Griffin in the first round? It's sad.

"I like to focus on the facts. And the facts are that he's 11-0 in the UFC. Many of those fights were finished in the first round. You can't deny that. People can say what they want but those are the facts."

The versatile Silva is capable of moving through several different weight classes in the UFC, however White has already announced his next fight will be a seventh title-defense attempt against top contender Chael Sonnen.

Sonnen has been very vocal in his apparent dislike for Silva, and Soares says it's a matchup he's looking forward to. He also said it's an opportunity that Sonnen has earned.

"Chael Sonnen is great man, step up," Soares said. "He's talking all this (expletive) trying to sell the fight. I think Chael has always been a super cool guy, but really nobody has ever paid attention to what he has had to say. I think he struck a nerve of people paying attention any time he talks about Anderson. So that's his vehicle to get people to listen to him.

"At the end of the day, all those things he says is not going to change anything when he gets in there and the octagon door closes. I was very surprised the way he fought against Nate Marquardt and I think Chael is definitely up there as far as deserving a shot. He's the next victim."

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or [email protected].