After conquering ‘everything' in MMA, Anderson Silva just wants to have fun in the Octagon

RIO DE JANEIRO — Anderson Silva hasn't won a fight since October 2012, but that won’t take the smile away from his face ahead of his UFC 208 bout with Derek Brunson in Brooklyn on Feb. 11.

“The Spider”, one of the greatest champions in UFC history, enters the Octagon after going winless in his last five bouts, when he fought Chris Weidman (twice), Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier, and feels no pressure at all.

"That’s it, you said it, (I) conquered everything. I just want to have fun and do what I love now,” Silva said during a media day in Brazil. "I have no pressure at all. I think I’ve been through all the phases of the sport. I won, I lost, I got injured. Now, I get to do what I love, with my truth, without worrying about what people will say or things like that."

Brunson was riding an impressive five-fight winning streak that included four first-round knockouts ahead of his last bout, a thrilling contest with Robert Whittaker that ended with Brunson defeated by TKO last November.

Brunson is not a big name like his opponent, but that doesn’t matter to Silva.

"I don't care much about ranking or fight style. I like to fight. I love doing this,” Silva said. "It’s a new challenge, and I hope I can bring a positive result for Brazil and for my team.

"The challenge, right? Eight years younger. He’s an athlete that had this recent loss, but he was coming off wins. It’s the challenge.”

“The Spider” believes his UFC 208 clash with Brunson won’t play out like his UFC 200 non-title bout with Daniel Cormier last July because this fight is at middleweight, which means “more movement” from both fighters.

"Look, I always focus on doing what I do best,” Silva said, "which is the striking, the jiu-jitsu with master De La Riva, takedown defense with Rafael Feijao, and with Jacare, who’s an excellent judoca. I try to make every situation comfortable for my game, no matter who the opponent is. If he’s a wrestler of he fights better standing or not, we always focus on working on what we have best."