Back in his prime years, Wanderlei Silva struck fear in many of his opponents. Even some of the most skilled names in the game weren’t exempt in feeling the intimidation brought on by a fight against “The Axe Murderer.”
In a recent episode of the MMA TRUFAN podcast series, UFC veterans Rich Franklin, Tito Ortiz, and Chris Leben all shared their stories when they faced Silva. All three came out victorious, but their experiences sharing the cage with one of the most violent fighters of all-time were noteworthy.
Franklin, who defeated Silva twice in 2009 and 2012, admitted he was already left daunted during the staredowns.