Marquardt ready for title shot
The dominance of UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva cannot be denied. The defending titleholder has dispatched of all challengers, but one fighter that previously lost to Silva could be the most dangerous matchup for the Brazilian left on the horizon.
That fighter is Nate Marquardt.
After a stunning performance in his last fight, a win over Wilson Gouveia at UFC 95, Marquardt is again sitting dead center for the debate of who should get a shot at the winner between Anderson Silva and Thales Leites, two fighters the Colorado native has dealt with before.
Silva and Leites are set to do battle in the main event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Montreal at UFC 97.
Marquardt says that his post fight comments after the win over Gouveia, in which he stated that he was a completely different fighter from the person who lost to Silva in 2007, were completely correct, and while he's not sure of the UFC's plan for his next fight, he has to believe a title shot isn't far off.
"I can't imagine that they're not talking about it," Marquardt commented about a title shot recently during an appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. "Do I think or even know that I'll get the spot, I don't know. To be honest I'm just happy with the way things are going right now and I'm going to continue to improve and work on things."
Patience is the key according to Marquardt who will gladly keep knocking off top contenders until it's his time to challenge for the 185-pound gold once again.
"When the time comes I'm going to be ready," said Marquardt. "I'm ready now, but if it doesn't happen for a couple more fights, I'll be happy with that and if I get the shot right away I'll be happy."
The Colorado based fighter continues to work and train full time alongside his teammates at Greg Jackson's school, and he knows that the UFC will make things right for him, when the time is right.
"Whatever's in God's plan and whatever the UFC (wants)," stated Marquardt. "The UFC is a great company to fight for and they know what they're doing so I think when they say it's time, it will be time."
